Chapter 3 Glossary Terms

the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region

to legally guard from harm a species that is listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern

a place where there is and exceptionally large number of species in a relatively small area

all the populations of the different species that interact in a specific area or ecosystem

a species that is so abundant that it has the biggest biomass of any community member

a species that can greatly affect population numbers and the health of an ecosystem

the breeding of rare or endangered wildlife in controlled settings to increase the population size

a species that causes such dramatic changes to landscape that it creates a new ecosystem

the series of changes in ecosystems that occurs over time following a disturbance

the destruction of habitats, which usually results from human activities

the practice of clearing forests for logging or other human uses, and never replanting them

a species that is accidentally or deliberately introduced to a new location, usually as a result of human activity

a species that can take over the habitat of native or invade their bodies

the use or extraction of a resource until its depleted

the death of all of the individuals of a species

the current the current accelerated rate of extinctions on Earth

the renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention

the regrowth of a forest, either through the planting of seeds or trees in an area where a forest was cut down

the use of a species to control the population growth or spread of an undesirable species

the use of living organisms to clean up contaminated areas naturally

the use of organisms to add essential nutrients to depleted soils