Ecological effects of biodiversityThe diversity of species and genes in ecological communities affects the functioning of these communities. These ecological effects of biodiversity in turn are affected by both climate change through enhanced greenhouse gases, aerosols and loss of land cover, and biological diversity, causing a rapid loss of biodiversity and extinctions of species and local populations.
BiodiversityVariety and variability of life formsAn example of the biodiversity of fungi in a forest in North Saskatchewan (in this photo, there are also leaf lichens and mosses).Biodiversity is the variability of life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels, for example, genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity, and phylogenetic diversity.
EcoregionEcoregions (ecological regions) are ecological and geographical areas that exist on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species. The biodiversity of ecosystems, fauna, and flora that characterise an ecoregion tends to be distinct from that of other ecoregions.
EcosystemCommunity of living organisms together with the nonliving components of their environmentLeft: Coral reef ecosystems are highly productive marine systems. Right: Temperate rainforest, a terrestrial ecosystem.An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by organisms in interaction with their environment, where the biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Ecosystems are controlled by external and internal factors.
Ecosystem healthEcosystem health is a metaphor used to describe the condition of an ecosystem. Ecosystem condition can vary as a result of fire, flooding, drought, extinctions, invasive species, climate change, mining, fishing, farming or logging, chemical spills, and a host of other reasons.
Environmental healthEnvironmental health is the branch of public health concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment affecting human health. Its study determines the requirements for a healthy environment, with the goal of effective control over the factors that affect health. The major sub-disciplines of environmental health are environmental science, toxicology, environmental epidemiology, and environmental and occupational medicine.
EcologyEcology (from Ancient Greek οἶκος (oîkos) 'house' and -λογία (-logía) 'study of') is the natural science which studies the interactions between organisms and their environments. Ecology considers organisms at the community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Ecology overlaps with the sciences of biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, and ethology.
IntegrityIntegrity is the quality of being honest and having a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or of one's actions. Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy. It regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that people who hold apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter those values.
EcocideEcocide (from Ancient Greekoikos 'home' and Latincaedere 'to kill') is the destruction of the environment by humans. Ecocide threatens all populations that are dependent on natural resources for maintaining ecosystems and ensuring their ability to support future generations.
Ecological resilienceIn ecology, resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting damage and subsequently recovering. Such perturbations and disturbances can include stochastic events such as fires, flooding, windstorms, insect population explosions, and human activities such as deforestation, fracking of the ground for oil extraction, pesticide sprayed in soil, and the introduction of exotic plant or animal species.Gaia philosophyGaia philosophy (named after Gaia, the Greek goddess of the Earth) is a broadly inclusive term for relating concepts about humanity as an effect of the life of this planet. The Gaia hypothesis holds that all organisms on a life-giving planet regulate the biosphere in such a way as to promote its habitability. Gaia concepts draw a connection between the survivability of a species (hence its evolutionary course) and its usefulness to the survival of other species.
MedicineDiagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illnessThe Doctor by Sir Luke Fildes (1891)Medicine is the science and practice of caring for patients, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment and palliation of their injury or disease, while promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practices which evolved to maintain and restore health through the prevention and treatment of illness and infection.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.