Ecology Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to ecology and biomes.

Ecology

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment.

Biomes

Major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial) or physical environment (aquatic).

Climate

Influences the structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes, determined by solar energy and the planet's movement.

Rainshadow

A dry area on the leeward side of a mountain that causes precipitation to fall on the windward side.

Thermocline

The layer in a body of water that separates the warmer upper layer from the cold deeper water.

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of moving objects caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living environmental factors that affect ecosystems, such as temperature, water and oxygen, salinity, sunlight, rocks, and soil.

Biotic Factors

Living components of an ecosystem that affect species distributions and interactions, including predation, herbivory, mutualism, parasitism, and competition.

Pollination Services

The benefits provided by pollinators like bees, which are essential for the reproduction of many plants.

Aquatic Biomes

Biomes characterized by physical, chemical and geological features; includes oceans, freshwater bodies, and wetlands.