BI303 Ecology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts in ecology, specifically intraspecific and interspecific competition, ecological niches, and the Lotka-Volterra model, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Intraspecific Competition

Occurs when many individuals of the same species try to exploit the same resource, and it intensifies as the density of the population increases.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of different species which can lead to a reduction in fecundity, growth, or survivorship of one species due to resource exploitation or interference.

Exploitation Competition

A type of interspecific competition where species compete indirectly through the utilization and depletion of shared resources, without direct confrontation.

Interference Competition

A form of interspecific competition where species compete directly for access to resources, often resulting in confrontational interactions.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

States that two competing species cannot coexist in the same niche. One will outcompete the other, leading to extinction of one species.

Lotka-Volterra Model

A mathematical model that describes the dynamics of biological systems in which two species interact, used for studying population dynamics of predator-prey or competitive species.

Ecological Niche

The unique set of habitat resources a species requires as well as its effects on an ecological system.

Fundamental Niche

The physiological optimal range of conditions where a species can survive, unimpeded by competition.

Realized Niche

The actual space that a species occupies, which is affected by competition and other biotic factors.

Character Displacement

A phenomenon where competing species diverge in morphology and resource use due to competition, often accentuated in regions where species co-occur.