Endangered speciesAn endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular region. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasive species, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas.
Genetic diversityGenetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It ranges widely, from the number of species to differences within species, and can be correlated to the span of survival for a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary. Genetic diversity serves as a way for populations to adapt to changing environments.
Gene bankA gene bank is a type of biorepository that is used across the world to store the genetic material of animals, plants, and other organisms. It preserves their genetic information in the form of reproductive material like seeds, sperm, eggs, embryos, cells and other kinds of DNA. Oftentimes, these banks house the genetic material of species that are endangered or close to extinction.
Conservation movementSociopolitical advocacy for protecting natural resources The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is an environmental, social, and political movement, that seeks to manage and protect natural resources, including animal, plant, and other living species as well as their habitat for the future. Conservationists are concerned with leaving the environment in a better state than the condition they found it in.
Genetic resourcesGenetic resources are genetic material of actual or potential value, where genetic material means any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of . Genetic resources is one of the three levels of biodiversity defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity in Rio, 1992.
ZooA zoo (short for zoological garden; also called a zoological park, animal park, or menagerie) is a facility where animals are kept within enclosures for exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. Zoos vary greatly in size, ranging from small urban enclosures of a few acres to massive open-range and natural-habitat reserves spanning thousands of acres. The term zoological garden refers to zoology, the study of animals.
Selective breedingSelective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant males and females will sexually reproduce and have offspring together. Domesticated animals are known as breeds, normally bred by a professional breeder, while domesticated plants are known as varieties, cultigens, cultivars, or breeds.
HabitatIn ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ecological niche. Thus "habitat" is a species-specific term, fundamentally different from concepts such as environment or vegetation assemblages, for which the term "habitat-type" is more appropriate.
Crop diversityCrop diversity or crop biodiversity is the variety and variability of crops, plants used in agriculture, including their genetic and phenotypic characteristics. It is a subset of a specific element of agricultural biodiversity. Over the past 50 years, there has been a major decline in two components of crop diversity; genetic diversity within each crop and the number of species commonly grown.BreedA breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In the literature, there exist several slightly deviating definitions. Breeds are formed through genetic isolation and either natural adaptation to the environment or selective breeding, or a combination of the two.
Crop wild relativeA crop wild relative (CWR) is a wild plant closely related to a domesticated plant. It may be a wild ancestor of the domesticated (cultivated) plant or another closely related taxon. OverviewThe wild relatives of crop plants constitute an increasingly important resource for improving agricultural production and for maintaining sustainable agro-ecosystems.
Ecological nicheIn ecology, a niche refers to the specific environmental condition occupied by a species or population. Different definitions have been proposed for the ecological niche, though they mainly revolve around describing the relationship between a species or population and its environment. The term was coined in 1910 by Roswell Hill Johnson, but the first conceptual work done in the context of ecology research was by Joseph Grinnell in 1917.
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