Final Flashcards
Ecology
Study of interactions between organisms and their environment
Organismal Ecology
Evolutionary adaptations that enable organisms to meet the challenges posed by their abiotic environment.
Biotic
All living organisms and relationships among them
Abiotic
Non-living environmental components, temperature, light, water, minerals, air.
Population
a group of individuals of the same species
Community
All organisms that live in a certain area
Community Ecology
interactions between species such as predation and competition, affect community
Ecosystem
includes all abiotic factors in addition to the community of species in a certain area.
Ecosystem Ecology
Questions concerning energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among the various biotic and abiotic.
Acclimation
Physiological adjustment that occurs in response to environmental change.
Greenhouse affect
Increase in Global temperature
Ecosystem Services
Functions performed by an ecosystem that directly / indirectly benefit people.
Interspecific Competition
between-species competition
Ecological Niche
total use of biotic/ abiotic resources in its environment
Niche
all the stuff an organism needs to survive and reproduce; the compilation of selection pressures that dictate an organism’s survival and reproduction
Mutualism
(+/-) Relationships among species where each species shapes the evolution of the other
Parasitism
(-/-) Relationships where one species benefits and the other is harmed
Commensalism
One species benefits and the other is neutrally affected (birds and elephants)
Sustainability
Goal of developing, managing, & conserving earth’s resources in ways that meet the need of people todays w/o compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs.
Causes of declining biodiversity
1) Habitat destruction and fragmentation
2) Invasive species
3) Overexploitation
4) Pollution
