Ecology Species: Interactions

Flashcards of vocabulary terms and definitions from the lecture notes.

Ecology

The study of an organism in its house, interaction with abiotic and biotic factors.

Predation

One organism kills and consumes another.

Herbivory

One organism consumes a producer.

Parasitism

An organism lives in or on another organism (host).

Primary Producers

Capture energy and put it into organic matter.

Primary Consumer/Herbivores

Eat primary producers.

Decomposers

Break down dead organisms.

Competition

Two organisms compete over resources.

Carrying Capacity

Population size that the environment can maintain, determined by the availability of key resources.

Mutualism

Two organisms each gain a benefit.

Symbiotic Relationships

Interactions between two or more species that live in direct contact.

Holobiont

An animal and all its microbes.

Cradle-to-Grave

Consider the cost of a product from production to use to disposal.

Cradle-to-Cradle

Technical and biological components that can be reused, not downgraded, or will decompose.

Carrying Capacity

The density of these food items will limit the

density of mice that can survive in an area.

mice eat fruit, seeds, nuts, insects

Peaceful coexistence

beneficial or neutral to both species

Holobiont

Greater than 50% of your cells are prokaryotic. Weighs about as much as your brain

Where do mice spend most of their time?

Bacteria-free mice spend less time in dark. More time in light. Reduced Anxiety Behaviors

MIce without gut bacteria

Spend more time alone, giving them bacteria makes them social again.

Electronics

From production to use to Grave

metals in electronics

Copper, Gold, Silver, Cadmium, Mercury, among others

No substitutes

Indium used in displays

Political instability

Tantalum comes from Democratic Republic of Congo

E-recycling

Highest levels of cancer-causing dioxin in world

High rates of miscarriage

High rates of lead poisoning