Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics

These flashcards cover important vocabulary related to ecology and ecosystem dynamics, focusing on key definitions and concepts from the lecture notes.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

A massive area of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean, measuring approximately 1.6 million km².

Microplastics

Small manufactured plastics, such as microbeads, resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic items.

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its abundance or biomass.

Foundation species

Species that provide an ecological foundation for many other species, often highly abundant.

Trophic cascade

An ecological phenomenon triggered by the removal or addition of a top predator, resulting in changes in the populations of species at different trophic levels.

Niche partitioning

The process by which species divide resources to minimize competition, allowing coexistence.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The rate at which energy is captured and assimilated by producers in a given area.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The rate at which energy is assimilated by producers and converted into biomass in a given area.

Limiting factor

An environmental or ecological factor that restricts the growth, distribution, or abundance of organisms within an ecosystem.