Ecology Vocab

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Acclimation

A phenotypic change that helps an individual cope with a change in conditions

Adaptation

A change in allele frequencies that increase average fitness in population in a particular enviornent

Evolution

A change in allele frequencies that that increase average fitness in a population in a particular environment

Fundamental Niche

The possible range of biotic and abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate

Realized Niche

The actual range of biotic and abiotic conditions that a species occupies

Biotic Factors

Interactions, such as predation, parasitism, mutualism, or competition, that influence whether a species is found in a given area.

• Always smaller than fundamental niche

Abiotic Factors

physical conditions, such as temperature, moisture availability, and soil chemistry, that influence whether a species is found in a given area.

• Define fundamental niche

Ecosystem Services

Goods and services provided to humans by the natural environment such as oxygen, high-quality and abundant water, productive soils, food and fiber, and recreational and spiritual resources.  

Humus

Soil organic matter originating in decaying plants roots, leaves, and stems.

Niche

The range of abiotic and biotic conditions that a species lives in.

Independent Variable

A variable whose value does not depend on the value of another variable. Common examples include the treatment groups in an experimental study or time.

Dependent variable

A measured quantity whose value depends on the value of another variable.

Discrete

A quantity that can only take certain, discrete values.

Continuous variable

A quantity that can take a continuous range of values.

Scatterplot

A type of graph where individual datapoints from two continuous variables are plotted to assess whether the variables are correlated in any way.

Histogram

A type of graph where a range of possible values is plotted along the x-axis and the frequency of datapoints in each interval in the range is plotted on the y-axis.

Levels of organization in ecology

1. Ecosystem

2. Community

3. Species

4. Population

5. Individual

Carrying capacity

The population size that can be sustained over time in a particular habitat.

Density-dependent growth

Population growth that is limited by density dependent factors such as disease, predation, and access to food or other resources.

Exponential (growth or decay)

A growth pattern produced when r (or λ) stays the same over time. 

Instantaneous rate of increase (r):

The growth rate at any moment.

Finite rate of increase (λ):

The growth rate over a defined time period usually one year for organisms that breed once per year.

Community

The collection of species found in the same area at the same time.

Species

An evolutionary unit in nature, comprised of one or more populations that evolve as a unit and thus share genetic and physical characteristics.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same region and interact with each other via competition, cooperation, and sexual reproduction.

Ecosystem

The interacting biotic and abiotic components present in a geographic area.

Life history

Adaptations that influence how individual allocate energy to either grow, maintain, or reproduce.

• has a major impact on whether a species is found at a particular time at a particular rate