ecology keywords Flashcards
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the study of interrelationships between organisms and their environment. The environment includes both abiotic and biotic factors
Ecology
the position an organism fills in its environment, comprising its habitat, the resources it uses and the time at which it occurs there
Ecological niche
The highest population that can be maintained for an indefinite period of time by a particular environment
Carrying capacity
species which are first to colonise cleared or disturbed ground.
Pioneers species
an organism that uses solar energy in photosynthesis to produce carbohydrates
Producers
parts of the atmosphere that have very different environmental conditions to each other
Biomes
a group of organisms of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time
Population
A very simple diagram showing how energy flows through an ecosystem
Food chains
the non-living/physical components of the environment (temperature, light, soil pH)
Abiotic factors
A living factor that affects a population or a process (predation, competition, parasitism, disease)
Biotic Factors
counting the number of organisms in the sample
Abundance
competition between members of the same species
Intraspecific competition
the energy that remains after the energy used in respiration has been subtracted from the gross primary production
Net primary production
conditions that reduce the growth rate of a population
Environmental resistance
a diagram showing all the feeding relationships in a single ecosystem or community
Food webs
a fertiliser containing organic substances such as, urea.
Organic fertiliser
all the populations of different species that live and interact together in the same area at the same time
Community
an area within which the organisms interact with each other and their physical environment
Ecosystems
when two species are competing for limited resources the one using the resources most effectively will eliminate the other. Two species can?t occupy same niche indefinitely when resources are limiting
Competitive exclusion principle
live in the soil (generally) and feed on detritus, dead, decaying organic matter. There are two groups, the detritivores and the saprobionts/saprophytes
Decomposers
the rate at which chemical energy is stored in plants
Gross primary production
the final community in succession
Climax community
A diagram that shows the number of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem/food chain at a given moment irrespective of size
Pyramid of numbers
the position in a food chain at which an organism feeds
Trophic level
dead or decaying matter
Detritus
an area within a habitat that has specific conditions
Microhabitats
succession that occurs on previously uninhabited ground
Primary succession
an organism that can trap an inorganic carbon source using energy from light or chemicals
Autotroph
a fertiliser containing inorganic ions such as, nitrate, ammonium, potassium and phosphate ions
Inorganic fertiliser
animals that regularly feed at both primary and higher trophic level
Omnivores
the parts of the earth that support life
Biosphere
number of different species found in the sample
Richness
A diagram that shows the energy transferred to each trophic level of an ecosystem/food chain in a period of time irrespective of the numbers and biomass.
Pyramid of energy
an organism that obtains energy by eating other living things
Consumers
the one factor of many that affect a process, that is nearest its lowest value and hence is rate-limiting
Limiting factor
microorganisms (fungi and bacteria that feed through extracellular digestion, secreting enzymes onto organic matter and absorbing the soluble products into their body to use in respiration (releases carbon dioxide to the environment again for use in photosynthesis) or to use in assimilation building new cells (biomass)
Saprophytes/saprobionts
the process by which a community changes over time, a directional process where organisms affect the environment making it less suitable for themselves and more suitable for the next dominating species
Succession
A diagram that shows the total biomass at each trophic level in an ecosystem/food chain, at a given moment, irrespective of the numbers
Pyramid of biomass
the place where an organism is found
Habitat
competition between members of different species
Interspecific competition
organisms that feed on dead or decaying organic matter
Detritivores
succession that occurs on in a place where there was some vegetation already present and the area has been disturbed by natural disaster or by deforestation etc.
Secondary succession
