Ecology terms quiz

Ecology

The study of the interactions among living organisms and with their environment, including relationships between organisms of the same species and also between different species

Organism

An individual living entity that can act independently and perform life processes

Population

A group of interbreeding organisms of the same species living in a specific area at the same time

Community

The different species within an area and their interactions​

Biome

A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region defined by its climate and dominant vegetation

Ecosystem

Composed of all the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components in an area and their interactions

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, encompassing all life on Earth and their environments

Niche

The role or position that an organism occupies within an ecosystem, including how it meets its needs for nutrients, shelter, reproduction, and its part in the energy flow

Habitat

The natural environment where an organism lives and can find food, shelter, and mates

Intraspecific interactions

Interactions that occur between individuals of the same species, often involving competition for resources​

Interspecific interactions

Interactions between different species, including predation, parasitism, herbivory, competition, and symbiosis​

Biotic factors

The living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms

Abiotic factors

The non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, water, and soil​

Biogeochemical cycles

The pathways by which essential elements are recycled through the biosphere, including the water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles​

Water cycle

Describes the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation​

Carbon cycle

Involves the movement of carbon through the atmosphere, living organisms, and the Earth, crucially involving processes like photosynthesis and respiration

Nitrogen cycle

Describes how nitrogen is fixed into forms usable by living organisms, primarily through the action of bacteria, and how it cycles through the environment​

Phosphorus cycle

The cycle in which phosphorus moves through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, essential for DNA and energy transfer in living organisms

Eutrophication

A process whereby nutrient runoff (e.g., from fertilizers) causes the excessive growth of microorganisms, depleting dissolved oxygen levels and harming aquatic ecosystems

Predation

An interaction where one organism (predator) hunts and kills another (prey) for food

Herbivory

The consumption of plants by animals

Mechanical/chemical defenses

Physical structures or chemical compounds that protect organisms from predators

Camouflage

An adaptation that allows organisms to blend in with their surroundings to avoid detection by predators

Aposematic coloration

Bright, warning colors that signal to predators that an organism is toxic or unpalatable

Batesian mimicry

A harmless species mimics a harmful one

Müllerian mimicry

Two or more harmful species evolve to look alike, reinforcing predator avoidance

Competitive exclusion principle

The concept that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist if other ecological factors remain constant

Resource partitioning

The division of resources among species to reduce competition

Character displacement

Evolutionary changes that occur when two similar species inhabit the same environment, leading to differences in characteristics

Commensalism

Symbiotic relationship where one species benefits, the other is neither helped nor harmed

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship where both species benefit

Parasitism

Symbiotic relationship where one species benefits at the expense of the other

Species richness

The number of different species in a community

Species diversity

A measure that takes into account both the number of species and the evenness of their populations in a community

Diversity index

A quantitative measure reflecting the diversity of species in a community

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance

Invasive species

Non-native species that spread widely and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health

Primary succession

The colonization of barren environments by living organisms

Secondary succession

The process of ecological recovery following a disturbance in an environment where life previously existed

Climax community

A stable and mature community that has reached the final stage of ecological succession

Autotrophs/producers

Organisms that produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis

Heterotrophs/consumers

Organisms that consume other organisms for energy

Food chain

A linear sequence of organisms where nutrients and energy pass from one organism to the next

Food web

A complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecological community

Trophic level

The position an organism occupies in a food chain

Ecological pyramids

Graphical representations that show the distribution of energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms at each trophic level

10% rule

The principle that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next level

Biomagnification

The increasing concentration of toxins in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain

Climate change

Long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions on Earth

Greenhouse effect

The trapping of heat in the Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases, leading to a warming effect

Demography

The statistical study of populations, including their size, structure, and distribution

Population size (N)

The total number of individuals in a population​

Population density

The number of individuals within a specific area or volume​

Mark and recapture

A method used to estimate population size by capturing, marking, releasing, and then recapturing individuals​

Uniform species dispersion

Individuals are evenly spaced

Random species dispersion

Individuals are spread randomly

Clumped species dispersion

Individuals are grouped in patches

Density-dependent factors

Factors that affect population size based on population density (e.g., competition)

Density-independent factors

Factors that affect population size regardless of density (e.g., natural disasters)​

Exponential growth

Population growth under ideal conditions with an accelerating rate

Logistic growth

Population growth that slows as it approaches the carrying capacity

Population growth rate

The change in population size over time

Death rate and birth rate

The number of deaths and births per 1,000 individuals per year​

Zero population growth

When the birth rate equals the death rate, leading to a stable population size

Biotic potential

The maximum reproductive capacity of an organism under optimal environmental conditions

Carrying capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support indefinitely​

J-curve growth graph

Graph that represents exponential growth

S-curve growth graph

Graph that represents logistic growth, where the population stabilizes at the carrying capacity

Survivorship curve

A graph showing the number of individuals surviving at each age for a given species

Fecundity

The potential reproductive capacity of an individual within a population

r-selected species

Species that produce many offspring with low survival rates

K-selected species

Species that produce fewer offspring with higher survival rates

Age structure diagram

A graphical illustration showing the distribution of various age groups in a population

Behavior

The change in activity of an organism in response to a stimulus

Innate behavior

Behaviors that are genetically hardwired and do not require learning

Learned behavior

Behaviors acquired through experience and environmental conditioning

Behavioral biology

The study of the biological and evolutionary bases for behavior

Ethology

The scientific study of animal behavior, particularly in natural environments

Reflex action

An involuntary and rapid response to a stimulus, such as pulling your hand away from a hot stove

Kinesis

The undirected movement in response to a stimulus, often increasing the chance of moving out of an unfavorable environment

Taxis

Directed movement towards or away from a stimulus, such as moving towards light (positive phototaxis)

Fixed action pattern

A sequence of movements elicited by a stimulus that continues even if the stimulus is removed

Migration

The long-range seasonal movement of animals, often driven by resource availability

Foraging

The act of searching for and exploiting food resources

Selfish behavior

Behavior that benefits the individual performing it, sometimes at the expense of others

Altruistic behavior

Behavior that benefits another individual, often at a cost to the one performing it

Cooperative behavior

When two or more individuals work together for mutual benefit

Signals

Behaviors or structures that convey information to other organisms, such as pheromones or visual displays

Courtship displays

Ritualized behaviors designed to attract and convince a mate

Aggressive displays

Behaviors intended to intimidate or deter others, often to avoid actual fighting

Distraction displays

Behaviors designed to attract a predator away from vulnerable offspring, often seen in birds

Kin selection

The evolutionary strategy that favors the reproductive success of an organism's relatives, even at a cost to the organism’s own survival

Habituation

A decrease in response to a repeated stimulus that has no positive or negative consequences

Imprinting

A type of learning that occurs at a specific life stage, often rapid and independent of the consequences of behavior

Conditioned behaviors

Behaviors that are learned responses to specific stimuli

Classical conditioning

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eliciting a conditioned response

Operant conditioning

A type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences, such as rewards and punishments

Cognitive learning

The acquisition of knowledge and skills through processing and understanding information