Ecology and Life History Notes

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts in ecology, population dynamics, species interactions, and conservation.

Life History Ecology

The study of the relationship between organisms and their environment.

Allocation

The act of dividing and distributing something for a specific purpose.

Demography

The study of how a population changes over time.

Species Interactions

The ways in which species affect each other's populations.

Competition

Fighting for the same limited resource between species.

Predation

An interaction where one species kills and eats another.

Mutualism

An interaction where both species benefit.

Biodiversity Metrics

Measurements of species diversity including abundance, richness, and evenness.

Latitudinal Diversity Gradient (LDG)

The pattern of changes in species richness with latitude, generally highest near the equator.

Ecological Efficiency

The fraction of energy available to other organisms as growth.

Trophic Cascade

An effect on energy flow due to a change in the biomass of one trophic level.

Greenhouse Gas

Types of gases that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Zoonotic Disease

A disease that typically has non-human biotic reservoirs but can jump to a human host.

Anthrome

Human-modified landscapes.

Ecosystem Service

Contributions of nature to the wellbeing of life, highlighting instrumental values.

Biotic Homogenization

Increases in similarity of community over time, often due to urbanization.

Niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem.

Dispersal

The movement of individuals or gametes from their original location.

Net Primary Production (NPP)

The energy available to other organisms after autotrophs use energy for respiration.

Nutrient Cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Habitat Restoration

Manipulating abiotic and biotic conditions to restore habitats.

Intrinsic Value

The value of a species in its own right, regardless of human benefit.

Scales of Ecology

Organisms - Individuals

Population - Individuals of the same species

Community - Multiple species living together

Ecosystem - Interactions between communities and their environment

Biosphere - Whole world

Trade-off

having to exchange for things, giving something up to get something else

Fast-Slow Continuum

Fast: short life, short sexual maturity, high # of offspring, little investment

Slow: long life, long sexual maturity, low # of offspring, high investment

Intraspecific Competition

competition for a resource between the SAME species

Interspecific Competition

competition for a resource between DIFFERENT species

Facilitation

one species benefits another

Commensalism

one species benefits while the other is unaffected

Abundance

number of individuals

Richness

total number of species

Evenness

relative similarity in abundance

Composition

identities of species present

Abiotic

non-living components of the environment

Biotic

living components of the environment

Hadley Cell

global air circulation and precipitation patterns

Maritime Climate

lower amplitude of seasonal temperature fluctuations

Continental Climate

higher amplitude of seasonal temperature fluctuations

Top-Down Control

amount of top predators/consumers determines energy flow of prey (usually alternating on increase and decrease)

Bottom-Up Control

amount of limiting resources determine energy availability to producers (usually only increase, positive growth)

Net Flux

calculation of the difference between things input and things outputted

Positive Feedback

change in a variable triggers a response that enhances that change

Negative Feedback

change in a variable triggers a response that counteracts that change

Representative Concentration Pathway

realted to the amount of carbon emitted by humans

Phenology

changes in timing of seasonal events relating to organisms

Janzen/Connell Effect

diseases/enimes that increase when thier hosts have high-density populations cause negative density dependec for their host

Dispersal Mechanisms of Pathogens

Contact(touch), Vehicle(non-living), and Vector(living) Transmission

Dispersal Corridor

pathway safe for animals to cross between protected areas

Portfolio Effect

higher diversity communities preform better than lower diversity communities

Realized Niche

set of conditions that a species is currently using both abiotic and biotic

Fundamental Niche

set of conditions that a species could use with no competitors and infinite dispersal capacity

Disturbance

a change in abiotic and biotic conditions in a community

Primary Succession

following a disturbance, the community becomes empty or approximately empty

Secondary Succession

following disturbance to an existing community, populations decline or only individuals of some life stages survive

Haber Bosch Process

Converting nitrogen gas to ammonia through fossil fuel burnings, at high energy, temperature, and pressure

Pathogen or Parasite

Nitrogen Fixation

N2 gas into ammonia in a natural way, normal pressure and temperatures

Type II Curve

Some individuals reach old age

Type III Curve

Very few individuals reach old age

Exponential Growth

r>0 pop decrease

r<0 pop increase