Chapter 13 Ecosystems Flashcards
Allelopathy
A form of competition involving the release of a chemical by one plant species that inhibits the growth of another species
Allelochemicals
U substances produced in plants that prevent or limit damage by herbivores
Autotrophs
Organisms that given a source of energy can produce their own food from simple inorganic substances also known as producers
Camouflage
Structural method of protection against predators in which the appearance of the animal matches its surroundings
Carnivores
Organisms that kill and eat other animals
Cladodes
Fine green branches that carry out photosynthesis in plant species where leaves are reduced
Climax community
Final stable community resulting from succession in a particular area
Commensalism
Association between 2 different species
Community
Biological unit consisting of all the populations living in a specific area in a specific time
Competition
Interaction between individual of the same or different species using the same space and energy resources in a ecosystem
Consumers
Organisms that obtain their energy and organic matter by eating or ingesting the organic matter of other organisms also termed heterotrophs
Decomposers
Organisms such as fungi that can break down and absorb organic matter of dead organisms or their product
Dessication
Drying out
Detritroves
organisms that eat particles of organic matter found in soil and water
Detritus
Fragments of organic material present in soil and water
Diversity
Measure of species richness or the number of different species in a community
Ecology
The study of communities in their habitats and the interactions between them and their environment
Ecosystems
Biological units comprising the community living in a discrete region, the non living surroundings and the interactions occurring within the community and between the community and its surroundings
Endoparasites
Organisms that live inside another organism and obtain food from it eg a tapeworm
Exoparasites
Organisms such as fleas that live on the exterior of another organism and obtain food from it
Haustoria
Thin strand of tissue through which a plant parasite makes connection with its host
Hemiparisitism
From of paritism in which a parasite obtains some nutrients and water from its host plant but also makes some of its own through photosynthesis
Herbivore plant relations
One of many more relationships existing between different species in a community this one being the interaction between plants and the animals that can eat them
Heterotrophs
Organisms that ingest or absorb food in the form of organic material from their environment also known as consumers
Holoparisitism
Form of parasite in which a plant parasite depends completely on its host for nutrients and water
Host
Organisms on or in which a parasite lives
Hydrothermal vents
Previous at the ocean depths where mineral laden super heated water escapes from the earts crust typically through a chimney composed of precipitated mineral deposits
Inter specific competition
Competition for resources in an ecosystem involving members of different species
Intra specific competition
It’s competition for resources in an ecosystem involving members of the same species
Lichens
S
Littoral
Intertidal zone along a coast between high and low water marks
Mid ocean ridges
Series of ridges and mounts located on the ocean floor
Mimicry
A situation in which one species has an appearance similar to that of a different but distasteful species where that similarly apparently gives protection and predators
Muatalism
An association between two different species in a community in which both gain some benefit
Mycorrhiza
Fine threads formed by a fungus that for a large surface area for a large uptake of ingredients
Niche overlap
Situation in an ecosystem in which different species are in competition for the same energy and space resources, niche overlap in ecosystems is normally zero
Niche seperation
Situation in which two species in the community use different resources Such that the two species have no degree of niche overlap
Nitrogen fixing bacteria
Bacteria able to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into ammonium ions
Omnivores
Organisms that eat both plants and animals
Parasite
Organism that lives on or in another organism and feeds from it usually without killing it
Parasite host relationship
Form of interaction within a community that involves one species the parasite living in or in another species the host typically without killing the host
Parasitoids
Adult females of some wasps and fly species that are like parasites but that slowly kill their hosts
Pheromones
Chemicals secreted by some animals to communicate with other memebers of the species, chemical messengers
Photsynthesis
Process by which plants trap the radiant energy of sunlight and turn it into carbohydrates and carbon dioxide and water
Pioneer species
first species to become established in a previously uncolonised habitat
Population
Members of one species living in a specific habitat at a particular time
Predator
Living animal that actively seeks out other animals as its source of food
Predator prey relationship
A form of interaction within a community that involves the eating of one species the prey by another species the predator
Prey
Living animal that is captured and eaten by the predator
Primary succession
Ecological succession occurring in an area that was not previously colonised
Producers
Photosynthetic organisms and chemo synthetic bacteria that given a source of energy can build organic matter from simple inorganic substances
Secondary succession
Establishment over time of replacement communities in an area following an event that removes the original community
Succession
Natural process by which the community living in an area changes over time
Sulfur bacteria
One group of bacteria that gain energy by oxidising Sulfur compounds
Symbiosis
Prolonged association between different species in a community in which at least one partner benefits including parasitism mutualism and commensalism
Volatile
Refers to a chemical substance that vaporises at ambient temperatures and diffuses through the air
Warning coloration
Bright colours of colour markings on a species that apparently signals to predators that the members of species contains distasteful chemicals
