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ecology
the study of organisms and their interaction with the environment TERM 2
abiotic
DEFINITION 2 physical environment, environment's nonliving component, chemical:temp, light, water, and air TERM 3
biotic
DEFINITION 3 all organisms in the area, the living component of the environment (interactions with other species-e.g., predation, competition) TERM 4
habitat
DEFINITION 4 specific environment an organism lives in, includes biotic and abiotic factors of its surroundings TERM 5
organismal ecology
DEFINITION 5 an organism's structure, physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet the challenges posed by the environment
population ecology
the study of biological factors that affect the sizes of populations. including environmental influences on population density and distribution, age structure, and variations in population size TERM 7
community ecology
DEFINITION 7 the study of an assemblage of populations of various species living close enough for potential interaction TERM 8
ecosystem ecology
DEFINITION 8 all the abiotic factors in addition to the community of species in a certain area, focuses on energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among the various abiotic and biotic factors TERM 9
abiotic factors
DEFINITION 9
- environmental temperature: affects the distribution of organisms bc of its effects on biological processes2. water: availability among habitats3. salinity: affects water balance of organisms through osmosis4. sunlight: light intensity and quality can affect photosynthesis in ecosystems, important to the development and behavior of organisms sensitive to the photoperiod5. wind: amplifies the effects of temperature on organisms by increasing heat loss due to evaporation and convection, can change the morphology of plants TERM 10
aquatic biomes
DEFINITION 10 account for the largest part of the biosphere in terms of area
patterns of dispersion
environmental and social factors influence the spacing of individuals in a population TERM 17
clumped dispersion
DEFINITION 17 individuals aggregate in patches. may be influenced by resource availability and behavior TERM 18
uniform dispersion
DEFINITION 18 individuals are evenly distributed. may be influenced by social interactions such as territoriality TERM 19
random dispersion
DEFINITION 19 the position of each individual is independent of other individuals TERM 20
ecological footprint
DEFINITION 20 an estimate of the amount of land required to provide the raw materials an individual or a population consumes, including: food, fuel, water, housing, waste disposal. is 9. hectares per person in the US
demography
the study of the vital statistics of a population and how they change over time. death and birth rates are particular interests TERM 22
interspecific
competition
DEFINITION 22 occurs when species compete for a particular resource that is in short supply TERM 23
competitive exclusion
DEFINITION 23 the local elimination of one of the two competing species TERM 24
ecological niche
DEFINITION 24 the sum of an organism's abiotic and biotic resources in its environment TERM 25
competitive exclusion principle
DEFINITION 25 states that two species competing for the same limiting resources cannot coexist in the same place
mimicry
in some cases one prey species may gain significant protection by imitating the appearance of another TERM 32
herbivory
DEFINITION 32 the consumption of plant parts or algae by an animal. has led to the evolution of plant mechanical and chemical defenses and consequent adaptions by herbivores TERM 33
parasitism
DEFINITION 33 one organism derives its nourishment form another which is harmed in the process. exerts substantial influence on populations and the structure of communities. pathogens, disease-causing agents are typically bacteria, viruses, or protists TERM 34
commensalism
DEFINITION 34 one species benefits and the other is not affected
