Exam 1 Flashcards
Ecology
Scientific study of interactions between organisms and the environment.
Population
A group of individuals of the same species living in an area
Population Ecology
Analyzes factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time.
Community
A group of populations of different species in an area
Community Ecology
Examines how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community structure and organization.
Ecosystem
The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact.
Ecosystem Ecology
Energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment.
Landscape (sea scape)
A mosaic of connected ecosystems
Climate
The long term prevailing weather conditions in a given area
Dispersal
The movement of individuals or gametes away from their area of origin or from centers of high population density
Dispersion
The pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of the population
Clumped Dispersion
Species together in patterns (starfish)
Uniform Dispersion
Evenly spaced species (penguins)
Random Dispersion
Unpredicted spacing. Position is independent from other individuals (dandelions)
Demography
Study of vital statistics of populations and how they change over time
Life table
Summarizes the survival and reproduction rates of individuals in specific age groups within a population
Cohort
Group of individuals of the same age from birth until all individuals are dead
Survival Curve
A plot of the proportion or numbers in a cohort still alive at each age
Type 1 curve
Flat at the start reflecting low death rate during early and middle life and then drops steeply as death rates among older age groups increases (ex: humans/elephants)
Type 3 curve
Drops at the start reflecting high death rates in young but flattens as death rates decline for the few that survive the early period (ex fishes)
Type 2 curve
Constant death rate over the organisms life span (ex: rodents / lizards)