Ecosystem functioning Flashcards
Equilibrium population dynamics
States that population sizes are kept within a sustainale range.
Competitive exclusion
The incorrect notion that two species cannot exist in the same ecological niche
Permanence
Populations whose density lower limit during fluctuations is greater than zero.
Equilibrium stability vs Variability
Equilibrium stability claims that populations are stable in the absence of disturbances;
On the other hand, variability acknowledges that populations naturally fluctuate over time.
Ecosytem resilience
Ecosystem stability increases inversely to time it takes to return to equilibrium/desequilibrium after a perturbation.
Ecosystem resistance
A measure of the extent to which a variable changes after perturbation
Insurance hypothesis
Some similar species will replace an important species in the event of disturbance, provided there’s some elvel of functional redundancy.
Weak interaction effect
When increasing diversity favors weak interactions between two species. These weak interactions play stabilizing roles when stronger interactions are compromised, relieving pressure for the latter.
Example: Non-preferred alternative prey will relieve predation pressure toward preferred prey when predation levels are very high.
Functional effect groups
Species that have a similar effect on ecosystem function.
Functional response groups
Species that have a similar response to a particular environmental factor.
Ecosystem services
The benefits that humans receive from ecosystems (e.g., pllonation and pest predation).
