Week 10: Vocab Flashcards
Biodiversity
The variety of species living in an ecosystem
Ecology
The study of the interactions among species and their physical environments
Food Web
A diagram showing a multi linked structure of who eats whom
The close resemblance of an organism to another or its environment
Primary Producer
Photosynthetic organism that is the first link in the food web (in terms of capturing solar energy)
Primary consumer
Herbivore
Secondary Consumer
Carnivore
Decomposer
Organism that causes dead bodies to rot
Character Displacement
When species evolve a change in physical or behavioural characters that allows them to reduce competition
Ecological Pyramid
When species evolve a change in physical or behavioural characters that allows them to reduce competition
Mimicry
Coevolution
The adaptation of one species to another
Ecosystem Service
A naturally occurring, ecological process that supports our agriculture, technology, culture and more
Mutualism
An interaction between species in which they both benefit
Occurs when interaction increases abundance (population size) /distribution (where it can live)
Exploitation
An interaction between species in which one species benefits while the other one is harmed
Occurs when interaction decreases abundance/distribution
Niche
The particular set of resources a species uses to survive
Includes biological factors (food sources, nesting sites) and physical factors (temperature)
Trophic
Level that organism occupies on the food web
