ESS topic 2 Flashcards
Ecology?
Study of relations of organisms to one another
Ecosystem?
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Community?
All interacting living organisms in an area
Population?
The amount of a species
Habitat?
The environment where a species lives: individuals in the same species cam live in different habitats.
Species?
A group of organisms that share common characteristics and interbreed to produce fertile offspring
Biotic/Abiotic?
Living/Nonliving
Niche?
a job or role of a component in an ecosystem or habitat.
Generalists?
A species that can survive on a wide variety of food .eg humans
Specialists?
A species that only eats a small variety of foods eg Koalas only feed on eucalyptus leaves.
Carrying Capacity?
The number of organisms a region can support without environmental degradation (population density or food)
Parasitism
When one organism benefits at the expense of another e.g ticks & bedbugs lice pinworms and tapeworms
Herbivores
When a species only eats plants and producers. Often called grazers. Similar to predator prey relationship, causes adaptations in both species eg Caterpillars and leaves Koalas and eucalyptus Pandas and bamboo
Predation
Preying of one animal on another, a biological interaction where one animal kills and eats another. Helps control and prevents overpopulation of a species, and controls old age and disease in prey.
Commensualism?
Long term biological interaction between two species where one species is benefited while the other stays neutral. eg Sharks and remora fish Monarch butterfly and milkweed Whales and barnacles
Mutualism?
AN interaction between two or more species that resulths in positive and beneficial effects on reproduction and/or survival of all interacting species. eg termites and protozoa Digestive bacteria and humans oxypeckers and zebras/rhinos
Ecological niche?
the sum of a species use of biotic and abiotic resources in an environment
eg
shorebirds share the same habitats but have different niches
J Curve?
rapdily reproducing species displayed on a graph
S curve
slower reproducing species, limiting and slowing population growth
S curve
slower reproducing species, limiting and slowing population growth
Competition?
If two species have the same or very similar niche, they cant live together. One species will win
eg
grey vs red squirrels