Habitat, Adaptations, and Species Distribution (copy)

Habitat

The environment in which a species normally lives, or the location of a living organism

Species

A group of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile, viable offspring

Population

A group of organisms of the same species that are living in the same area at the same time

Community

A group of populations living together and interacting with each other within a given area

Ecosystem

A community and its abiotic environment (i.e. habitat)

Ecology

The study of the relationship between living organisms, or between living organisms and their environment

Xerophyte

A plant adapted and able to survive in an environment with little available water or moisture

Limiting Factor

A component of an ecosystem which limits the distribution or numbers of a population, defining optimal survival conditions

Biotic Factors

Interactions between organisms, either intraspecific (within species) or interspecific (between species)

Abiotic Factors

Environmental conditions such as light, temperature, salinity, rainfall, wind velocity, soil pH, etc.

Temperature

Plants can only survive within a narrow range of temperatures to which they are adapted.

Water Availability

Water is needed for photosynthetic processes and maintaining cell turgor.

Light Availability

Light is essential for photosynthesis, with low-growing plants possessing darker green leaves for optimal light conversion.

Salinity

Most plants have low soil salinity tolerance, with high salinity being toxic and hindering water uptake.

Territory

Territorial boundaries affect an animal's capacity for various activities like attracting mates, foraging, and avoiding predators.

Food Availability

The availability of food directly influences population size and distribution of animals.

Law of Tolerance

Populations have optimal survival conditions within critical minimal and maximal thresholds, as proposed by Victor Ernest Shelford.

Optimal Zone

Central portion of the bell-shaped curve representing conditions favoring maximal reproductive success and survivability.

Zones of Stress

Regions flanking the optimal zone where organisms can survive but with reduced reproductive success.

Zones of Intolerance

Outermost regions where organisms cannot survive, representing extremes of the limiting factor.

Glycophytes

Plant species not salt-tolerant, easily damaged by high salinity.

Halophytes

Salt-tolerant plant species that may become stressed in freshwater environments.

Quadrats

Rectangular frames of known dimensions used to establish population densities.

Transects

Straight lines along an abiotic gradient for recording population data to determine patterns.

Kite Graph

Represents changes in species distribution along a transect, with the width of each 'kite' indicating abundance.

Coral Reef Formation

Coral species form reefs impacted by oceanic temperature and pH changes, requiring shallow, clear water and specific temperature ranges.

Reef-building coral optimal growth range

Typical range in shallow, temperate waters between 20 - 30ºC

Biome

Geographical area with specific climate sustaining plant and animal community

Biosphere

Total area where all living things are found

Tropical Rainforest characteristics

Hot climate, high precipitation, high biodiversity, epiphytes

Taiga characteristics

Cold, coniferous forests, low precipitation, little species variation

Desert characteristics

Extreme temperature conditions, low precipitation, xerophytes

Whittaker's biome classification

Classified biomes based on yearly temperatures and rainfall

Temperate Grassland

Moderate temperatures, dominant grass vegetation

Mediterranean biome

Moderate temperatures, dry summers, woody shrubs

Tundra characteristics

Freezing temperatures, low precipitation, low-growing vegetation

Mountain Ranges

High altitude areas with low temperatures and rapid weather changes

Hot Desert adaptations

Expire, evade, endure methods for survival in extreme conditions

Tropical Rainforest structure

Complex ecosystem with ground to canopy layers, diverse adaptations

Ecological Niche

Functional role of an organism in its environment

Obligate aerobe

Requires oxygen for respiration

Obligate anaerobe

Respires only in absence of oxygen, poisoned by oxygen

Facultative anaerobe

Can switch between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own organic molecules using either light energy or energy derived from the oxidation of chemicals

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain organic molecules from other organisms through ingestion, detritus consumption, or absorption of external products of digestion

Consumers

Heterotrophs that ingest organic molecules from living or recently killed organisms

Detritivores

Heterotrophs that ingest organic molecules found in non-living remnants of organisms

Saprotrophs

Heterotrophs that release digestive enzymes to absorb external products of digestion, commonly referred to as decomposers

Photosynthesis

Process by which autotrophs synthesize organic molecules from simple inorganic substances using sunlight or chemosynthesis

Holozoic Nutrition

Type of nutrition in animals where organic molecules are obtained from other organisms through ingestion

Mixotrophic Nutrition

Nutrition in certain protists that involves both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes, depending on resource availability

Symbiotic Nutrition

Nutritional relationship between different species living in close physical association, often mutually beneficial

Archaea

One of the three domains of life, metabolically diverse and including various photosynthetic, chemosynthetic, and heterotrophic organisms

Extremophiles

Organisms, including some Archaea, that thrive in extreme environmental conditions

Dentition

The arrangement of teeth in a species