ecology 1 Flashcards
Species
genetically similar organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Population
group of species living in the same place at the same time
Community
population of different species living and interacting in the same area
Ecosystem
a community of interacting organisms and their physical environment (biotic & abiotic)
Biotic
living things within an ecosystem like plants, animals, and bacteria
Abiotic
non-living things within an ecosystem like water, soil, and temperature
Autotrophs
organisms that obtain their own energy (plants)
Heterotrophs
organisms that obtain energy from other organisms
Consumers
gain energy by feeding or on other organisms or absorption
Detritivores
obtain energy from detritus (waste) by internal digestion, ex: worms
Saprotrophs
obtain energy by external digestion aka breaks down debris using secreting enzymes to absorb, ex: fungi
Herbivores
animal consumes plant, caterpillar feeding on leaf
Predation
predator hunts prey, lions are the predators of zebras
Parasitism
parasite lives in or on a host for food, tapeworms on human intestines
Mutualism
both species benefit, ex: bee gets nectar for honey and flower gets pollen for pollination
Commensalism
one species benefits and other in unaffected, barnacles attach to whales
Sustainable ecosystem
A sustainable ecosystem must contain producers, consumers, decomposers, dead/inorganic matter, and an external energy source
Ecological niche
the role an organism plays in an ecosystem
Fundamental niche
set of conditions an organisms can survive in
Realized niche
set of conditions in organism’s actual mode of existence
Keystone species
organism that holds an ecosystem together without necessarily being abundant, ex: purple sea star
Limiting factor
something that stops an ecosystem from growing
Top-down control
higher trophic levels affect lower trophic levels through predation
Bottom-up effect
lower trophic levels affect higher trophic levels by productivity
