LITE: Environmental Science Basics Flashcards
Interspecific Competition
interaction between 2+ species when fighting for a limited resource; one with better adaptive trait wins
Adaptive Traits
traits that give a species a competitive advantage; procured though evolution
Resource Partitioning
where the niches do not overlap, and species share resources
Predation
a predator-prey relationship [win-lose]
Coevolution
evolution is cyclical and adaptive traits build up, caused through competition and predation
Parasitism
a strategy where organisms feed from inside the host, maybe even reproduce
Mutualism
is where species have a “win-win” scenario — usually regarding nutrition and protection
Commensalism
where species have a “win-no effect” relationship; birds and trees
Ecological Succession
a gradual change in species composition due to environmental change in a given area
Primary Ecological Succession
a gradual establishment of communities where there is no soil — like bunch of rocks
Secondary Ecological Succession
a gradual establishment with soil — like deforested areas
Natural Ecological Succession
where ecological succession is rebuilt naturally, without human interference
Rate of Succession
the speed of the ecological succession: facilitation, inhibition, and tolerance
Facilitation
where a set of species that makes it suitable for other species’ niche
Inhibition
where a set of species that makes it unsuitable for other species’ niche
Tolerance
where plants in late stages of succession succeed because niches don’t overlap much
Inertia/Persistence
the ability of an ecosystem to survive in moderate disturbances; protection
Resilience
the ability for an ecosystem to restore through secondary ecological succession after severe disturbance; regrowth
Population
an amount of a specific species in individuality
Clumps
formed in packs because species gather in resourceful areas, more protection, more vision
Four Factors of Population
birth, deaths, immigration, and emigration
Age Structure
the distribution of age groups: prereproductive, reproductive, postreproductive stage
Range of Tolerance
stages where a species is best fit physically and chemically: optimum range, zone of physiological stress, & zone of intolerance
Limiting Factors
the factors that determine population size; like population density
Limiting Factor Principle
too much or too little of any factor can prevent growth of population, even when all are at/near optimum range
Acquatic Life Zones
water filled areas; limiting factors on temperature, sunlight, nutrient avalibility, acidity, dissolved oxygen content, and salinity
Population Density
limiting factor —for both land and acquatic life zones, as it intesifies the importance of other limiting factors — like disease spread
K-Strategists
species who needs a stable environment to reproduce — like humans — though the offsprings are expected to live long
R-Strategists
species who reproduce quickly, and are not expecting all to survive — like bacteria; can reproduce under unstable conditions and reproduce at an early age as well
Environmental Resistance
culmination of all factors which inhibit population growth; determines carrying capacity
Carrying Capacity
the maximum population of a given area
J-Curve
exponential growth of population; unrealistic because resources aren’t unlimited
S-Curve
logistic growth and levels on carrying capacity; realistic
Population Crash
when population overshoot the carrying capacity, and experiences die-back
