Roots of Common Terms in Conservation Biology
Roots
G = Greek, L = Latin, F = French
Anthropogenic
anthrōpos = human being (G) and genes = born (G)
Biodiversity
"biological diversity" bios = life (G) and divertere = turn aside (L)
Conservation
conservare = to preserve (L)
Ecosystem
eco shortened from ecology, from oikos = house (G)
Endangered
Danger comes from dangier = meaning the power to harm (F)
Extinction
exstinguere = extinguished (L)
Habitat
habitare = posess, inhabit (L)
Intrinsic
intrinsecus = inward (L)
Mitigation
mitigare = to soften or alleviate (L)
Ozone
ozein = to smell (G) [Ozone has a pungent odor, fyi.]
Poaching
pochier = to enclose in a bag (F)
Pollution
pollut- = soiled, defiled (L)
Population
populus = people (L) [Even though we can talk about populations of many different organisms, not just human populations]
Preservation
praeservare= to guard (L)
Reserve
reservare =keep back, from re- = back+ servare = to keep(L)
Restoration
restaurare = rebuild, restore (L)
Species
specere = to look(L)
Sustainability
sustinere, from sub- =from below+ tenere = hold (L)