Chapter 20-21 Vocabulary Quiz

Competitive Exclusion Principle

No two species can occupy the same niche at the same time in the same environment.

Abiotic Factor

Nonliving components of an ecosystem

Carrying Capacity

Number at which the environment can support a particular species

Logistic Growth

Occurs when a population growth slows or stops, following exponential growth.

Commensalism

One organism benefits, one is unaffected

Parasitism

One organism harmed but often not killed, one benefits

Consumer

Organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply

Niche

Particular physical environments containing characteristics of plants and animals

Ecology

Relational position and job of a species or population in its ecosystem to other organisms.

Trophic Levels

Series of steps in the organisms transfer of energy by eating and being eaten.

Exponential Growth

Shows a population growing at a constant rate

Food Chain

Shows steps in a food webs and food chain

Competition

Struggle to obtain resources, or a mate, at the same time. Can be between individuals or different species.

Biodiversity

Sum total of the variety of organisms in the biosphere.

Biomass

Total living mass in an ecosystem

S-shaped Curve

What would a logistic growth graph look like

J-shaped Curve

What would an exponential growth graph look like?

Ten percent

Amount of energy transferred to each trophic level

Density Dependent

A factor whose influence on population size and growth depends on the number and crowding of individuals in the population

Example of Density Dependent

Predation

Density Independent

A factor that can influence population size and growth regardless of the numbers and crowding within a population

Density Independent Example

Weather

Mutualism

Both organisms benefit

Decomposer

Breaks down small particles of organic matter into chemical compounds Ex. Bacteria

Producer

Capture sunlight to make chemical energy Ex. Plants

Disease

Causes a population growth to decrease

Food Web

Complex feeding relationships

Omnivore

Consumes both flesh and plants

Carnivore

Consumes flesh

Herbivore

Consumes plants

Symbiosis

Direct interactive relations between two individuals

Detritivore

Feeds on dead plants and animals (ex. crabs, earth worms)

Predation

Interaction when one organism captures and feeds on another

Limiting Factor

Limit the population growth ONLY when the density reaches a certain level

Demographic Transition

Moving from status 3, world country development (high birth and death rate) to a mature stable population.