Chapter 8 - Patterns of Life: Biogeography Flashcards
biodiversity
the number of living species in a specified region
biogeography
the study of the geography of life and how it changes through space and time
ecology
the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
ecosytem
a fundamental unit of ecology; includes both living organisms within a community and the nonliving components of the environment in which the organisms live
extinction
the permanent and global loss of a species
migration
the seasonal movement of organisms from one place to another, usually for feeding or breeding
evolution
genetically driven change in a population caused by selection pressures in the environment
population
a group of organisms that interact and interbreed in the same geographic area
speciation
the creation of a new species through evolution
convergant evolution
a process by which two or more unrelated organisms that experience similar environmental conditions evolve similar adaptations
dispersal
the movement of an organism away from where it originated
divergent evolution
a process by which individuals within one population begin to diverge genetically from those in the other population due to becoming reproductively isolated
niche
consists of the living and nonliving resources and environmental conditions that a species requires
habitat
the physical environment in which a species lives
endemic
the geographic range of species that is restricted to one area
limiting factor
any factor that prevents and organism from reaching its reproductive or geographic potential
predation
the consumption of one organism by another
keystone species
species whose effects indirectly support many other species within an ecosystem
competition
interaction between organisms that require the same resources
mutualism
a relationship between two species that benefits both of them
colonization
the natural establishment of a population in a new geographic region without the help of people
propagule
any unit, such as a seed, a mating pear, or rooting branch, that is able to establish a new reproducing population
sweepstakes dispersal
long-distance dispersal to remote islands
stepping-stones
island chains (archipelagos) that aid in the dispersal of organisms
biogeographic realms
continental-scale regions that contain genetically similar groups of plants and animals
ecological disturbance
a sudden event that disrupts an ecosystem
ecological succession
the step-by-step series of changes in an ecosystem that follows an ecological disturbance
sere
a stage of ecological succession that follows a disturbance
r-selected species
pioneer species; the first organisms to move into an area after a primary disturbance event
k-selected species
climax species; long-living organisms that produce little offspring
trophic hierarchy
an approach to structuring the biosphere based on the movement of energy and matter through it, beginning with solar energy
taxonomic hierarchy
an approach to structuring the biosphere based on the genetic relationships among organisms
spatial hierarchy
an approach to structuring the biosphere based on ecological units of life (population/community/ecosystem/biome)
primary producer
any organism that is able to convert sunlight to chemical energy through photosynthesis
phytoplankton
microscopic photosynthetic bacteria and algae that are suspended in the sunlit portions of water
consumer
any organism that cannot produce its own food through photosynthesis
decomposers
organisms that break down organic material into simple compounds that re-enter the trophic system through plants
food webs
a complex system of ecological interconnections that represents the movement of energy through the biosphere
trophic levels
the different levels of an ecosystem through with energy and matter flow
taxonomy
the classification and naming of organisms based on their genetic similarities
co,,unity
taxonomy
the classification and naming of organisms based on their genetic similarities
community
consists of the populations of organisms interacting in a geographic area
