Unit 4 definitions Flashcards
Commmunity
A group of populations of different species living and interacting with each other in a habitat.
Consumers
Heterotrophs that feed on living organisms by ingestion.
Detritivores
Heterotrophs that obtain organic nutrients from detritus by internal digestion.
Ecology
The study of living things in their environment.
Ecosystem
A community of organisms and the environment in which they live and interact
Exsitu conservation
The preservation of species outside their natural habitats
Gene pool
All the genes (and their alleles) present in an interbreeding population
Global warming
An increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere
Greenhouse gases
Atmospheric gases that absorb infra-red radiation, causing world temperatures to be warmer than they otherwise would be
Heterotrophic
An organism that obtains organic molecules from other organisms
Mesocosm
Enclosed experimental area that is set up to explore ecological relationships. Because it is a contained experimental area, it can be closely controlled and variables can be monitored.
Negative feedback
Feedback that counteracts any deviation from equilibrium and promotes stability
Population
A group of organisms of the same species that lives in the same area at the same time
Positive feedback
Feedback that increases change by promoting deviation away from the equilibrium.
Speciation
The evolution of new species
