Bio vocab test

Biotic faktor

Living parts of an environment

Abiotic factor

Nonliving parts of an environment

Ecology

The study of relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in environments

Interactions

The ways organisms or factors affect and influence each other

Environment

All abiotic factors - everything thats no living in an ecosystem

Ecosystem

All the living organisms that share a region and their physical and chemical environment

Population

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

Community

A group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area

Habitat

The environment in which a species normally lives (the location of a living organism)

Species

Is a group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Autotrophs

Synthesise their own organic molecule and are therefore known as producers

Heterotrophs

Obtain their organic molecules from other organisms

Mixotroph

A few plants and algae use a combination of different modes of nutrition (are producers so they are not omnivores)

Herbivores (aphids)

Feed on producers

Omnivores (mouse)

Feed on a combination of both producers and consumers

Carnivores (snake)

Feed on other consumers

Scavangers (heyenas)

Are specialised carnivores that feed mostly on dead and decaying animals

Consumers

Heterotrophs that ingest other organisms to obtain organic molecules

Detritivores

Are a type of heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming non-living organic sources such as detritus and humus (type of decomposer)

Saprotrophs

Live on or in non-living organic matter. They secrete digestive enzymes on to the organic matter and absorb the products of digestion (not consumers)

Decomposers

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead organic matter into simpler substances, recycling nutrients in an ecosystem.

Abiotic factors

Rocks, water, oxygen, sunlight, light intensity, humidity, wind speed, aspect, slope, PH (soil, water), amount of water in soil, soil temperature, soil air, soil texture, habitat, microhabitats, rainfall, mineral concentration, oxygen concentration, air temperature, water temperature, salt concentration (ocean)

Biotic factors

Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi

Range of Tolerance

Populations thrive within certain abiotic factors such as pH, temperature, light, amount of moisture, etc.

Zone of intolerance

No species

Zone of stress

Few species

Optimal range

Species abdundant

Organisms responds

Resist or tolerate, reguation (homeostasis), avoidance or migration

Homeostasis

Maintance of relatively constant internal chemical and physical environment in the face of changing external environment

Interactions with the environment

All organisms must be able to make internal adjustments in response to external changes in conditions

Ecological niche

The functional position of an organism in its environment comprising its habitat and the resources it obtains there, and the periods of time during which it is active.

Fundamental niche

the potential niche, i.e. the niche that a species could occupy and maintain a viable population.

Realised niche

a subset region of the fundamental

niche to which a

pH species is restricted due to interactions with other species

(competition, predation,

Temperature

disease, etc

Poikilothermic

Cold - blooded (endothermic)

Homeothermic

Warm blooded (ectothermic)

Stenopotency

Limited tolerance with respect to an environmental factor

Eurypotency

High tolerance

Interspecific interactions

Between individuals of different species

Intraspecific interactions

Between individuals of the same species

Parasitism

An interaction that benefits one species and harms another (+ -) Transmission can be direct contact or use of vectors

Herbivory

An interaction that benefits one species and harms another (organisms eats a plant species)

Mutualism

An interaction where both species benefit. (+ +) Bees pollinate flowers

Ectoparasite

External (ticks, fleas and leeches)

Endoparasite

Internal (tapeworn)

Competition

An interaction that harms both species. (- -) Lions and Heyenas both try to eat the same prey

Commensalism

An interaction that benefits one species and doesnt affect the other species (+ 0) Egrets and grazing mammals

Amensalism

An interaction which does not affect one species but harms the other (0 -) Humans trampling grass

Allelopathy

An interaction where one species produces biochemicals which influence other species. If it is a beneficial effect it is called probiosis and if it is a detrimental, then it is called antibiosis (0 +or-)(legume plants - probiosis) (sunflower antibiosis)

Basic relationship / Cyclical variations

When the prey population increases, predators have more food, so the predator population also increases. As predator numbers rise, more prey are eaten, causing the prey population to decrease. When prey becomes scarce, predators have less food, so their population decreases, which allows the prey population to recover again, creating a cycle.

Stable coexistence

In stable coexistence, predator and prey populations remain relatively constant over time, with only small fluctuations, because both species can live together without one eliminating the other, resulting in a balanced ecosystem.

Erratic swings

In erratic swings, predator and prey populations change irregularly and unpredictably without a clear pattern, often due to environmental changes, diseases, or human impact.

Extinction of prey species

If predators exploit the prey too strongly and the prey cannot recover, the prey population may drop to zero, which eventually also leads to a collapse of the predator population due to lack of food.

Carrying capacity of the habitat(important factors in predator - prey interactions)

The carrying capacity of the habitat is the maximum number of individuals that the environment can support, depending on limiting factors such as food, space, and water.

Reproduction rate of prey(important factors in predator - prey interactions)

The reproduction rate of prey describes how quickly the prey population can increase, which influences whether predator–prey cycles can occur.

Reproduction rate of predators(important factors in predator - prey interactions)

The reproduction rate of predators describes how quickly the predator population grows and can strongly reduce the prey population or even lead to its extinction if it is too high.

Flexibility of predators (important factors in predator - prey interactions)

The flexibility of predators describes how easily predators can switch to alternative prey, which helps stabilize the ecosystem and allows long-term coexistence.

Removal of strong competitors (how predators maintain biodiversity)

Predators remove prey that are strong competitors, because without predators, some prey species could outcompete weaker species and cause them to disappear.

Reduction of competitive exclusion (How predators maintain biodiversity)

Predators reduce the effect of competitive exclusion, because strong species are controlled and competition becomes weaker.

Benefits for the ecosystem (how predators maintain biodiversity)

Predators benefit the ecosystem by increasing species diversity, preventing one species from dominating, maintaining balanced populations, and promoting better adaptations and greater genetic variation.

Masqurade (prey defences / predator tactics)

Animals mimic inedible objects or scenes commonly found in their environment

Crypsis (prey defense/ predator tactics)

animal blends into the surroundings, not mimicry

Mimicry (