Biology Flashcards: Evaluate Biodiversity Preservation Strategies

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This deck focuses on Evaluate Biodiversity Preservation Strategies, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for Biology.

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Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Which prioritization strategy focuses on endemism and threat level: hotspot or random selection?

Answer: Hotspot prioritization. Targets areas with highest conservation value per dollar invested.

Flashcard 2: Which strategy is most effective at preventing invasive species impacts: prevention or eradication?

Answer: Prevention (biosecurity and early detection). Stopping introductions is cheaper and more effective than removal.

Flashcard 3: Which strategy directly reduces eutrophication in lakes: nutrient runoff control or ecotourism?

Answer: Reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. Excess nutrients cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Flashcard 4: What is assisted migration (managed relocation)?

Answer: Moving species to suitable habitats as climate conditions shift. Helps species track suitable climate conditions as they shift.

Flashcard 5: What is overexploitation as a threat to biodiversity?

Answer: Harvesting organisms faster than populations can recover. Exceeds natural reproduction rates, causing population decline.

Flashcard 6: Which policy tool directly limits overexploitation: harvest quotas or habitat corridors?

Answer: Harvest quotas. Sets harvest limits to prevent overexploitation of species.

Flashcard 7: What is climate change mitigation in the context of biodiversity preservation?

Answer: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit habitat and range shifts. Reduces warming that forces species to shift ranges.

Flashcard 8: Which management approach best protects biodiversity in a reserve: enforcement or open access?

Answer: Enforcement of regulations and monitoring. Active protection prevents habitat degradation and species loss.

Flashcard 9: What is ex situ conservation?

Answer: Protecting species outside natural habitats (zoos, seed banks). Maintains species away from their natural environments for safety.

Flashcard 10: What is a minimum viable population (MVP)?

Answer: Smallest population likely to persist long-term despite risks. Critical threshold below which extinction risk increases rapidly.

Flashcard 11: What is a seed bank used to preserve?

Answer: Genetic diversity of plant species for future restoration. Maintains genetic material for restoration and research purposes.

Flashcard 12: What is an edge effect in fragmented habitats?

Answer: Altered conditions at habitat boundaries that change species survival. Habitat edges experience different microclimate and predation pressures.

Flashcard 13: What is captive breeding as a biodiversity strategy?

Answer: Breeding threatened species in captivity to increase population size. Increases population size before releasing back to wild.

Flashcard 14: What is reintroduction in conservation biology?

Answer: Releasing captive-bred or relocated organisms into native range. Restores species to areas where they previously existed.

Flashcard 15: What is the main purpose of the Endangered Species Act-type legislation?

Answer: Protect listed species and their critical habitats from harm. Provides legal protection for species facing extinction.

Flashcard 16: What is a conservation easement?

Answer: A legal agreement limiting land use to protect habitat on private land. Legally restricts development while allowing limited compatible uses.

Flashcard 17: Which management approach best protects biodiversity in a reserve: enforcement or open access?

Answer: Enforcement of regulations and monitoring. Active protection prevents habitat degradation and species loss.

Flashcard 18: Which fishing strategy reduces bycatch most directly: selective gear or higher quotas?

Answer: Selective gear (for example, TEDs and circle hooks). Specialized equipment prevents capture of non-target species.

Flashcard 19: What is biological control, and what is a key ecological risk?

Answer: Using natural enemies; risk is harming non-target native species. Introduces predators but may harm native species unintentionally.

Flashcard 20: Which risk is most associated with small captive populations: inbreeding or high gene flow?

Answer: Inbreeding depression. Small populations lose fitness through mating between relatives.

Flashcard 21: What is pollution as a driver of biodiversity loss?

Answer: Contaminants that reduce survival, reproduction, or habitat quality. Chemical and physical pollutants directly harm organisms and ecosystems.

Flashcard 22: What is a protected area (reserve) in biodiversity conservation?

Answer: A legally managed region set aside to conserve habitats and species. Restricts human activities that threaten biodiversity.

Flashcard 23: Which option is a market-based conservation tool: payments for ecosystem services or clearcutting?

Answer: Payments for ecosystem services (PES). Economic incentives reward landowners for conservation actions.

Flashcard 24: What is eutrophication?

Answer: Nutrient enrichment causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion. Excess nutrients trigger harmful algal blooms and fish kills.

Flashcard 25: Which evaluation best supports using a marine protected area: fish stocks decline from overfishing.

Answer: Establish a no-take zone to allow populations to recover. Protected areas allow overexploited populations to rebuild naturally.

Flashcard 26: Which strategy most directly reduces habitat fragmentation effects: corridors or culling?

Answer: Wildlife corridors. Corridors reconnect fragmented habitats, allowing species movement.

Flashcard 27: Which action best represents restoration ecology: replant natives or build roads?

Answer: Replanting native species and rebuilding habitat. Active restoration rebuilds habitat rather than destroying it.

Flashcard 28: Identify the best strategy to preserve genetic diversity: connect habitats or isolate populations.

Answer: Connect habitats to increase gene flow. Connectivity maintains genetic exchange between populations.

Flashcard 29: What is sustainable yield in wildlife or fishery management?

Answer: A harvest level that can be maintained without long-term decline. Balances harvest with population's natural regeneration capacity.

Flashcard 30: What is habitat fragmentation?

Answer: Breaking continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Divides large habitats into smaller pieces, reducing population connectivity.

Flashcard 31: What is bycatch in fisheries, and why is it a biodiversity issue?

Answer: Unintended capture of non-target species that increases mortality. Accidental catch kills species not targeted by fishing operations.

Flashcard 32: Which fishing strategy reduces bycatch most directly: selective gear or higher quotas?

