Ecology Flashcards
Species
Individuals that can mate and produce fertile offspring
Biome
A large geographical area with similar climate and land characteristics. For example, a desert or tropical rain forest.
The presence of a biome is determined by it’s distance from the equator and the altitude. For example, you can find a tundra on a tropical island, if it is at a high enough altitude. On the island of Hawaii, on Mano kea there is snow all year long.
Population
A group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographical area.
Ecosystem
The collection of community species and the abiotic (non-living) factors which affect them
Community
All of the organisms in a particular geographical area.
Temperate grassland
A biome with cold winter temperatures, seasonal drought, occasional fires, and grazing by large mammals prevents woody shrubs from establishing.
Tropical thorn forest
A forest in tropical low land areas. It has long dry times, succulents, trees, and shrubs.
Tropical deciduous forest
A tropical forest with distinct wet and dry seasons. Re-leafing occurs in the rainy or monsoon season.
Temperate deciduous forest
A forest in our area. Leaves drop in the fall, they’re dormant during the winter, and re-leaf in the spring.
Arctic tundra
A cold biome with very little rainfall and little evaporation. Since it is cold, the water is frozen and not available to plants. Plants are limited to short, mat like species
Taiga
A boreal forest found across North America, Europe, and Asia. Days are long with 18 hours of sun. Winters are cold with little sun. The soil is acidic and there are several meters of snow to insulate the ground in winter. Mice and other creatures are very active in tunnel communities under the snow.
Chaparral
This biome is maintained by periodic fires. Many plants have fire-resistant crowns and seeds which sprout only after exposure to a hot fire.
Littoral zone
Shallow, well lite, warm water near the shore.
Profundal zone
Deep, aphotic water with detritus raining down from the limnetic zone.
Riffles
Shallow river water flowing over a rough bottom.
Turbulent water
A lake or pond has a bond of turbulent water which separates layers of oxygen rich and oxygen poor water.
Benthic zone -
B benthic, b bottom
A bottom zone containing thermal vents and giant worms on the ocean floor, the floor of coral reefs, and the sand you walk on in ankle deep water. Any bottom, except the one you sit on.
Neritic zone
Photic water slightly off shore. A coral reef could be found here.
Oceanic zone
The portion of the ocean which begins beyond the continental shelf and continues to the abyssal zone.
Rocky intertidal upper zone
Crabs and birds can be found eating mollusks and suspension feeding barnacles in this area of the rocky shore. Muscles and barnacles are exposed at low tide and are an easy meal for predators and can dry out in the sun.
Rocky intertidal middle zone
Muscles and barnacles are only exposed to sun and air in the lower tides.
Rocky intertidal bottom zone
This area of the rocky shore is covered with waters almost all the time. Seaweed is abundant and provides cover for many organisms.
Coral reef
Cnidarians called coral secrete a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton and provide a substrate for symbiotic algae to live on. Sponges and many fish make their home here. Starfish are very damaging, and ocean warming has harmed the coral reef ecosystems.
Estuaries
Are found where fresh water meets the ocean. The water is brackish, or saltier than fresh water. This area is very productive. Crabs, oysters, and the young of sea creatures, as well as many birds can be found in this area. Traditionally, this land has been inexpensive and home to industry. As a result, all world estuaries are badly polluted and exploited.
