eco q&a

What does the term 'abiotic' refer to in ecology?

Non-living factors in the environment.

What is 'abundance' in the context of population ecology?

The total number of individuals within a defined population.

What is an 'adaptation'?

A trait that enhances the survival and reproduction of an organism in its environment.

What is 'artificial selection'?

The process by which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms.

Define 'carrying capacity' (K).

The maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain indefinitely.

What is a 'cohort' in population studies?

A group of individuals in a population born during the same time interval.

What does the term 'genetic drift' mean?

Random changes in gene frequencies within a population due to chance events.

What is the 'geometric rate of increase' (λ)?

The finite rate of population change over a given time interval.

Define 'natural selection'.

Differential survival and reproduction among phenotypes.

What is 'fecundity'?

The number of offspring produced by an organism.

What is the 'founder effect'?

A form of genetic drift that occurs when a new population is established by a small subset of the original population.

What is an 'ecosystem'?

A community of living organisms interacting with nonliving components in their environment.

What are the three types of survivorship curves?

Type I: high survival early; Type II: constant mortality; Type III: high mortality early with few survivors.

What does 'intrinsic rate of increase' refer to?

The rate at which a population increases in size if there are no density-dependent forces regulating it.

What are 'r-selected' species characterized by?

Higher reproductive rates and typically found in disturbed habitats.

What is the 'principle of allocation'?

The concept that organisms have limited energy resources leading to trade-offs between different life functions.

What does 'phenotype' refer to?

The observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype and environment.

What does 'in situ' conservation mean?

Conservation methods conducted within the natural habitat of an organism.

What is the difference between the geometric rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), and per capita rate of increase (r)?

λ measures finite change over time, R0 averages offspring production in a lifetime, r measures change per individual.