Principles of Ecology and Evolution

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts in ecology and evolution introduced in the lecture notes.

Resource Partitioning

Competing species are more likely to coexist if they use resources in different ways.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Species diversity will be greatest at intermediate levels of disturbance, as competition regulates diversity at low levels.

Dominant Species

Species that have large effects on other species and community structure due to their abundance or biomass.

Keystone Species

Species that have a disproportionately large effect on their environment relative to their abundance.

Trophic Cascade

A carnivore eats an herbivore, leading to an increase in primary producer abundance.

Ecological Function

The role and effect of a species within an ecosystem's organization and processes.

Succession

Change in species composition in communities over time due to biotic and abiotic factors.

Abiotic Agents of Change

Non-living factors (e.g., climate, nutrients, water) that influence community changes.

Facilitation Model

Early species modify the environment to benefit later species in the successional process.

Complementarity Hypothesis

As species richness increases, there is a linear increase in community function due to each species having a unique and incremental effect.

Interactive Strength

Magnitude of the effect of one species on the abundance of another species, often measured through species removal experiments.

Ecosystem Engineers

Species that create, modify, or maintain physical habitats for themselves and other species.

Biotic Interactions

Relationships between living species that can lead to community changes, such as competition and predation.

Trophic Facilitation

A consumer is indirectly aided by a positive interaction between its prey and another species.

Idiosyncratic Hypothesis

The strength of ecological function varies greatly among species, affecting community function differently.

Community Dynamics

Changes in community structure and species composition over time in response to biotic and abiotic factors.

Species Richness

The number of different species represented in a given ecological community.

Disturbance

Events that cause injury or death to some individuals and create opportunities for others within a community.