plant ecology Flashcards
what is ecology
the study of organisms in relation to all aspects of their environment
what is a population
a group of individuals from the same species living in the same habitat
what is a community
where populations of different species grow together in the same habitat
what aspects of the immediate environment affect plants
1) landscape
2) climate
3) latitude or longitude
4) soil
5) presence of other organisms
what is natural selection
where various adaptations of certain environmental aspects determine if an organism will survive and if they will be outcompeted by better adapted organisms
what is an ecosystem
the community, populations of that community and the non-living environment
define a habitat
a set of conditions in which an organism completes its lifecycle
outline the importance of habitat components in understanding ecology
it is critically important for all organisms and most species are restricted to certain regions
it is made up of many components such as temperature, rainfall, wind and humidity
what are characteristics of young soils
often nitrogen deficient and sandy with most minerals locked in a rock matrix with little water holding capacity
outline how latitude can influence survival
regions as high altitudes have higher winds, less o2 and more intense UV which some species may not be adapted to
outline how latitude can influence survival
regions as high altitudes have higher winds, less o2 and more intense UV which some species may not be adapted to
how can the plant itself influence that habitat
trees etc can grow froming dense canopies of leaves which reduces the light regime on the woodland floor therefore, flowering plants must complete their life cycle before the canopy closes
what is a niche
the role or function an organism has in an ecosystem
how do niches decrease competition
each species is adapted to fill a different niche, therefore differences in use of resources so deacreased competition
what is mutualism
when two species benefit off each other
