chp. 8,10 vocab

Question 1

population

Answer 1

a group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area

Question 2

dispersion

Answer 2

the way individuals are spaced out in an area

Question 3

density

Answer 3

the number of individuals in a population per unit area

Question 4

growth rate

Answer 4

how quickly a population increases or decreases

Question 5

biotic potential

Answer 5

the maximum rate at which a species can reproduce under ideal conditions

Question 6

reproductive potential

Answer 6

the potential for an organism to produce offspring over its lifetime

Question 7

generation time

Answer 7

the average time between birth of an individuals and the birth of its offspring.

Question 8

exponential growth

Answer 8

rapid population increases in an ideal environment where recourses are unlimited

Question 9

density dependent

Answer 9

factors that affect a population more as the population grows (like food shortage or disease)

Question 10

carrying capacity

Answer 10

the maximum number of individuals an environment can support

Question 11

limiting resources

Answer 11

a resource that is in short supply and limits population growth

Question 12

territory

Answer 12

an area that an animal or group defends against others

Question 13

niche

Answer 13

the role and position a species has in its environment

Question 14

habitat

Answer 14

the natural environment where an organism lives

Question 15

competition

Answer 15

when organisms fight for the same resources (like food or space)

Question 16

niche restriction

Answer 16

when species limit their use of resources to avoid competition

Question 17

predation

Answer 17

when one organism hunts and eats another

Question 18

parasitism

Answer 18

a relationship where one organism hunts and eats another

Question 19

mutualism

Answer 19

a relationship where both organisms benefit

Question 20

commensalism

Answer 20

a relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

Question 21

symbiosis

Answer 21

a close long-term relationship between two species which can include mutualism, commensalism or parasitism

Question 22

biodiversity

Answer 22

the variety of life forms present in each area, including genetic diversity within species and the different ecosystems they inhabit

Question 23

gene

Answer 23

a basic unit of heredity, a segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait

Question 24

keystone species

Answer 24

a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of an ecosystem, disproportionately impacting other species even if its population is small

Question 25

ecotourism

Answer 25

tourism focused on experiencing natural environments while supporting conservation efforts and local communities

Question 26

endangered species

Answer 26

a species at very high risk of extinction soon

Question 27

threatened species

Answer 27

a species likely to become endangered if protective measures aren’t taken

Question 28

exotic/ invasive species

Answer 28

a nonnative species introduced to an area where it can outcompete native species, causing ecological disruption.

Question 29

poaching

Answer 29

the illegal hunting or capturing of protected species

Question 30

endemic species

Answer 30

a species that is only found in a specific geographic region