Glossary Flashcards
Allelopathy
Chemical inhibition of one plant to another, due to release of substances into the environment acting as growth inhibitors.
Allelochemical
A chemical produced by a living organism that exerts a detrimental physiological effect on individuals of another species
Autotroph
An organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances.
Camouflage
Hide or disguise the presence of an animal or object
carnivores
animal the feeds on other animals
cladodes
flattened stem
climax community
end of succession when a stable community is established with no further change in dominant species.
commensalism
association between two organisms where one benefits and one derives
community
Interactive group of species who live in a common location
competition
Interaction between two individuals that use one or more of the same resources in the same ecosystem
consumers
Organisms the obtain their energy and organic matter by ingesting it from other organisms
decomposers
Organisms that can break down organic matter of dead organisms or products
desiccation
drying out
detrivores
Organisms that eat organic particles of organic matter found in soil or water
detritus
Fragments of organic material present in soil and water
diversity
measure of number of different species in a community
ecosystem
Comprises a community living in a discrete region, the non-living surroundings and interactions between the living and non-living
endoparasites
Organisms that live inside the host and obtain it’s food
ectoparasites
organisms that obtain food from the outside of the host
Haustoria
Thin strand of tissue through which a plant parasite makes connection with it’s host
Hemiparasitism
Where the parasite obtains some nutrients from its host plant but also makes some of its own food from photosynthesis
Herbivore
Organism that eats living plants
heretotrophs
consumers
holoparasitism
Parasite depends completely on the host plant’s nutrients
Host
organism on or in an organism which a specific parasite lives
Interspecific Competition
Competition for resources involving different species in an ecosystem
Intraspecific Competition
Competition for resources involving organisms of the same species in an ecosystem
Mimicry
Where one specie has an appearance similar to a distasteful species because apparently it gives protection against predators
Mutualism
An association between two different species in a community that both gain a benefit
Niche Overlap
Situation in an ecosystem where different species are in competition for the same energy and space resources
Niche Seperation
Situation in which two species in the community use different resources, no niche overlap
Omnivores
Organisms that eat both plants and animals
parasite
Organism that lives in or on another organism and feeds from it
parasitoids
Like parasites that slowly kill their hosts
pheremones
Chemicals secreted by some animals to communicate with other members of the species
photosynthesis
process by which plants trap radiant energy of sunlight to produce carbohydrates from carbon dioxide in water
Pioneer Species
First species to become established in a previously uncolonised habitat
population
members of one species living in a specific habitat at a particular time
predator
An animal that actively seeks out other animals as its source of food
Prey
Living animal that is captured and eaten by a preditor
primary succession
ecological succession occurring in an area that was not previously colonised
producers
can build organic matter from simple inorganic substances
secondary succession
Establishments over time of replacement communities in an area that removes the original community
succession
natural process where the community living in an area changes over time
sulfur bacteria
one group of bacteria that gain their energy by oxidising sulfur compounds
symbiosis
Prolonged association between different species in a community in which at least one partner benefits
volatile
Refers to a chemical substance that vaporises at ambient temperatures and diffuses through the air
Warning Colouration
Bright pattern of colour markings that signals to predators that the members of it’s species contains distasteful chemicals
Bioaccumulation
Refers to the increasing accumulation of a non-biodegradable substance in an organism at higher trophic levels
Biogeochemical cycles
Cycling of a chemical substance in an ecosystem in which the chemical spends some time in the biological matter of organisms and some part in the geological matter e.g. rocks
Biomass
Total mass of organic matter present in all living things in a given space within an ecosystem
Carbon cycle
Cyclic process of exchange of carbon-containing matter between the various parts of the biosphere
Carnivore
Organisms that kill and eat animals
Cellular respiration
Process of converting chemical energy of food into a form usable by cells
Chemical Energy
Potential energy stored in substances that becomes available when certain types of chemical reactions occur
Chemosynthetic
Autotrophic bacteria that use energy from chemical reactions to synthesise organic organic matter from inorganic substances
Detrivores
Organisms that eat particles of organic matter found in soil or water
Ecological pyramid
Diagrammatic representation of aspects of trophic levels in an ecosystem.
- pyramid of numbers
- pyramid of biomass
- pyramid of energy
Ecosystem
Biological units comprising the community living in a discrete region, the non-living surroundings and the interactions
Energy
Any non-material agent that can cause matter to change
Energy Flow
Flow of chemical energy through an ecosystem
Gross Primary Production (GPP)
Chemical energy produced in the form of organic matter by producer organisms over a given period of time.
Guano
Consolidated excreta of fish-eating birds
Herbivore
Eats plants
Kinetic Energy
The energy of motion
Limiting Factor
Environmental condition that restricts the types of organism that can survive in a given habitat
Collaboration
A loose association between organisms of the same species such that their activities benefit each other
Bioaccumulation
Refers to the increasing accumulation of non biodegradable substances in an organism of higher tropic levels
Biocontrol
Use of one kind of organism that is a predator or parasite of a pest species in order to reduce or eliminate populations
Biopesticides
A form of biocontrol that uses naturally occurring agents, such as bacteria, to attack an exotic pest species
Biosphere
What does it consist of?
Life-support system of the earth. Consists of: - Atmosphere - Lithosphere - Hydrosphere - Biota
Biota
The total of all living things
Classical Biocontrol
A method of biocontrol that uses natural predators of a pest species in order to reduce or eliminate it
Conservation
Preservation of living things in their diverse ecological settings
Conservation Biocontrol
A method of biocontrol that use insect species that occur naturally inn the region where a pest species has become established in order to reduce or eliminate the pest
Dry land salinity
Increased salt levels in soil caused when the water table rises (typically due to excessive tree clearing)
(Also known as secondary salinity)
Estuary
Wide area at the mouth of a river subject to tidal movements
Eutrophication
Accumulation of dissolved mineral nutrients in a body of water
Exotic Species
A species that does not occur naturally in a region, but is introduced
Hydrosphere
Waters of the earth in solid or liquid form
Irrigation salinity
Increased salt levels in the soil resulting in excessive irrigation
(also known as primary salinity)
Lithosphere
Rocky crust of the earth which is covered by sediments known as soil
Irrigation
The artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops
Noxious
Harmful in some way
Salinity
Refers to amount of salt concentration in soils or water
Sclerophyll
Describes Australian forests that are dominated by trees and other plants that have hard leaves
