population definitions Flashcards
carrying capacity
the maximum population size that can be maintained over a long period in a particular habitat
limiting factor
the factor whose magnitude slows down the rate of a natural process
interspecific competition
competition between individuals of different species (for the same resource)
intraspecific competition
competition between individuals of the same species
conservation
maintenance of biodiversity, including
- diversity between species
- genetic diversity within species
- maintenance of a variety of habitats and ecosystems
preservation
maintenance of habitats and ecosystems in their present condition, minimising human impact
sustainable management
enough resources taken to meet the needs of people today, but without reducing the ability of people of the future to meet their needs
sustainable production
harvested at levels which leave sufficient organisms
to grow/reproduce and therefore replenish what has been harvested
- coppicing
- replanting
- afforestation
can be carried on indefinitely
ecology
the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
abiotic
physical - non-living factors in the environment
ecosystem
a physical area that includes all the organisms present and their interactions with each other and with the physical environment
biological resource
trees are living organisms
renewable
growth
timber is of use to human beings/ made into products
population size
the total number of organisms in one species in a habitat
conservation
the management of the environment to maintain and where possible increase biodiversity
it is an active dynamic process - i.e. needs to be adapted to the constant changes caused naturally and by humans that occur within an ecosystem
RECLAMATION - restoring
preservation
Protecting an environment to keep things as they are
not an active or dynamic process
Competition exclusion
one species is better at competing at the expense of the other
population
group of organisms of them same species
live in the same place at the same time
can interbreed
community
all the organisms of different species
living in same habitat
can interact
ecological niche
the role organism plays in community
consumers
inorganic sources
feed upon others
autroph
produces complex organic molecules from simple inorganic molecules using light
