Definitions Flashcards
(24 cards)
Physiological Adaptations
evolved modifications to an organism’s internal functioning or metabolic processes
Structural Adaptations
evolved modifications to an organism’s physical structure
Behavioural Adaptations
evolved modifications to an organism’s actions
Ecosystem
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Populations
a group of individuals
of the same species living in the same geographic location
Population Density
the number of individuals in a population per unit area
Population Distributions
the range of geographical areas that members of a population can be found in
Types :
- Uniform
- Random
- Clumped
density-independent factors
environmental factors that affect population growth but are not affected by population density
density-dependent factors
environmental factors that
affect population growth and become stronger as population density increases
interspecific competition
the competition for resources between
members of different species
intraspecific competition
the competition for resources between
members of the same species
Habitat
the natural home or environment of a plant, animal, or other organism
Abiotic Factor
a property of the environment relating to nonliving things.
Biotic Factor
a property of the
environment relating to living things.
Tolerance Range
the range of environmental conditions that are tolerable for survival in a species
Mutualism
interactions between
two organisms of different species where both parties experience some overall benefit
Commensalism
interactions
between two organisms of
different species where one gains some benefit while the other experiences no significant benefit or harm
Predation
interactions between
different species where one organism hunts and kills another organism for food
Parasitism
interactions between
two organisms of different species where one organism obtains
nutrients at the expense of a host organism
Amensalism
interactions between
two organisms of different species where one organism experiences
some negative effect while the other experiences neither a beneficial nor negative effect
Competition
interactions between
two or more organisms competing for the same pool of resources
Keystone Species
a species whose effects on an ecosystem are greater than expected relative to
its population size
Apex Predator
a predator that has
no natural predators and is at the top of its food chain
Ecosystem Engineer
an organism that creates,
significantly alters, or maintains the structure of an environment
