Chapter 8 Flashcards
population
a group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area
density
mass of a unit volume of a material substance
dispersion
the separation of light into colours
growth rate
The rate, or speed, at which the number of organisms in a population increases
reproductive
the biological process by which new individual organisms “offspring” are produced from their “parents”.
potential
it generally refers to a currently unrealized ability
exponential growth
growth rate stays the same regardless of population size, making the population grow faster and faster as it gets larger
carrying capacity
a species’ average population size in a particular habitat
niche
all of the interactions of a species with the other members of its community, including competition, predation, parasitism, and mutualism
competition
an interaction between organisms or species in which both the organisms or species are harmed
predation
the preying of one animal on others
parasitism
relationship between two species of plants or animals in which one benefits at the expense of the other, sometimes without killing the host organism
mutualism
an interaction between individuals of different species that results in positive beneficial effects
commensalism
a relationship between individuals of two species in which one species obtains food
symbiosis
a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups
