Ecosystems and Biodiversity Review

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to ecosystems and biodiversity, designed for review before the exam.

Levels of Organization in Ecology

Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome.

Biotic Factors

Living components of an ecosystem, including animals, bacteria, fungi, and plants.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, temperature, and precipitation.

Symbiosis

Interactions among species, including competition, predation, mutualism, and commensalism.

Resource Partitioning

The process where species evolve to reduce competition by using resources in different ways or times.

Biome

A large ecological area characterized by specific climate conditions, flora, and fauna.

Trophic Levels

Levels in a food chain or web, including producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

10% Rule

The principle that approximately 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which solar energy is converted into organic compounds through photosynthesis.

Ecological Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, including primary and secondary succession.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat, comprising species richness and evenness.

Island Biogeography

The study of the ecological relationships and diversity of species on islands, influenced by size and distance from the mainland.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustainably support.

Ecological Footprint

The measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, representing the amount of natural capital used.

Sustainability

The ability to maintain ecological balance and avoid depletion of natural resources.