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This guide was developed in part by using ChatGPT-4o, a generative AI language model. It assisted in drafting content, providing recommendations, and refining language to ensure clarity and coherence. All AI-generated text was reviewed and edited for accuracy and relevance to the topic.
The glossaries are here to help you become familiar with key scientific terms that will inform both your vocabulary and your understanding of scientific research. Knowing these select terms can enhance your comprehension of research articles, provide you with a foundation for discussing scientific concepts, and even inspire your own research projects. They can also serve as a source of ideas for potential topics and give you keywords to use when searching for reliable sources. Use these glossaries as a resource to strengthen your scientific literacy and support your learning throughout the NatureHood assignment.
A biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from human activities. Example: The Amazon rainforest is considered a biodiversity hotspot due to its vast number of species and the threats it faces from deforestation.
A strip of natural habitat that connects separated populations, allowing for gene flow and migration between them. Example: Wildlife corridors between protected areas help maintain healthy animal populations by allowing them to move freely and find resources.
Species that are native to and found only within a specific geographic area. Example: The Galápagos tortoise is endemic to the Galápagos Islands and is not found naturally anywhere else in the world.
The variety of genes within a particular species, population, or community, which contributes to the adaptability and resilience of a species. Example: A population of wolves with high genetic diversity is more likely to survive diseases and environmental changes than a population with low genetic diversity.
The process by which a large, continuous area of habitat is broken into smaller, isolated patches, often due to human activities like deforestation or urban development. Example: Building a highway through a forest can fragment the habitat, isolating animal populations and reducing biodiversity.
A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition, such as the health of an ecosystem. Example: Frogs are often used as indicator species because their sensitive skin makes them vulnerable to environmental changes, such as pollution.
Non-native species that spread rapidly and can cause harm to local ecosystems, outcompeting native species for resources. Example: The introduction of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, which disrupts local aquatic ecosystems.
A type of symbiotic relationship where both species involved benefit. Example: Bees and flowering plants have a mutualistic relationship; bees get nectar for food, and plants get pollinated.
Species that naturally occur in a given area or ecosystem without human intervention. Example: The American bison is native to the grasslands of North America.
Species that have been introduced to an area where they do not naturally occur, often due to human activities. Not all non-native species are invasive. Example: The apple tree is not native to North America but is widely cultivated across the continent.
A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (the host). Example: Ticks feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles, often harming the host.
The relative abundance of different species in an area, indicating how evenly individuals are distributed among species. Example: A forest with 50 oak trees, 50 maple trees, and 50 pine trees has high species evenness, while a forest with 145 oak trees and 5 maple trees has low species evenness.
The number of different species represented in an ecological community, landscape, or region. Example: A coral reef with 100 different species of fish has higher species richness than a nearby reef with only 50 species.
The position an organism occupies in a food chain, such as primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. Example: Plants are primary producers, herbivores like rabbits are primary consumers, and predators like hawks are secondary consumers.
