Ecological Terms Flashcards
Carrying Capacity (K)
- How many can live in a certain place
* Characteristic of land itself
Environmental support factors
Sum total of ALL negative factors in the environment
Ex: Competition, disease, limited habitat, predation, parasitism
Density Independent Factors
Normally related to Abiotic factors like: weather, cold rain, floods
Density Dependent Factors
Environmental factors that increase in their impact on a population as size increases
Ex: The more animals, the greater the impact
What are some density dependent factors?
Food supply limitations Predation Disease/parasitism Territoriality Forced emmigration Waste buildup
Biotic Potential
Intrinsic rate of natural increase
OR
Maximum reproductive rate under ideal conditions
r-selected
- Lots of young
- VERY high biotic potential
- Excellent invader species
- insects and prey species
K-selected
- Few young but high investment
- VERY low or conservative biotic potential
- Poor invasive species
- Large animals and predators
What are the two types of competition?
IntERspecific & IntRAspecific
IntERspecific
Competition betwEen two different species for environmental resources
IntRAspecific
Competition Among individuals of the same species for environmental resources
Year Class
Year animal was born or hatched
Age Class
The actual age the animal in upon capture or harvest
Density
Certain number per unit area
Sex ratio
Ratio of males to females
