BIOL 1407 Exam

Abiotic Factors

Non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Biotic Factors

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

Camouflage

A biological defense mechanism where an organism blends in with its surroundings to avoid detection by predators or prey.

Carnivore

An animal that feeds on other animals.

Chemical Defense

A biological defense mechanism involving the production of toxic or repellent substances to deter predators.

Clone

An organism or cell produced asexually from one ancestor or stock, to which they are genetically identical.

Commensalism

A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits, and the other is neither harmed nor helped.

Competition

An interaction between organisms or species in which both are harmed by a shared requirement for a limiting resource.

Decomposer

An organism, especially a bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.

Dinoflagellates

A diverse group of protists, many of which are photosynthetic and are a major component of phytoplankton. Some species are responsible for "red tides."

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Fundamental Niche

The entire set of conditions under which a species can survive and reproduce.

Herbivore

An animal that feeds on plants.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Lichen

A composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.

Microbiome

The community of microorganisms that live in a particular environment, such as the human gut.

Mimicry

A biological defense mechanism where one species evolves to resemble another species, often for protection from predators.

Mutualism

A type of symbiotic relationship where both organisms involved benefit.

Niche

The role and position a species has in its environment; how it meets its needs for food and shelter, how it survives, and how it reproduces.

Omnivore

An animal that feeds on both plants and animals.

Parasitism

A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another organism (the host), which is harmed.

Plasmodium

A genus of parasitic protozoans that includes the species that cause malaria.

Realized Niche

The actual set of conditions a species occupies as a result of competition and other interactions.

Resource Partitioning

The process by which different species utilize different parts of a limited resource, reducing direct competition.

Species Diversity

The number and relative abundance of different species in a given area.

Vector-borne Disease

An illness caused by pathogens transmitted to humans or animals by vectors, such as insects.