6. Glossary

allele; allel

Variant of a gene. In sexually reproduced populations, each gene carries two alleles, one from the mother, the other from the father.

Biodiversity; biodiversity

The diversity of the living world, in all its components, including all interactions between living beings. Unexpected issues, such as the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, which are at the root of many hospital-acquired diseases, are all part of biodiversity.

Communities

Assembly of species in a location or region. The set of species considered is often a compromise between biology and operational sampling constraints: the "bird community" of a region, for example.

Ecosystems

Idealized part of a landscape, including living...