Biology Flashcards: Model Human Activity Biodiversity Effects

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Model Human Activity Biodiversity Effects, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for Biology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is thermal pollution, and what is its typical effect on dissolved oxygen?

Answer: Warmer water from discharge; dissolved oxygen decreases. Warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cool water.

Flashcard 2: What is bycatch, and how does it affect biodiversity?

Answer: Non-target capture; increases mortality of many species. Accidental capture kills species that aren't being targeted.

Flashcard 3: What is selective logging, and how does it differ from clear-cutting in impact?

Answer: Removes some trees; typically less severe than clear-cutting. Maintains canopy cover and some habitat structure.

Flashcard 4: What is a wildlife corridor, and what biodiversity problem does it address?

Answer: Habitat link between patches; reduces isolation and boosts gene flow. Connects isolated patches to allow movement and breeding.

Flashcard 5: Identify the main genetic risk when small populations become isolated by fragmentation.

Answer: Inbreeding and genetic drift reduce genetic diversity. Small isolated populations lose genetic variation through breeding patterns.

Flashcard 6: What is the Allee effect, and how can it raise extinction risk after habitat loss?

Answer: Low density reduces survival or reproduction; extinction risk increases. Very small populations struggle to find mates and reproduce.

Flashcard 7: Which option best describes a point-source pollutant affecting biodiversity?

Answer: A single identifiable discharge location (for example, a pipe). Single source makes pollution easier to identify and control.

Flashcard 8: Which option best describes a nonpoint-source pollutant affecting biodiversity?

Answer: Diffuse runoff from many locations (for example, farms and streets). Scattered sources make pollution harder to track and regulate.

Flashcard 9: What is thermal pollution, and what is its typical effect on dissolved oxygen?

Answer: Warmer water from discharge; dissolved oxygen decreases. Warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cool water.

Flashcard 10: What is the typical biodiversity effect of pesticide use on insect communities?

Answer: Reduces non-target insects and alters food webs; diversity declines. Pesticides kill beneficial insects that support food webs.

Flashcard 11: What is an endemic species, and why is it vulnerable to habitat loss?

Answer: Species restricted to one area; limited range increases extinction risk. Cannot escape to other areas when local habitat is destroyed.

Flashcard 12: Identify the likely biodiversity trend when a habitat is restored and native plants re-established.

Answer: Species richness and evenness generally increase over time. Restoration removes human stressors and allows natural recovery.

Flashcard 13: What is the greenhouse effect, and why does human-enhanced $CO_2$ matter for biodiversity?

Answer: Atmospheric heat trapping; added $CO_2$ drives warming and range shifts. Enhanced greenhouse effect accelerates climate change impacts.

Flashcard 14: What is bioindicator evidence that acid rain is reducing freshwater biodiversity?

Answer: Declines in sensitive species such as mayflies and some fish. Acid-sensitive species disappear first as pH decreases.

Flashcard 15: What is the typical biodiversity effect of pesticide use on insect communities?

Answer: Reduces non-target insects and alters food webs; diversity declines. Pesticides kill beneficial insects that support food webs.

Flashcard 16: Which option best describes a nonpoint-source pollutant affecting biodiversity?

Answer: Diffuse runoff from many locations (for example, farms and streets). Scattered sources make pollution harder to track and regulate.

Flashcard 17: Which option best describes a point-source pollutant affecting biodiversity?

Answer: A single identifiable discharge location (for example, a pipe). Single source makes pollution easier to identify and control.

Flashcard 18: What is the Allee effect, and how can it raise extinction risk after habitat loss?

Answer: Low density reduces survival or reproduction; extinction risk increases. Very small populations struggle to find mates and reproduce.

Flashcard 19: What is inbreeding depression in conservation biology?

Answer: Reduced fitness from mating among relatives and harmful recessives. Related individuals share more harmful recessive alleles.

Flashcard 20: What is genetic drift, and why is it stronger in small human-isolated populations?

Answer: Random allele frequency change; stronger when population size is small. Random sampling effects are proportionally larger in small populations.

Flashcard 21: Identify the main genetic risk when small populations become isolated by fragmentation.

Answer: Inbreeding and genetic drift reduce genetic diversity. Small isolated populations lose genetic variation through breeding patterns.

Flashcard 22: What is a wildlife corridor, and what biodiversity problem does it address?

Answer: Habitat link between patches; reduces isolation and boosts gene flow. Connects isolated patches to allow movement and breeding.

Flashcard 23: What is the typical biodiversity effect of road building through habitat?

Answer: Fragmentation, edge effects, and higher mortality; diversity declines. Roads create barriers and increase wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Flashcard 24: What is selective logging, and how does it differ from clear-cutting in impact?

Answer: Removes some trees; typically less severe than clear-cutting. Maintains canopy cover and some habitat structure.

Flashcard 25: What is desertification, and how can it affect biodiversity in drylands?

Answer: Land degradation to arid conditions; reduces productivity and diversity. Lower rainfall and plant growth support fewer species.

Flashcard 26: What is deforestation, and what is its immediate effect on forest biodiversity?

Answer: Forest removal; rapid declines in habitat specialists and richness. Forest-adapted species lose habitat and cannot survive elsewhere.

Flashcard 27: What is bycatch, and how does it affect biodiversity?

Answer: Non-target capture; increases mortality of many species. Accidental capture kills species that aren't being targeted.

Flashcard 28: What is pollution, and how can it reduce biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems?

Answer: Contaminants cause toxicity and habitat degradation; diversity declines. Toxins directly kill organisms and degrade water quality.

Flashcard 29: What is overexploitation, and what is its direct effect on biodiversity?

Answer: Harvesting faster than replacement; reduces populations and diversity. Taking more than natural reproduction can replenish.

Flashcard 30: What is an invasive species in models of human-caused biodiversity change?

Answer: Non-native species that spreads and harms native communities. Outcompetes natives and lacks natural predators or diseases.