Species-poor

Describing an environment, habitat, or community that contains a relatively low diversity of species. This often implies a lack of biodiversity, with fewer different types of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms present compared to a more diverse, species-rich area. Such environments can be naturally occurring due to factors like extreme conditions or isolation, or they can be a consequence of human activities such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. species-poor areas may be less resilient to environmental changes and more vulnerable to disruptions in their ecosystems.

Species-poor meaning with examples

• The harsh, desert landscape is considered species-poor; only specially adapted plants and animals can survive in such extreme conditions. These areas often display low levels of biodiversity. Comparatively, tropical rainforests are considered species-rich environments. The study revealed that overgrazing had transformed the once diverse grassland into a species-poor pasture.
• The introduction of invasive species dramatically reduced the variety of native organisms, turning the once vibrant coral reef into a species-poor environment. The scientist studying this case was able to study the difference between environments. The area affected now has a much reduced biodiversity compared to before.
• Agricultural intensification, with its reliance on monoculture, resulted in species-poor fields lacking the variety of insects and other organisms found in a more natural setting. The result being that biodiversity has been lowered in the fields by making the food-rich environments more species-poor.
• After the forest fire, the devastated area became species-poor for several years, as plants and animals struggled to re-establish themselves. The change showed the impact of an event. Natural events such as this one will always display drastic changes.
• The industrial effluent discharged into the river led to a species-poor zone downstream, where only a few pollution-tolerant organisms could survive. The industrial waste created an environment that only few organisms could prosper in by making it species-poor. This pollution caused a major change.