ecological

Ecology

the scientific study of the relationships and interactions among living organisms and their living  and  non living enviorment

biotic factors

biological or living influences on organisms with a ecosystem

abiotic factors

physical or nonliving factors that shape an ecosystem. Ex: precipitation, temperature, humidity, amount of light, nutrient availability in the soil

limiting factors

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

tolerance

The ability of any organism to survive when subjected to abiotic or biotic factors

zone oof tolerance

Between the optimum range and the tolerance limits

organisms/species

the lowest level of ecological organization. A group of organisms so similar to one another they can breed and produce fertile offspring

population

 individual organisms of a single species that share the same geographic location at the same time

biological community

group of interacting populations that occupy the same geographic area at the same time

ecosystem

a collection of all the biotic organisms that live in a particular place, together with their abiotic environment

biome

large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of communities

biosphere

relatively thin layer of earth and its atmosphere that supports life. 

habitat

an area where an organism lives.  Could be an entire forest, a grove of trees, a single tree, or a single leaf

niche

the role or position an organism has in its environment.  How the organism meets its needs for food, shelter, and reproduction the role or position an organism has in its environment. 

competition

occurs when more than one organism uses a resource at the same time

preditation

The act of one organism pursuing and consuming another organism for food

predator

The organism that pursues another organism

prey

the organism being pursued

symbiosis

the close relationship that exists when two or more species live together

mutualism

The relationship between two or more organisms that live closely together and benefit each other

commenalism

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

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents

home to some bacteria species that use hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide to make organic molecules to use as food

Autotrophs/Primary Producers/Primary Food Source

An organism that is able to collect energy from sunlight or inorganic substances to produce food 

herbivores

physiologically and anatomically designed to eat plants

omnivores

• eat both plants and animals

carnivores

• eat only other animals

scavengers

•  Consume dead organisms, plant and animal - carrion

decomposers

 bacteria, fungi, invertebrates that feed on and break down dead organic matter by releasing digestive enzymes and breaking the matter down into its original elemental chemical composition; return nutrients to the soil, air, and water bacteria, fungi, invertebrates that feed on and break down dead organic matter by releasing digestive enzymes and breaking the matter down into its original elemental chemical composition; return nutrients to the soil, air, and water

Detritivores

• eat fragments of dead matter returning nutrients to the soil, air, and water

trophic level

Each step in a food web or food chain

food chain

a simplified model that shows how energy flows through an ecosystem following the feeding relationships of a few organism from autotrophs through heterotrophs

food web

a more complex model showing a variety of feeding interactions in an ecosystem.  A food web represents interconnected food chains and pathways in which energy flows through a group of organisms

ecological pyramids

a model to show energy flow through ecosystems.  The diagram can show relative amounts of energy, biomass or numbers of organisms at each trophic level

biomass

total mass of living matter at each trophic level

population density

• the number of organisms per unit area of land

dispersion

The patterns of spacing of a population within an area

limiting factors

biotic or abiotic factors that keep populations from increasing indefinitely

density-independent factor

Any factor in the environment that does not depend on the nuAny factor in the environment that depends on the number of members in a population per unit area imber of members in a population per unit area

• density-dependent factor

Any factor in the environment that depends on the number of members in a population per unit area

population growth rate (PGR)

• explains how fast a given population grows

natality

• he birthrate of a population in a given year

emigration

the number of individuals moving away from a population

immigration

• the number of individuals moving into a population

logistic growth

• occurs when a population’s growth slows or stops following exponential growth

Carrying capacity

• the maximum number of individuals in a species that an environment can support for a long term

r-strategy

• produce as many offspring as possible in a short period to take advantage of some environmental factor

k-strategy

• produce a few offspring that are more likely to survive due to parental care

ecological succession

• a change that occurs in an ecosystem when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic factors

lichen

 Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus and an algae.

primary succession

The establishment of a community in an area of exposed rock that does not have any topsoil

pioneer species

• mainly plants - establish first and start secondary succession

intermediate species

small plants, ferns, fungi, and insects become establish and die -further adding organic matter to the soil

climax community

The stable, mature community that results when there is little change in the composition of species

modest disturbance

• may return to original state

extreme disturbance

• may alter available resources or habitat; new species may occupy

Secondary succession

•  is the orderly and predictable change that takes place after a community of organisms have been removed, but the soil has remained intact

evolution

• change over time