Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Wildlife Epidemiology

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Wildlife Ecology and Management 1. Habitat vs. Ecosystem While these terms are related, they have distinct meanings. A habitat refers to the specific environment where an organism lives, while an ecosystem encompasses the interactions between living and non-living components in a given area. 2. Endangered vs. Threatened Both terms signify species at risk, but the difference lies in the severity. 'Endangered' means a species is at a higher risk of extinction, while 'threatened' implies a lower risk, but still significant enough to warrant conservation efforts. 3. Migration vs. Dispersal Migration is the seasonal movement of organisms from one region to another, often for breeding or food. Dispersal, on the other hand, refers to the movement of individuals away from their birthplace, which can occur at any time. 4. Biodiversity vs. Species Richness Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life in an area, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Species richness, however, focuses solely on the number of different species present. 5. Keystone Species vs. Indicator Species