Introduction to Ecology and Conservation Principles

Ecology

Study of organism-environment relationships.

Ecosystem

Community of organisms interacting with their environment.

Abiotic factors

Non-living elements affecting ecosystems, like climate.

Biotic factors

Living components influencing ecosystem dynamics.

Producers

Organisms that produce food via photosynthesis.

Consumers

Organisms that obtain energy by eating others.

Primary consumers

Herbivores that feed on producers.

Secondary consumers

Carnivores that eat primary consumers.

Tertiary consumers

Apex predators feeding on secondary consumers.

Decomposers

Organisms recycling nutrients from dead matter.

Evolutionary ecology

Study of evolution influenced by environmental interactions.

Physiological ecology

Links organism biology with environmental adaptations.

Behavioural ecology

Examines behaviors enhancing survival and reproduction.

Conservation

Efforts to maintain ecological balance and sustainability.

Restoration

Repairing and rehabilitating damaged ecosystems.

Population ecology

Study of species populations and their dynamics.

Community ecology

Focus on interactions within biological communities.

Ecosystem ecology

Examines energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

Soil

Mixture supporting life, influencing plant growth.

Climate

Long-term weather patterns affecting ecosystems.

Nutrients

Essential elements for organism growth and survival.

Topography

Physical landscape features affecting organism distribution.

Ecological hierarchies

Levels of biological organization from individual to biosphere.

Niche Partitioning

Species use different resources to reduce competition.

Spatial Partitioning

Species occupy different habitats within the same environment.

Temporal Partitioning

Species utilize resources at different times.

Dietary Partitioning

Species exploit different food sources to avoid competition.

Morphological Partitioning

Species evolve traits to uniquely use resources.

Physiological Ecology

Study of how physiological traits affect ecological interactions.

Behavioural Ecology

Study of how behavior affects survival and reproduction.

Range of Tolerance

Limits within which organisms can survive and thrive.

Optimal Range

Conditions where organisms perform best.

Latitudinal Diversity Gradient

Species richness decreases from equator to poles.

Stable Warm Temperatures

Tropical climates support year-round growth and reproduction.

Complex Habitats

Diverse environments create numerous niches for species.

High Primary Productivity

Abundant sunlight and moisture support diverse ecosystems.

Longer Evolutionary Times

Stable climates allow more time for species evolution.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits provided by ecosystems to support life.

Regulating Services

Ecosystem functions that regulate environmental conditions.

Provisioning Services

Resources provided by ecosystems, like food and water.

Supporting Services

Processes like nutrient cycling and photosynthesis.

Cultural Services

Non-material benefits from ecosystems, like recreation.

Inherent Value of Biodiversity

Value of biodiversity independent of human use.

Food Security

Biodiversity supports agriculture and crop resilience.

Genetic Diversity

Variation within species that aids adaptation and survival.

Crop variety

Genetically diverse crops withstand pests and climate changes.

Pollinators

Essential for pollinating many food crops globally.

Animal pollination

75% of flowering plants depend on animal pollination.

Significant pollinators

Bees are crucial for many crop pollinations.

Food consumption

Bees pollinate about 1/3 of our food.

Pollination dependence

Crops like apples and coffee need pollination.

Pollinator decline

Loss of pollinators threatens global food security.

Genetic diversity

Variation of genes within a species for adaptation.

Species diversity

Variety of species in a specific ecosystem.

Ecosystem diversity

Different ecosystems and their interactions in nature.

Climate change mitigation

Biodiversity helps absorb carbon dioxide from atmosphere.

Carbon sinks

Forests and oceans store carbon, reducing global warming.

Resilience

Biodiverse systems withstand disturbances like disasters.

Functional redundancy

Multiple species can fulfill similar ecological roles.

Cultural significance

Biodiversity is integral to many communities' identities.

Ethical argument

Species have a right to exist and be protected.

Mid-domain effect

Organisms cluster in the middle of geographic areas.

Alpha diversity

Species richness and evenness within a specific area.

Beta diversity

Diversity differences between distinct ecosystems.

Gamma diversity

Total diversity across a larger landscape or region.

Species richness

Total number of species in an area.

Species interactions

Relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

Mutualism

Both species benefit from the interaction.

Commensalism

One species benefits, the other is unaffected.

Parasitism

One species benefits at the expense of another.

Herbivory

Herbivores feed on plants and algae.

Competition

Species compete for the same resources.

Intraspecific competition

Competition between individuals of the same species.

Interspecific competition

Competition between individuals of different species.

Predation

One species hunts and eats another species.

Trophic interactions

Feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

Trophic levels

Hierarchical stages in a food chain.

Producers

Organisms that produce energy via photosynthesis.

Keystone species

Species with a disproportionately large ecosystem impact.

Ecosystem modifiers

Species that influence abundance and diversity.

Vulnerability of keystone species

Removal leads to catastrophic ecosystem effects.

Keystone predators

Predators that regulate prey populations significantly.

Keystone herbivores

Herbivores that modify their environment substantially.

Ecosystem engineers

Species that create or modify habitats.

Trophic cascades

Changes in ecosystem due to top predator removal.

Population regulation

Processes controlling and stabilizing population sizes.

Density-dependent regulation

Factors intensifying with population density increase.

Density-independent regulation

Factors affecting population size regardless of density.

Natural disturbances

Events that maintain ecosystem diversity and stability.

Fire in ecosystems

Common disturbance in grasslands and forests.

Primary succession

Occurs without soil, starting from bare rock.

Pioneer species

First organisms to colonize barren environments.

Secondary succession

Recovery in areas with existing soil.

Species-area relationship (SAR)

Species number increases with habitat area.

Habitat heterogeneity

Variety of habitats supports more species.

Island effect

Isolation reduces species richness in habitats.

Environmental factors

Temperature and precipitation influence species survival.

Climate change

Human activities alter global temperatures and ecosystems.

Deforestation

Forest removal disrupts habitats and increases erosion.

Pollution

Chemical contaminants harm aquatic and terrestrial life.