echology chap 6 defintiions

Question 1

geology

Answer 1

study of origin, history, structure of earth

Question 2

topography

Answer 2

physical configuration or features of region

Question 3

weather

Answer 3

short term changes in temperature, wind, humidity, rain, clouds etc at given place and time

Question 4

climate

Answer 4

physical properties of large area (preciptitation /temperature) as measured over long period of time

Question 5

limiting factor

Answer 5

a shortage (me: excess) or absence of key factor that restricts the success of specieis in a given area (Limiting factors can be either biotic or abiotic and are different in different areas)

Question 6

endemic species

Answer 6

a species that is restricted to specific conditions or a specifc region

Question 7

habitat

Answer 7

place or region where organism lives

Question 8

niche

Answer 8

physical or biological conditions that an organism needs to live and reproduce; also defined as the role an organism plays in a area - including how it interacts with living and non-living elements requried by the organism

Question 9

ecological footprint

Answer 9

amount of biological productive land &water needed to supply a population with the renewable resources it uses & to absorb or dispose of the wastes from such resource use. Measure of AVG ENV impact population in different countries and areas (see per capita footprint)

Question 10

demography

Answer 10

factors describe size and structure of population - see demographic factors [camera zooms out]

Question 11

demographic factors

Answer 11

age structure, sex ratio, life tables, density, dispersion

Question 12

age structure

Answer 12

number individuals in population of a specific age

Question 13

life tables

Answer 13

table of data summarizing mortality [death] in a population: a) # individs surviving to each age group; shows distribution of mortlity with age b) fertility: # offspring per femaile c) lifespan

Question 14

population dispersion

Answer 14

distribution of organisms in population over given area (clumped, random, uniform)

Question 15

population density

Answer 15

number individuals in Population in a given area

Question 16

population

Answer 16

group individuals of same species that live in same area at the same time

Question 17

exponential growth

Answer 17

rate of population growth over time (with no limits). If plot individuals against time gives J curve

Question 18

logistic growth

Answer 18

rate population growth over time (limited by carry capacity of environment) - S curve (level off)

Question 19

K, carrying capacity

Answer 19

maximum stable population size particular environment can support (this is characteristic of environment)

Question 20

r, rate of increase

Answer 20

rate of increase of pouplation (characteristic of the species)