Introduction to Ecology and Evolution Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards defining fundamental concepts, hierarchical levels, experimental methods, and data variables in ecology and evolution.

Ecology

The scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their environment.

Environmental Science

The study of the environment itself, focusing on physical and chemical factors rather than the specific interactions between living organisms and environmental changes.

Biological Definition of Species

A classification defining species as individuals that can mate and produce viable offspring.

Organismal Ecology

The branch of ecology that studies how an individual organism's behavior and physiology interact with its environment.

Population

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

Population Ecology

The study of population dynamics and changes within a single species, such as birth rates, mortality rates, and growth rates.

Community Ecology

The study of how populations of multiple species live and interact with each other within a defined area.

Ecosystem Ecology

The branch of ecology that examines interactions between biotic factors and non-living abiotic factors, such as nutrient cycling and energy flow.

Biotic Variables

The living components or organisms within an ecological system.

Abiotic Variables

The non-living physical and chemical components of an environment, such as temperature, rainfall, and pH.

Landscape Ecology

The study of ecological processes across a large area encompassing multiple natural and human-built ecosystems.

Global Ecology

The study of ecological phenomena at the biosphere level, addressing large-scale issues like global warming and sea level rise.

Hypothesis

A proposed, testable explanation for an observation guided by background knowledge.

Dependent Variable

The variable measured or observed in an experiment as a response, plotted on the Y-axis of a graph.

Independent Variable

The factor that is manipulated or categorized in an experiment, plotted on the X-axis of a graph.

Quantitative Variables

Numeric or continuous data representing measurable quantities, such as height, width, or counts.

Categorical Variables

Qualitative data divided into distinct names, types, or categories, such as species name or color.

Bar Graph

A graph used to compare means or values between discrete categorical groups against a numeric variable.

Scatter Plot

A graph used to show and analyze the association or relationship between two continuous variables.

Line Graph

A graph used to illustrate trends and changes over continuous, ordered intervals such as time.

Observational Study

An investigation where data is collected by measuring and observing subjects without altering their environment or applying experimental treatments.

Manipulative Experiment

An experiment where the researcher actively alters environmental variables or applies treatments to test cause-and-effect relationships.

Microcosm

A simplified, scaled-down ecological system constructed in a laboratory or greenhouse to study ecological processes.

Randomization

The practice of randomly distributing experimental units or treatments to prevent environmental bias.

Evolution

A gradual change in the genetic traits (genotype) and physical features (phenotype) of a population over time.