Marine Ecology

Exponential growth

Initially small but rapid increase/J curve

How is growth limited by the environment

reproduction, death, abiotic factors, biotic factors, populations crashing

Exponential growth

Initially small but rapid increase/J curve

How is growth limited by the environment

reproduction, death, abiotic factors, biotic factors, populations crashing

logistic growth

slowing pop. growth

carrying capacity

the population size that the environment can support

niche

a species role in its habitat

generalists

broad niche

specialists

narrow niche

interspecific competition

between different species

Intraspecific competition

among members of the same species

law of competitive Exclusions

no 2 species can occupy same niche and compete for the same resources at the same time

commensalism

one benefits while other neither benefits nor harmed

mutualism

both benefit

parasitism

one benefits and the other is harmed

trophic level

an organism’s position on a food chain

detritivores

decomposers

trophic level recycling

matter is transferred up and down trophic levels/tissues of prey are used to build tissue of the next trophic level

carbon cycle steps

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by plants through photosynthesis, then passed through the food chain when animals eat plants, and finally released back into the atmosphere through respiration and decomposition when organisms die

nitrogen cycle steps

nitrogen fixation, nitrogen assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification

Phosphorus

weathering of rocks releasing phosphates, followed by plant absorption, animal consumption, decomposition, and eventual return to the environment