PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY Flashcards
deals with how organisms survive in their environments, looks at extreme conditions
physiological ecology
focus of physiological ecology
temperature
water
energy
environmental stressor
body temperature can change over time over a wider range
ectothermic organism
cold-blooded; body temperature is the same as the environment and fluctuates with the environment
poikilothermic animals
point beyind which tolerance cannot be adjusted to further increase
absolute upper lethal limit
point beyond which no further decrease in temperature is tolerated
absolute lower lethal limit
maintain body temperature at a constant level irrespective of environmental temperature
homoiothermy
unique metabolic process on which plant growth depends
photosynthesis
inescapable physical consequence of the development of terrestrial vegetation
transpiration
movement of water depends on the existence of gradients of decreasing water potential
water potential
when cells are not fully turgid
water stress
when plants are transpiring at an appreciable rate
mild water stress
absorption of light energy by chlorophyll a and splitting of molecules of water
light reaction
carbon is fixed in a carbohydrate
dark reaction
shade tolerant species (shade-loving)
sciophyte
