ecosystem key terms Flashcards
- What is an abiotic factor?
the non-living part of an ecosystem; Such as water pH, light intensity, water content of soil, temperature;
- What is a biotic factor?
A living part of an ecosystem, such as predation or intra/interspecific competition
- What is a density dependent factor?
Factors that have an effect at high population density, such as biotic factors
- What is an ecosystem?
The community and its interaction with the non-living components of the environment (abiotic factors).
- What is a community?
populations of different species;
living in the same habitat;
- What is a population?
Population- a group of organisms of the same species living in a particular area at a particular time; that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring;
- What is a species?
a group of similar organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.
- What is a niche?
Within a habitat, a species occupies a niche governed by adaptation to the abiotic and biotic factors.
- What is intraspecific competition?
Competition between organisms of the same species for resources they need to survive
- What is interspecific competition?
Competition between organisms of different species for resources
- How do the number of predators affect the number of prey?
It’s cyclical, as the number of predators increase the number of prey decrease, when the prey decrease the predators decrease, when the predators decrease the prey increase, so the prey decreases again.
- Explain the advantage of different species having different niches.
Less competition; for a specific factor such as food/resource;
- What is the competitive exclusion principle?
If two organisms have a very similar niche, they will compete intensely until one is excluded from the habitat.
- What is the carrying capacity?
The maximum population size that can be supported by an ecosystem
