Ch. 4 Vocab Flashcards
Both species benefit
Mutualism
Competition between members of the same species
Intraspecific competition
Competition between members of 2 or more species
Interspecific competition
A relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is harmed.
Parasitism
Animals feed on the tissues of plants
Herbivory
A relationship in which one organism is harmed while the other is unaffected
Amensalism
A relationship in which one organism benefits, while the other remains unaffected
Commensalism
A series of feeding relationships
Food chain
A species that plays a vital role in the ecosystem
Keystone species
Predators at high trophic levels indirectly affect populations at low trophic levels
Trophic cascade
The predictable series of changes in a community following a disturbance
Succession
Disturbance that leaves only rock
Primary succession
The first species to colonize an area
Pioneer species
A disturbance dramatically alters, but does not destroy, all local organisms; Leaves soil intact.
Secondary succession
Non-native (exotic) organisms that spread widely and become dominant in a community
Invasive species