Answer: Selective gear (for example, TEDs and circle hooks). Specialized equipment prevents capture of non-target species.

Flashcard 33: Which option is an ex situ method: seed bank or national park?

Answer: Seed bank. Seed banks preserve genetic material outside natural habitats.

Flashcard 34: Which agricultural practice best preserves biodiversity: monoculture expansion or agroforestry?

Answer: Agroforestry. Agroforestry integrates trees to support biodiversity in agriculture.

Flashcard 35: What is climate change adaptation as a biodiversity strategy?

Answer: Managing ecosystems to increase resilience to changing conditions. Helps ecosystems cope with unavoidable climate impacts.

Flashcard 36: What is a minimum viable population (MVP)?

Answer: Smallest population likely to persist long-term despite risks. Critical threshold below which extinction risk increases rapidly.

Flashcard 37: What is the founder effect in conservation translocations?

Answer: Low genetic diversity when a new population starts from few individuals. Small founding groups carry limited genetic variation.

Flashcard 38: What is eutrophication?

Answer: Nutrient enrichment causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion. Excess nutrients trigger harmful algal blooms and fish kills.

Flashcard 39: What is assisted migration (managed relocation)?

Answer: Moving species to suitable habitats as climate conditions shift. Helps species track suitable climate conditions as they shift.

Flashcard 40: What is integrated pest management (IPM) intended to reduce?

Answer: Reliance on broad-spectrum pesticides that harm non-target species. IPM uses targeted methods to protect beneficial species.

Flashcard 41: What is an ecosystem service relevant to biodiversity preservation decisions?

Answer: A benefit humans receive from ecosystems (pollination, water filtration). Natural processes that provide economic and life-supporting value.

Flashcard 42: What is agroforestry, in one sentence?

Answer: Integrating trees with crops or livestock to support habitat and soil. Combines trees with agriculture to create habitat diversity.

Flashcard 43: What is in situ conservation?

Answer: Protecting species in their natural habitats. Protects species in their original, natural environments.

Flashcard 44: What is bycatch in fisheries, and why is it a biodiversity issue?

Answer: Unintended capture of non-target species that increases mortality. Accidental catch kills species not targeted by fishing operations.

Flashcard 45: What is the primary goal of biodiversity preservation strategies?

Answer: Maintain ecosystem function and prevent species extinctions. Conservation aims to sustain ecological processes and prevent species loss.

Flashcard 46: What is a population bottleneck relevant to biodiversity loss?

Answer: A sharp population reduction that decreases genetic variation. Severe population crash reduces genetic diversity permanently.

Flashcard 47: What is an invasive species in biodiversity management?

Answer: A nonnative species that spreads and harms native ecosystems. Non-natives that outcompete or disrupt native species interactions.

Flashcard 48: What is a conservation easement?

Answer: A legal agreement limiting land use to protect habitat on private land. Legally restricts development while allowing limited compatible uses.

Flashcard 49: Which conservation approach prioritizes protecting keystone species to stabilize ecosystems?

Answer: Ecosystem-based management. Protects key species that maintain entire ecosystem stability.

Flashcard 50: Which reserve design generally maximizes interior habitat: long narrow or compact?

Answer: Compact reserve design. Minimizes edge effects by maximizing interior-to-perimeter ratio.

Flashcard 51: What is sustainable forestry as a biodiversity strategy?

Answer: Harvesting timber while maintaining habitat structure and regeneration. Selective harvesting maintains forest ecosystem functions.

Flashcard 52: Which prioritization strategy focuses on endemism and threat level: hotspot or random selection?

Answer: Hotspot prioritization. Targets areas with highest conservation value per dollar invested.

Flashcard 53: What is a biodiversity hotspot?

Answer: Region with many endemic species and high habitat loss risk. Concentrates unique species facing immediate extinction threats.

Flashcard 54: What is a protected area (reserve) in biodiversity conservation?

Answer: A legally managed region set aside to conserve habitats and species. Restricts human activities that threaten biodiversity.

Flashcard 55: Which option is a market-based conservation tool: payments for ecosystem services or clearcutting?

Answer: Payments for ecosystem services (PES). Economic incentives reward landowners for conservation actions.

Flashcard 56: What is biodiversity, as evaluated in conservation planning?

Answer: Variation of genes, species, and ecosystems in an area. Encompasses all living diversity at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

Flashcard 57: What is genetic drift, and why does it matter for small populations?

Answer: Random allele frequency change that can reduce genetic diversity. Stronger in small populations, reducing adaptive potential.

Flashcard 58: What is a wildlife corridor designed to increase?

Answer: Gene flow between separated populations. Allows genetic exchange between isolated habitat patches.

Flashcard 59: Which evaluation best supports using a marine protected area: fish stocks decline from overfishing.

Answer: Establish a no-take zone to allow populations to recover. Protected areas allow overexploited populations to rebuild naturally.

Flashcard 60: What is pollution as a driver of biodiversity loss?

Answer: Contaminants that reduce survival, reproduction, or habitat quality. Chemical and physical pollutants directly harm organisms and ecosystems.

Flashcard 61: What is ecosystem restoration?

Answer: Repairing degraded ecosystems to recover structure and function. Reverses damage by rebuilding natural habitat conditions.

Flashcard 62: What is ecosystem restoration?

Answer: Repairing degraded ecosystems to recover structure and function. Reverses damage by rebuilding natural habitat conditions.

Flashcard 63: What is a keystone species?

Answer: A species with a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem. Their removal causes ecosystem collapse despite low abundance.

Flashcard 64: What is sustainable forestry as a biodiversity strategy?

Answer: Harvesting timber while maintaining habitat structure and regeneration. Selective harvesting maintains forest ecosystem functions.