ECOLOGY DEFINITION FUN! Flashcards
Population
group of organism of the same species living in a particular area
carrying capacity
stable size of a population that a habitat can support
biotic potential
the max rate at which a species can increase its numbers given unlimited resources and ideal environmental conditions
environmental resistance
factors that limit the growth rate of the population ie preventing it from reaching its biotic potential.
Renewable resources
eg dead leaves for decomposers produced every autumn
Non Renewable
eg population of yeast given a supply of nutrients that is not replaced
Pest
organism which causes economic damage to a valuable/ commercial crop
succession
sequence of change in species composition in a community over a period of time
primary succession
relatively slow process of community development in a previously unoccupied area
pioneer species
initial colonising species in a new habitat
community (succession)
biotic component of an ecosystem and involving interactions between autotrophic (plant) and heterotrophic (animal) populations
ecosystem
community of different species that are independent and interact with each other and their abiotic environment, involving energy flow and nutrient and gas exchanges
climatic community
stable end stage of succession
biotic community
stable end stage of succession is determined by other organism eg grazing animals
climatic community
stable end stage of succession determined by the climate
secondary succession
normal primary succession has been interrupted by fire, flooding, wind or human activity. Seeds, soil and roots may be present.
Gross primary product
total amount of orange matter produced in photosynthesis
Net primary product
GPP - energy used in respiration
growth
Why plants only absorb 1% light energy
- chlorophyll only absorb red and blue light and reflect green light
- light missed the chloroplast in the leaves
- light energy used in evaporation of water
- light reflected from the surface of the leaf
- light energy is reflected by clouds.
Plants - Herbivores 5-10%
- herbivores do not contain cellulase enzyme … can not digest cellulose results in large amount of faeces
- can not eat roots
- respiration and heat loss
- excretion
- many leaves die in autumn and enter the decomposers food chain
herbivores - carnivores 10-20%
- more of the animal can be eaten and digested - however bone and hair difficult to digest
- respiration & heat loss ( endotherms eg birds and mammals)
- excretion eg urea
