Week 1 Flashcards
Individual
The single biological organism. An animal – centric concept which can break down for
microbes
Species
A single unit of heredity, the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals can
produce fertile offspring. Often breaks down for microbes and non-sexual (clonal) organisms
Adaptation
a broad and diverse set of changes that reflect complex interactions between organisms,
the environment, and heredity
Ex. plants in deserts have spikes
Behavior
centralized command and control – actions have a purpose and are often adaptive. Useful
for thinking about forest animals
Reproduction
an individual characteristic, a rate and strategy which leads to perpetuation, population
dynamics (groups of the same species), and sustainability
Resource acquisition
all organisms require energy and mineral nutrients for survival. These materials
can be acquired in many different ways
Autotrophic
synthesize resources internally using light, chemical energy, and inorganic nutrients
Heterotopic
acquire resources which are often biologically derived
Predation
killing and eating
Parasitism
keep your prey alive while feeding or developing within it
Temperature
a highly variable environmental parameter which restricts physiological suitability to
local resources
High temperature – breaks down enzyme function, desiccates
Low temperature – arrests enzyme function (slows to below critical levels to sustain survival), desiccates
Moisture
life on earth is water and carbon based. All organisms require water to support physiological
function although relative levels and water use efficiency is extremely variable
Temperature and moisture dynamics interact in important ways
Seasonality
annual climate dynamics – to survive organisms must be adapted to changes in
temperature and moisture or a lack of changes in temperature and moisture (tropical systems)
Gradients
driven by many factors including temperature and moisture
Geological factors
autotrophs require inorganic nutrients, most are derived from soils, which are
derived from bedrock
History
geological and human history have very strong effects on the structure, composition, and
function of ecosystems
Development
anthropogenic actions, ecosystem or environmental changes and their effects on
population, community, etc structure and dynamics
Resource use
anthropogenic manipulation of the environment for specific resource uses
Pollution
an environmental degradation often with disparate impacts on community members
Ecosystem characteristics
Structure – Three-dimensional form of ecosystems
Composition – the species present within a given ecosystem
Function – ecological processes responsible for outputs and consumption. Examples include growth
(ecosystem level), decomposition, water output; these are emergent properties of large groups of
organisms
Spatial scale
Time – a uni-directional dimension
Space – three dimensional extent
Spatial scale – a observer-defined (arbitrary) extent of time and space
Population
a group of a single species (can interchange genetic information)
Community
a group of populations
Ecosystem
multiple communities and their outputs (function)
