Environmental Science Terminology - Ecology & Sustainability

What you'll learn

• Master core ecological concepts.
• Understand key sustainability principles.
• Define critical climate science terms.
• Identify essential conservation strategies.

Preview the flashcards

A sample of the 50 cards in this set — each with pronunciation and English meaning.

Ecosystem/ EE-koh-sis-tem /

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Ecosystems are fundamental units in ecology, showing how living and non-living components interact.

Habitat/ HAB-ih-tat /

The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. It's significant because an organism's survival depends on the availability and quality of its habitat.

Niche/ NITCH /

The role and position a species has in its environment; it includes how it meets its needs for food and shelter, how it survives, and how it reproduces. It defines how a species interacts with its biotic and abiotic environment.

Food Web/ food web /

A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains. It illustrates the complex feeding relationships within an ecosystem and how energy flows through it.

Trophic Level/ TROH-fik LEV-el /

The position an organism occupies in a food chain. It helps understand energy transfer and biomass distribution within an ecosystem.

Biomagnification/ by-oh-mag-nuh-fih-KAY-shun /

The increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. It highlights the danger of persistent pollutants.

Ecological Succession/ ee-kuh-LOJ-ih-kuhl suk-SESH-un /

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. It describes how ecosystems recover or develop after disturbances.

Keystone Species/ KEE-stohn SPEE-sheez /

A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically. They are critical for maintaining ecosystem structure and function.

Biome/ BY-ohm /

A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra. Biomes are characterized by their climate and dominant plant life.

Carrying Capacity/ KAR-ee-ing kuh-PAS-ih-tee /

The maximum population size of a biological species that can be sustained indefinitely by a given environment, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available. It's a crucial concept for sustainable resource management.

Ecological Footprint/ ee-kuh-LOJ-ih-kuhl FOOT-print /

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area necessary to supply the resources a human population consumes and to assimilate its waste. It's used to assess sustainability.

Ecosystem Services/ EE-koh-sis-tem SER-vis-ez /

The many and varied benefits that humans freely gain from the natural environment and from properly functioning ecosystems. Examples include clean air and water, pollination, and climate regulation. They are vital for human well-being.

Endangered Species/ en-DAIN-jerd SPEE-sheez /

A species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction. Protecting these species is a primary goal of conservation efforts.

Conservation Biology/ kon-ser-VAY-shun by-OL-uh-jee /

The scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It's an applied science focused on practical solutions.

Biodiversity/ by-oh-duh-VER-sih-tee /

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, encompassing genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Its significance lies in maintaining ecosystem stability and providing essential services.

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