APES Chapter 4 Flashcards
Phytoplankton
microscopic photosynthetic algae, protists, and cyanobacteria that drift in open water
Zooplankton
tiny aquatic animals that eat phytoplankton
competition
multiple organisms seeking the same, limited resource
Intraspective competition
competitive interactions between members of the same species
Interspective competition
competitive interactions between two or more different species
Competitive exclusion
one species is a very effective competitor and excludes another specie from a resource completely
Species coexistence
neither competitor fully excludes the other , so they live side by side
Fundamental niche
the full niche of a species
Realized niche
the portion of its fundamental that is actually fulfilled
Resource partitioning
dividing the resources a species uses in common by specializing in different ways
Character displacement
competing species come to diverge in their physical characteristics because the evolution of traits best suited for the range of resources used
Predation
the relationship where one organism (the predator) hunt, capture, kill, and consume their prey
Parasitism
a relationship where one organism (the parasite) depends on the host for nourishment
Coevolution
long-term reciprocal process which two or more types of organisms repeatedly respond through natural selection to each other’s adaptions
Herbivory
when animals feed on the tissues of plants
Mutualism
two or more species benefit from interaction with one another
Symbiosis
relationship between species that live in close proximity
Pollination
an interact creatures transferring pollen from one flower to the ova
Amensalism
one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected
Commensalism
one species that benefits and the other is unaffected
Community
an assemblage of populations of organisms living in the same area at the same time
Tropic Level
rank in the feeding hierarchy
Food Chain
a linear series of feeding relationships
Food web
a visual map of energy flow that uses arrows to show the many paths by which energy passes among organisms as they consume one another
Keystone species
a species that has a strong or wide-reaching impact far out of proportion to its abundance
Trophic cascade
predators at high trophic letter can can indirectly promote populations of organisms a a low trophic levels by keeping species at intermediate trophic levels in check
Resistance
a community that resists change and remains stable despite disturbance
Resilience
a community changes in response to disturbance but later changes back to its original state
Succession
a predictable series of changes or disturbances
Primary succession
a disturbance so severe that no vegetation or soil life remains from the community that occupied that space
Secondary succession
a drastic disturbance that does not destroy all living things or organic matter in the soil, but still alters the community
Pioneer species
species that arrive first and colonize the new substrate
Phase shift (regime shift)
the overall character of a community fundamentally changes
Invasive species
a non-native species is introduced, prospers, and spreads wildly, becoming the dominant species
Restoration ecology
the study of historical conditions of ecological communities as they existed, before humans altered them
Ecological restoration
the actual on-the-ground efforts to carry out these visions and restore communities
Biome
a major regional complex of similar communities- a large scale ecological unit recognized primarily by its dominant plant type and vegetation structure
Climatographs
climate diagrams
Temperate deciduous forest
a biome consisting midlatitude forests with broad leaves, that fall of during the fall and are dormant in the winter
Temeperate grasslands
a biome who’s vegetation is dominated by grasses and features more extreme weather conditions between winter and summer
Temperate rain forests
a biome consisting of tall coniferous trees that are cooler, less species-rich, milder, and wetter
Tropical rain forests
a biome consisting of year-round rain and uniformly warm temperatures, diverse, lush vegetation, and dark, damp interiors
Tropical dry forest
a biome consisting of deciduous trees and occurs at tropical and sub-tropical latitudes where wet and dry seasons span out about half the year
Savanna
tropical grasslands interspread with clusters of acacias and other trees
Desert
a biome that consists of very little rain, few vegetation, and varying temperatures
Tundra
a biome that consists of desert like qualitites but are in very high altitudes with freezing winters and cool summers
Permafrost
underground soil that becomes permanently frozen
Boreal forest
the northern coniferous forest, broad, continuous distribution
Desert
a biome that consists of very little rain, few vegetation, and varying temperatures
Tundra
a biome that consists of desert like qualitites but are in very high altitudes with freezing winters and cool summers
Permafrost
underground soil that becomes permanently frozen
Boreal forest
the northern coniferous forest
Desert
a biome that consists of very little rain, few vegetation, and varying temperatures
Tundra
a biome that consists of desert like qualitites but are in very high altitudes with freezing winters and cool summers
Permafrost
underground soil that becomes permanently frozen
Boreal forest
the northern coniferous forest
Chaparral
limited, small patches around the globe
Rainshadow
a region on one side of a mountain/range that has a more arid climate because as rain is released while going up, when it comes down, it has no more water
