Sarah Pilger
SEADISC
1/7/12
Content Glossary
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Bequest Value: the value of satisfaction from preserving a natural
environment or a historic environment, in other words natural heritage or
cultural heritage for future generations.
Biodiversity Hotspots: a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of
biodiversity that is under threat from humans
Biodiversity Management Plan: a plan set by a government or organization
in order to protect the biodiversity of a suffering ecosystem
Biome: climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions
on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and
are often referred to as ecosystems
Biophobia: the fear or hatred of nature and wild life
Biophilia: the love of nature
Ecological niche: total way of life or role of a species in an ecosystem. It
includes all physical, chemical, and biological conditions that a species needs
to live and reproduce in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem: one or more communities of different species interacting with
one another and with the chemical and physical factors making up their
nonliving environment
Endangered species: a species of organisms facing a very high risk of
extinction
Endemic species: species that is found in only one area. Such species are
especially vulnerable to extinction.
Extinction: the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon),
normally a species, so that it no longer exists
Foundation Species: refers to a species that has a strong role in structuring
a community
Fynbos Biome: natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a
small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall
coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate
Habitat fragmentation: breakup of a habitat into smaller pieces, usually as a
result of human activities.
Habitat reserves: reserved areas by the law in order to protect wildlife,
nature, and habitat
Habitat: place or type of place where an organism or population of
organisms lives
Indicator Species: species that can be used to monitor the health of an
environment or ecosystem
Instrumental Value: its value to other animals (including human beings)
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Intrinsic Value: refers to the value it possesses in its own right, as an end-initself, as opposed to its instrumental value
Invasive species: species that migrate into an ecosystem or are deliberately
or accidentally introduced into an ecosystem by humans.
Invertebrates: animals that have no backbones.
Keystone Species: a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its
environment relative to its abundance
Organism: any form of life.
Pesticide: any chemical designed to kill or inhibit the growth of an organism
that people consider undesirable.
Population: all the organisms of the same group or species who live in the
same geographical area and are capable of interbreeding
Range: the geographical area within which that species can be found
Specialist Species: a species that can only thrive in a narrow range of
environmental conditions or has a limited diet.
Species: group of similar organisms, and for sexually reproducing organisms,
they are a set of individuals that can mate and produce fertile offspring.
Every organism is a member of a certain species.
Urbanization: creation or growth of urban areas, or cities, and their
surrounding developed land
Reference:
The Science Dictionary. (2012) Retrieved January 7, 2012, from TSD Web Site:
http://www.thesciencedictionary.com/