Definitions Flashcards
Ecology
The science that studies the relationship between living things and their environment.
Species
A collection of individuals able to interbreed and produce fertile young
Habitat
The place where an organism lives; sometimes used in the general sense to refer to the type of place that an animal lives.
Population
A group of organisms of the same species that occupies a particular area
Ecological niche
The adaptation of a species to the biotic and abiotic factors in its environment; a species role in its community
Community
Any grouping of populations of different organisms that are found living together in a particular environment. The organisms interact and give the community a structure.
Ecosystem
A community of living organisms and it’s physical environment
Biodiversity
The number of species in a given area but also used to encompass genetic diversity between individuals of a species to the total number of species on the planet
Biome
The characteristics vegetation community associated with a particular latitude or bio-geographical region and primarily defined by climate.
Organism
Living things that are capable of reacting to stimuli, reproduction, growth, and homeostasis
Biosphere
The earth
Natality
The ratio of the number of births to the size of the population
Fecundity
The measure of the number of offspring produced by an organism over time
Mortality
The measure of the number of deaths per unit of time
Immigration
The movement of an organism into another area due to limited resources or inbreeding in previous group
Emigration
The act of leaving a habitat or area with the intent of moving to a different habitat
Autotrophs
Plants
Heterotrophs
Consumers
Detritivores
Eat dead matter
Saprotrophic
Fungi, bacteria
Divergent
Two different organisms with the same ancestor develop different traits and characteristics to adapt to Thier environment
Convergent
Different and distantly related organisms that adapt similar environment
Parrallel
Organisms develop similar characteristics due to their environment, but they are more closely related than convergent species
Co-evolution
Two or more species effect each others evolution
Allopatric speciation
When a species separates into two separate groups which are isolated from one another
Peripatric speciation
When small groups of individuals break off from the larger group and form a new species
Parapatric speciation
The species is spread out over a very large geographic area and individuals only mate with those in their own geographic region
Sympatric speciation
Occurs when there are no physical barriers preventing any members of a species from mating with another and all members are near one another
Artificial speciation
Selective breeding
Five kingdoms
Fungi, protists, monera, plant, animal
Futher separation from kingdoms
Phylum, subphylum, class, order, family, genus, species
r selection
Many offspring, little parental care
k selection
Very few offspring, high parental care
