D4.2 Ecosystem (SL)

Vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms and concepts related to ecology, ecosystem stability, sustainability, and conservation practices discussed in the lecture.

Ecosystem

All interactions between a community of organisms and their abiotic environment.

Abiotic Components

The non-living, physical and chemical factors that make up an organism’s habitat.

Biotic Components

The living organisms that form interacting populations within a community.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a given area.

Community

All the populations of different species that interact within an ecosystem.

Ecosystem Stability

The ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological functions when conditions change or disturbances occur.

Recycling of Nutrients

Decomposition process by which chemical elements are returned to the abiotic environment for reuse.

Tolerance Range

The set of abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, rainfall) within which an organism or ecosystem can function.

Genetic Diversity

The variety of genes within a population that allows adaptation to environmental change.

Energy Supply

Continuous input of energy (usually sunlight) needed to drive metabolic processes in ecosystems.

Mesocosm

A sealed, controlled experimental ecosystem used to study effects of abiotic factors on stability.

Terrarium

A terrestrial mesocosm designed to study land-based communities under controlled conditions.

Aquarium

An aquatic mesocosm; generally more stable due to water’s buffering capacity.

Keystone Species

A species whose impact on ecosystem structure and function is disproportionately large relative to its abundance.

Keystone Predator

A predator (e.g. sea otter) that controls lower trophic levels and prevents ecosystem collapse.

Keystone Mutualist

A species (e.g. bee) that supports others through mutually beneficial interactions such as pollination.

Ecosystem Engineer

An organism (e.g. beaver) that physically alters habitat, benefiting other species.

Sustainability

Capacity of an ecosystem to remain diverse and productive indefinitely.

Sustainable Yield

Quantity of a resource that can be harvested without reducing its long-term stock.

Selective Felling

Harvesting technique where only certain trees are cut, leaving canopy gaps that promote regrowth.

Replanting and Regeneration

Policies that ensure logged trees are replaced so timber harvest does not exceed forest regrowth.

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

Catch level (about half the population’s carrying capacity) that prevents fish stock decline.

Mesh-Size Restriction

Fishing regulation that allows small, immature fish to escape, preserving future breeding stock.

Closed Season

Period when harvesting is banned to allow undisturbed breeding and population recovery.

Agricultural Sustainability

Farming that meets present food needs without compromising ecosystems or future productivity.

Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment of water bodies (often from fertiliser runoff) leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Deforestation

Large-scale removal of forests, altering temperature, rainfall, and potentially triggering ecosystem tipping points.

Transpiration

Evaporation of water from plant leaves that cools air and influences rainfall patterns.

Tipping Point

Threshold beyond which an ecosystem irreversibly shifts to an alternative, less stable state.

Rewilding

Conservation strategy aimed at restoring ecosystems to natural conditions through minimal human intervention.

Species Reintroduction

Return of locally extinct species (often apex predators) to regulate consumer populations and boost biodiversity.

Wildlife Corridor

Habitat link that improves connectivity, enabling organisms to move, feed, and breed across larger areas.

Exclusion Zone

Legally protected area where human activities are restricted to minimise disturbance to ecosystems.