Definitions Flashcards
Biodiversity hotspot
A region with numerous endemic/native species and a large number of endangered and threatened species. Contains at least 1500 species of endemic vascular plants found nowhere else. Have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
Biodiversity
The variety of all life at a genetic, species and ecosystem level.
Species
A group of morphologically similar organisms that share a gene pool; members of the same species are able to interbreed under natural conditions to produce viable and fertile offspring.
Biological species concept
A species is a group of organisms who are able to interbreed in nature to produce viable, fertile offspring.
Phylogenetic species concept
Identifies a species as being the smallest group of organisms who can all trace their origins to a single common ancestor.
Biosphere
The sum of all ecosystems across the world.
Biome
Regions of the world with similar climates, animals and plants.
Topography
The arrangement of physical features, both natural and artificial, of an area.
Habitat
An area or environment within an ecosystem where an individual of a species lives, feeds and reproduces.
Population
A group of individuals belonging to the same species, living in the same habitat at the same time.
Ecosystem
A community (biotic factors), its environment (abiotic factors) and the interactions between them.
Community
The interacting populations of different species inhabiting an area at one particular time.
Environment
Abiotic and biotic factors of an area.
Random distribution
Organisms are spaced irregularly; the location of one organism does not affect the location of another.
Uniform distribution
Organisms are evenly spaced; the presence of one organism determines how close or distant another will be.
Morphological species concept
Characterizes a species based on physical characteristics and features.
Clumped distribution
A number of individuals are grouped together and the groups make up the population as a whole.
Energy
The capacity to cause change, particularly to do work.
Biogeochemical cycle
The pathway of matter through the living components and non-living components of an ecosystem.
Autotrophs
Also known as producers, they can synthesize organic compounds e.g. nucleic acids, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates, from inorganic raw materials.
Heterotrophs
Also known as consumers; organisms that cannot synthesize their own organic compounds (food) from inorganic materials.
Biomass
The total mass of biological matter (living or dead) in a given area, at the time of measurement, that can be used as an energy source.
ATP
Adenosine triphosphate
10% rule in ecology
Only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is passed onto the next level.
