Intro To Ecology (Christian's Version)

Species

A group of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Populations

All of the organisms of the same species living in the same area

Communities

Groups of living organisms, of different species in a specific area.

Ecosystems

All of the biotic and abiotic factors in an environment.

Autotrophic

Self feeding, make their own carbon compounds by photosynthesis.

Heterotrophic

Cannot make its own carbon; obtains carbon compounds from eating other organisms and digesting them internally and externally; also called a consumer.

Saprotroph

Does not make its own carbon; digests non-living organic matter externally.

Detritivore

Does not make its own carbon; feeds on organic materials such as plants and feces, and digests it internally, also called a consumer

Biome

A large area characterized by its vegetation, soil, climate and wildlife.

What are the two main factors that make up a biome?

Precipitation and temperature

Biodiversity

Refers to the different kinds of living things in one area in addition to their interactions and impact on their communities.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food by converting light energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis; interchangeable with Autotrophs

Primary Consumers

Animals that only eat plants

Secondary Consumers

Animals that eat plants and animals

Tertiary Consumers

Animals that only eat meat

Food chains

Made up of several Trophic Levels

What are Trophic Levels Measured by?

Energy and Biomass.

Energy

ATP generated by the breakdown of carbon molecules like glucose during cellular respiration.

Biomass

The total mass of a group of organisms

Why is energy lost as trophic levels increase

Most of the energy that is digested and absorbed in organisms is released by cellular respiration as heat. The organisms in the trophic level above are not able to consume all of the organisms in the trophic level below.

Energy Pyramids

A tool that ecologists use to visually represent the amount of energy in each trophic level of an ecosystem.

Limiting Factors

Environmental conditions that limit the growth and abundance of populations.

Ecological Niche

The unique role that each species plays within a community

What influences an Ecological Niche?

Spatial Habitat, How the species obtains food, and the Interactions with other species. For an area to be habitable, all of these factors must fall within the zone of tolerance.

Fundamental Niche

The entire set of conditions under which an animal (population, species) could survive & reproduce.

Realized Niche

The set of conditions actually used by given animals after interactions with other species (predation and especially competition) have been taken into account.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

2 species cannot survive indefinitely in the same habitat with identical niches.

What will happen if there are 2 species in the same habitat with identical niches

One species will overpower the other or they will narrow their niches to avoid competition.

Parasitism

(+/-) One species benefits, while harming the other species.

Mutualism

(+/-) Both species benefit from each other

Commensalism

(+/0) One species benefits while the other species is unaffected.

Predation

(+/-) One species hunts and eats another, while the other dies.

Competition

(-/-) They both lose resources having to fight over others.