Unit 1 - Ecology Flashcards by Megan Hellier

abiotic

non-living

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autotroph

makes own food

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Benthic zone

bottom; sediment

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Biomagnification

increase toxin concentration

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biotic

living

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biotic potential

organisms potential for increase in #; depend on gestation length, # of offspring, reproductive age span, # of reproductive offspring

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carbon cycle

backbone of organic molecule; photosynthesis/cellular respiration, decomposition, erosion

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10% rule

only 10% of energy moves up trophic level

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carnivore

secondary consumer

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carrying capacity

max # of organisms of a species an area can sustain

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change in population size

increase or decrease due to death/birth rate changing

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climax community

results from succession, predominant vegetation type

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community

all organisms in a particular area

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compensation depth

area where O2 amount released=amount consumed

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hypolimnion

below thermocline

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density dependent

will affect greater % if population is large, determine carrying capacity

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density indenpent

will affect same % of population no matter size

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dimictic

overturn 2 times a year

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ecological time

evolutionary time

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ecology

study of ecosystems

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ecosystem

includes organisms+environment

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epilimnion

above thermocline

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euphotic zone

light; above compensation depth

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eutrophic

shallow, high nutrient content, murky body of water

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eutrophication

oligotrophic water becomes eutrophic

evolutionary time

over long periods of time

exponential growth

of organisms increase at steady rate

food chain

length determined by amount of energy transferred at each level

food web

feeding chains woven together

greenhouse effect

build up of gases in atmosphere

habitat

where an organism lives

herbivore

primary consumer

heterotroph

rely on others for food

biomass pyramid

standing crop biomass represented by each tier

pyramid of productivity

proportional to productivity per time unit

aposematic sound

defenseless organism sounds like dangerous organism

batesian mimicry

defenseless species resembles toxic species

commensalism

1 organism benefits/1 unaffected (+/o)

competitive exclusion principle

no 2 species with same niche

contest competition

territorial division

cryptic coloration

organism blends with surrounding

interspecific competition

between different species

intraspecific competition

between organisms of same species

dispersal patterns

random/clumped/uniform

generalized predators

eat more than one organism

pyramid of numbers

relative # of organisms in each trophic level

pyramid of energy

relative amount of energy in each level

K-strategy

nurturing reproductive strategy

limnetic zone

open surface

littoral zone

shallow/near-shore

monomictic

overturn 1x a year

mullerian mimicry

2 or more distasteful organisms resemble eachother

mutualism

2 organism live together both benefit (+/+)

niche

organisms fundamental role(job) in ecosystem

nitrogen cycle

ammonium + nitrate; fixation, 5-10% atmosphere

nutrient pollution

cause eutrophication, excess N/P

oligotrophic

deep + nutrient poor

omnivore

consume autotrophs+ other comsumers

overturn

nutrient cycling w/water temp change

parasitism

one benefits/one is harmed (+/-)

phosphorus cycle

over 2 periods of time; nucleic acid

population

group of species in given area

population density

of organisms of a species in given area

population fluctuation

in cycles; rise and fall of predator/prey connected

primary productivity

extent of photosynthetic activity; sets energy budget

primary succesion

starts in area w/no life

producer

autotroph, energy from sun

profundal zone

deep aphotic region

R-strategy

lay em and leave em reproductive strategy

scramble competition

without regard for other organisms

secondary productivty

rate of consumer conversion of chem energy to new biomass

secondary succession

after natural disaster

specialized predators

consume one organism

species diversity

of species in an ecosystem

survivorship curves

1. long life;die old / 2. constant proportion of death / 3. few reach maturity

stable population

age structure remains constant

stationary population

remains same size over time

thermal pollution

water temp increase disturbing ecosystem

thermocline

region of rapid temp change

trophic level

how far organisms removed from autotrophs

water cycle

no chem change

saprophyte / saprobe

organism that lives on decaying matter

species turnover

species leaves/dies and another takes over its niche

sedimentary cycle

erosion, transport, then burial