IntroBio - Unit1Test

Keystone Species

An organism that has a big impact on an ecosystem; removal of the keystone species will have far reaching impacts on an ecosystem.

Interest Holder

A person or group that would be affected by changes to a system or plan.

Compromise

Weighing the priorities of the different interest holders while developing a solution that meets the needs the most.

Resilience

The ability for a population to recover from a disturbance; improved by biodiversity.

Ecosystem Interactions

Complex relationships between organisms, resources, and the environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of plants and animal species inside an ecosystem.

Component Interaction Model

Linked relationships showing how changes in population of different organisms will affect others in the system.

Carrying Capacity

Maximum number of organisms that an ecosystem can support sustainably.

Predation

The killing of one living organism of another for food; the act of wild dogs hunting and preying on the wildebeest during migration.

Herbivores

Animals in the Serengeti that rely on vegetation for sustenance, contributing to ecosystem interactions.

Limiting Factors

Factors like food availability, water sources, and predation that control a population.

Rainfall

The quantity of rain fallen; limiting factor influencing grass growth, impacting food availability for wildebeest.

Conservation Plans

Initiatives to protect an ecosystem to preserve and improve biodiversity.