Community Ecology

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from Community Ecology.

Interspecific interactions

Interactions between individuals of different species that affect population growth rates.

Symbiosis

An intimate interaction between two species, typically long-term.

Mutualism

A type of symbiosis where both species benefit from the interaction.

Competition

An interaction where two species negatively affect each other's population growth rates.

Top-down control

An ecological concept where predators control the population size of prey species, affecting community structure.

Bottom-up control

An ecological concept where the availability of resources influences the structure of the community.

Ecological succession

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

Crypsis

An adaptation that allows an organism to avoid detection by predators, often through camouflage.

Masquerading

A form of camouflage where an organism resembles something that is not food to avoid being eaten by predators.

Aposematism

A warning coloration in organisms that signals to predators that they are toxic or dangerous.

Mimicry

A phenomenon where a non-toxic species evolves to resemble a toxic or dangerous species to avoid predation.