APES Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population Control

interspecific competition

Competition between individuals or populations of two or more species requiring a limited resource

resource partitioning

The division of environmental resources by coexisting species; the species evolve specialized traits that allow their niches to be distinct from each other

predation

An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism

predator

An animal that hunts other animals for food

prey

Animal hunted or caught for food

predator-prey relationship

Interaction between two organisms of different species in which one organism, called the predator, captures and feeds on parts or all of another organism, called the prey

camouflage

A structural adaptation that enables an organism to blend in with its environment

chemical warfare

Prey species discourage predators with chemicals that are poisonous, irritating, foul smelling, bad tasting

warning coloration

Bright coloration that warns predators that the potential prey is distasteful or even poisonous

mimicry

Ability of an animal to look like another more harmful animal

coevolution

Process by which two species evolve in response to changes in each other

parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

ecological succession

The gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established

primary ecological succession

A type of ecological succession that occurs in a virtually lifeless ares, where there were originally no organisms and where soil has not yet formed

secondary ecological succession

Ecological succession in an area in which natural vegetation has been removed or destroyed but the soil or bottom sediment has not been destroyed

persistence

The ability of a living system to survive moderate ecological disturbances

resilience

The ability of a living terrestrial system to be restored through secondary ecological succession after a severe disturbance

age structure

The distribution of ages in a specific population at a certain time

range of tolerance

Range of chemical and physical conditions that must be maintained for populations of a particular species to stay alive and grow, develop, and function normally

limiting factor

Any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms

limiting factor principle

Too much or too little of any physical or chemical factor can limit or prevent growth of a population, even if all other factors are at or near the optimal range of tolerance

population density

Number of individuals in a specified portion of a habitat

environmental resistance

All the limiting factors that tend to reduce population growth rates and set the maximum allowable population size or carrying capacity of an ecosystem

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

exponential growth

Growth pattern in which the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate

logistic growth

Growth pattern in which a population's growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth

population crash

A sudden population decline caused by predation, waste accumulation, or resource depletion; also called a dieback

irruptive growth

exhibits a population explosion followed by a crash (dieback)

irregular growth

exhibits chaotic behavior in population size

cyclic growth

exhibits periodic peaks and valleys in at regular intervals

competitive exclusion principle

ecological rule that states that no two species can occupy the same exact niche in the same habitat at the same time

Type I survivorship curve

A survivorship curve in which newborns, juveniles, and young adults all have high survival rates and death rates do not begin to increase greatly until old age. Usually K-selected

Type II survivorship curve

A pattern of survival over time in which there is a relatively constant decline in survivorship throughout most of the life span

Type III survivorship

Experience the greatest mortality early on in life, with relatively low rates of death for those surviving. Usually r-selected.