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The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It serves as a way for populations to adapt to changing environments, with more diversity leading to a greater chance of survival.

Non-native species that are introduced to an area, spread rapidly and cause harm to native species and their habitats. They can outcompete, prey upon natives, or alter habitats, leading to biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption.

The process by which a large, contiguous area of habitat is broken into smaller, isolated areas, often due to human activities like agriculture and urban development. This process can lead to reduced genetic diversity, increased edge effects, and a greater vulnerability to extinction for many species.

The benefits that humans freely gain from the natural environment and from properly-functioning ecosystems. These include services like pollination of crops, clean water, and decomposition of waste, and have profound economic and health benefits for humans.

Species that are only found in a specific geographic area and nowhere else, often on islands or in isolated ecosystems. Their conservation is critical because they are particularly vulnerable to extinction due to their limited distribution.

The unsustainable use or extraction of natural resources including plants and animals. This leads to a significant reduction in some species' numbers and can drive them to endangerment or extinction.

The role and position a species has in its environment, how it meets its needs for food and shelter, how it survives, and how it reproduces. A species' niche includes all of its interactions with the biotic and abiotic factors of its environment.

A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed, the ecosystem would change drastically. Examples include sea otters or gray wolves. Their conservation is crucial for maintaining the structure of ecological communities.

A biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. Protecting these hotspots is vital because they contain a high number of endemic species and are key to preserving the planet's biodiversity.