1. BIODIVERSITY
VOCABULARY

2. ADAPTATION
A behavior or physical characteristic that allows an organism to live successfully in its environment.

3. BIODIVERSITY
The number of different species in an area.

4. CAPTIVE BREEDING
The mating of animals in zoos or wildlife preserves.

5. ECOSYSTEM
The community of organisms that live in a particular area, along with their nonliving surroundings.

6. ENDANGERED SPECIES
A species in danger of becoming extinct in the near future.

7. EXOTIC SPECIES
Species that are carried to a new location by people. (invasive, introduced)

8. EXTINCTION
The disappearance of all members of a species from Earth.

9. GENE
A structure in an organism’s cells that carries its hereditary information.

10. GENE POOL
Organisms, within one species, share many common genes but also have some unique genes that make them individuals.

11. HABITAT DESTRUCTION
The loss of a natural habitat.

12. HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
The breaking of a habitat into smaller, isolated pieces.

13. KEYSTONE SPECIES
A species that influences the survival of many others in the ecosystem.

14. NICHE
The role of an organism in its habitat, or how it makes its living.

15. POACHING
Illegal killing or removal of wildlife from their habitats.

16. PRESERVATION
Protection from harm or damage.

17. SPECIES
A group of organisms that are physically similar and can mate with each other and produce offspring that can also mate and reproduce.

18. THREATENED SPECIES
A species that could become endangered in the near future.

19. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY

20. BENEFITS TO BIODIVERSITY

21. WHAT CAN BE DONE? Set aside land for parks/preserves
Research to understand species/ecosystem interactions
Concentration of $
on HOT SPOTS to
maximize results for
$ spent