Ecological Succession Vocab Flashcards
Ecology
The study of how organisms interact with their environment
Biome
Large geographic areas with similar climates and ecosystems
Ecosystem
A system consists of all of the interactions that occur between the abiotic and biotic factors within a environment
Climate
The long term average temperature and rainfall that occur in a particular region
Ecological succession
Transition of species present in a community in an area virtually barren of life,or after a disturbance
Primary succession
Series of changes that occur in an area where no ecosystem previously existed
Secondary succession
Series of changes that occur after a disturbance in an existing ecosystem
Pioneer species
Organism that do not need soil to survive;they start the soil building process
Climax community
A relatively stable state of succession,or the end product of succession
Limiting factor
A factor that limits the ability of a habitat to sustain a population
Biodiversity
The number of different species of plant and animals in a area
Sustainability
Able to last or continue for a long time
Adaptation
An inherited trait that increases an organisms chance of surviving and reproducing in a particular environment
Habitat
A place where an organism naturally lives and grows
Microhabitat
A very small specialized habitat,such as the space under a rock
