Biodiversity and Conservation Flashcards

What is an 'umbrella species' in conservation planning?

Answer: A species whose protection simultaneously protects many other species sharing its habitat

Umbrella species have large habitat requirements, so protecting them creates reserves large enough to shelter many co-occurring species.

The IUCN Red List category 'Critically Endangered' requires a population decline of at least what percentage over 10 years or three generations?

Answer: 80%

Critically Endangered status requires ≥80% population reduction over 10 years or three generations under criterion A.

Which treaty specifically regulates international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora?

Answer: CITES

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) controls cross-border trade to prevent overexploitation of wild species.

Genetic erosion in a species most directly refers to the loss of:

Answer: Allelic diversity within the gene pool

Genetic erosion is the reduction of genetic variation—specifically allele diversity—that reduces a population's adaptive capacity.

A metapopulation is best described as:

Answer: A set of spatially separated subpopulations linked by occasional dispersal

A metapopulation consists of subpopulations occupying habitat patches that exchange individuals through dispersal, allowing local extinctions to be recolonized.

Which of the following is an example of ex situ conservation?

Answer: Maintaining a seed bank for rare plants

Ex situ conservation preserves species outside their natural habitats, such as in seed banks, botanical gardens, or zoos.

The concept of 'rewilding' in conservation primarily involves:

Answer: Restoring large predators and natural processes to recover self-sustaining ecosystems

Rewilding focuses on reintroducing apex predators and keystone species to restore trophic cascades and ecological processes with minimal ongoing management.