Question | Answer |
Alien Species | A species introduced into an area which can act as a threat to endemic populations, e.g. quinine tree in Galapagos |
Anaerobic | Lacking oxygen (soils in which mangroves grow) |
Aquaculture | Farming of freshwater and seawater organisms, e.g. Shrimp farming in Indonisia |
Carbon Sequestration | Storage of carbon, soils are a huge store of CO2 |
Biodiversity | The variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth |
Biodiversity Hotspot | An area with over 1500 vascular endemic plants which has lost 70% of its original landmass |
Biomass | All living material, measured in kg/m2/year |
Biome | A large global ecosystem characterised by the dominant vegetation type, e.g. TRF |
Coral Beaching | Loss of colour in the coral, usually linked to global warming. Algae which provides colour dies due to stresses such as sea level rise |
Eco-Region | A large area of land or water with geographically distinct natural communities |
Ecosystem | Community of plants and animals together with the environment in which they live |
Ecosystem Diversity | A measure of the diversity of the total ecosystem |
Endemic | Native to a particular region or country, e.g. Kangaroo is endemic to Australia |
Eutrophication | Increase in the nutrients within an ecosystem, usually in water, which increases the NPP. Over time this leads to a growth in algae and a lack of oxygen and a reduction in water quality and fish populations |
Genetic Diversity | Variations between individuals of the same species - the "Gene Pool" |
Gersmehl's Nutrient Cycles | The transfer of nutrients between the three main stores, biomass, litter, and soil. Stores are representative of the size, e.g. Biomass is the largest store in the TRF |
Habitat | The environment in which a species lives |
Leaching | The loss of nutrients from the soil due to heavy rain. Nutrients are washed out |
Millenium Development Goals | Eight development goals agreed by 192 UN member states, include reducing extreme poverty and ensuring environmental stability |
Millennium Ecosystem Assesment | A research programme which focuses on ecosystem changes over time, intending to record and protect levels of degradation |
NPP | Net primary production. The amount of new growth measured in g/m2yr |
Permafrost | Soil which has been below freezing point for two or more years |
Pneumatophores | Special adaptation of roots to grow upwardsto survive anaerobic conditions, linked to mangroves |
Ramsar Sites | A treaty for the conservation and protection of wetlands |
Species Diversity | The variety of species within a given region or ecosystem |
Sustainable Yield | The maximum that can be extracted from an ecosystem without taking from the base level and leading to declining in resources |
Trophic | A level in the food chain |
Zonation | Species grow in distinct areas depending on tolerance, e.g. Red, Black and Grey mangroves show zonation depending on their tolerance to salinity and waterlogged soils |
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