speciation + ecology vocabulary

quiz ~ 3/24/2023

species

individuals capable of interbreeding freely with each other but not with members of another species

speciation

the process of forming new species

sympatric speciation

origin of a new species in populations that overlap geographically

allopatric speciation

origin of a new species in populations that are separated geographically

reproductive isolating mechanisms

different reasons why individuals would no longer be able to reproduce

spatial isolation

prezygotic isolating mechanism in which species select different places to live and reproduce

behavioral isolation

prezygotic isolating mechanism in which species differ in mating behaviors such as visual cues and vocalization

temporal isolation

prezygotic isolating mechanism in which organisms reproduce during different times so mating periods do not overlap

mechanical isolation

prezygotic isolating mechanism in which the reproductive organs are incompatible due to size and shape

gametic isolation

prezygotic isolating mechanism in which the sperm and egg are incompatible

postzygotic isolation

isolating mechanism in which zygote form but embryo does not survive or survive and sterile

extinction

death of all members of a species

mass extinctions

episode during which large numbers of species become extinct

ecology

study of the interactions among organisms and their physical environment

population

all the members of one species inhabiting an area

community

all the different species interacting in one area

ecosystem

all the biotic and abiotic components in one habitat

biome

one of the world’s largest ecosystems

biosphere

part of Earth occupied by living organisms

biotic

pertaining to living organisms

abiotic

pertaining to non-living things

autotrophs

organisms that have the ability to produce their own food

heterotrophs

organisms that cannot produce their own food and therefore must depend on an outside source for nutrients

producers

organisms that change energy into food

consumers

organisms that eat producers or other consumers

decomposers

oganisms absorb nutrients from nonliving organic material such as corpses, fallen plant material, and the wastes of living organisms, and convert them into organic molecules

symbiotic relationships

ecological interactions that involve two different species that live together in direct contact

commensalism

a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits but the other is neither helped nor harmed

mutualism

a symbiotic relationship in which both participants benefit

parasitism

a symbiotic relationship in which the symbiont benefits at the expense of the host

food chains

pathway along which food is transmitted from trophic level to trophic level, beginning with producers

food webs

elaborate and interconnected food chains

trophic level

any of the several levels of a food chain, whose species are based on their main nutritional source

biomass

the weight of a living organism in a given area

dry weight

the weight of an organisms without water

ten percent rule

a rule that states only about ten percent of usable energy stored in a trophic level is passed from one level to the next

joules

measure of energy

grazing food webs

a type of food web that begins with producers

detrital food webs

a type of food web that begins with detritus

carnivore

a consumer that only eats other consumers

herbivore

a consumer that only eats producers

omnivore

a consumer that eats producers and other consumers

detritus

dead organic material broken down by decomposers

energy pyramid

a model or pyramid that illustrates the loss of usable energy at each trophic level

self-sustaining ecosystem

a ecosystem that has a constant flow of energy

energy flow

the energy that flows through ecosystems and nutrient cycles

global biogeochemical cycles

pathways that involve biotic and abiotic components

reservoir

source unavailable to producers

exchange pool

source from which organisms take chemicals

biotic community

chemicals move through community along food chains

gaseous cycle

chemical element is drawn from and returns to the atmosphere

sedimentary cycle

chemical element is drawing from soil by plant roots, eaten by consumers, returned to soil by decomposers

condensation

process of a gas changing to a liquid 

transpiration

process of evaporation of water from plants

nitrification

production of nitrate which plants can use

denitrification

conversion of nitrate back to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria

nitrogen fixation

conversion of nitrogen gas to ammonium ions

growth rate

per capita rate of increase

biotic potential

highest per capita rate of increase of a population

lag phase

a phase in J-shaped and S- shaped curves when growth is small because the population is small

exponential growth phase

a phase in J-shaped and S-shaped curves when growth is accelerating and the population is exhibiting its biotic potential

deceleration phase

a phase in S-shaped curves when the rate of population growth slows down

stable equilibrium phase

a phase in S-shaped curves when little if any growth takes place because births and deaths are about equal

carrying capacity

number of individuals of a species that a particular environment can support

limiting factors

factors that limit population growth

cohort

group of individuals born at the same time

type one survivorship curve

most individuals survive until old age

type two survivorship curve

decreases consistently over time

type three survivorship curve

most individuals die early

eutrophication

overenrichment of water caused by humans that leads to excessive algal and bacterial growth and oxygen depletion

water cycle

global biogeochemical gaseous cycle in which freshwater is evaporated from bodies of water and precipitation causes water to return to the ocean through the ground, surface waters, and aquifers

carbon cycle

global biogeochemical gaseous cycle in which photosynthesis draws in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cellular respiration returns it to the atmosphere

nitrogen cycle

global biogeochemical gaseous cycle in which nitrogen recycled by nitrogen fixation and denitrification

phosphorous cycle

global biogeochemical sedimentary cycle in which phosphates are drawn from the soil by plant roots, eaten by consumers and returned to the soil by decomposers

survivorship curve

a curve that shows the proportion of individuals in a cohort that survive to each age

prezygotic reproductive isolating mechanism

a reproductive isolating mechanism that prevents the formation of a zygote

aquifers

water-bearing rocks that are sources for groundwater