Ecology of Singapore Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to Carrying Capacity and Biodiversity

Limiting Factor

Any factor in an ecosystem that controls the growth of a population; can be abiotic or biotic.

Population Density

The number of individuals in a population per unit of area.

Density-Dependent Limiting Factors

Limiting factors that affect a population only when its density reaches a certain level (e.g., lack of food due to overcrowding).

Density-Independent Limiting Factors

Limiting factors that affect a population regardless of its size and density (e.g., a really cold winter).

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number (population of a particular species) that an area/ecosystem can normally support.

Biodiversity

A measure of the variety of life that occurs within an ecosystem.

Ecosystems with the Most Biodiversity

Tropical rainforests, due to high rainfall and sunlight at the equator, which provide ideal conditions for plant life.