Island Biogeography and Ecological Relationships

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from the lecture on island biogeography and ecological relationships.

Hotspot

An area of high volcanic activity in the earth's mantle where magma rises, leading to island formation.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.

Invasive species

Non-native species that spread widely in a new habitat and can outcompete local species.

Specialist species

Species that thrive under specific environmental conditions and often have specialized adaptations.

Generalist species

Species that can thrive in a variety of environmental conditions and can make use of a range of resources.

Adaptive radiation

The evolutionary process where an ancestral species diversifies into a variety of forms to adapt to different environments.

Niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including its habitat and its interactions with other organisms.

Range of tolerance

The range of environmental conditions within which a species can survive and reproduce.

Eutrophication

A process where excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to algal blooms and depletion of oxygen in aquatic environments.

Limiting factor

Any resource or condition that limits the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or population in an ecosystem.

Density dependent factors

Factors that affect population size in relation to the population's density, such as competition and predation.

Density independent factors

Factors that reduce the population regardless of its density, such as natural disasters.

Mortality rate

The rate at which individuals in a population die, often used to measure the impact of disturbances on populations.

Extinction rate

The rate at which species vanish from a given habitat, often increased on smaller islands due to limited resources.

Convection

The circulation of heat within fluids (liquids and gases) caused by differences in temperature and density.

Physiological stress

A state of stress that arises when environmental conditions exceed the range of tolerance for a species.

Fundamental niche

The full range of environmental conditions under which a species can persist without the influence of competition.

Realized niche

The actual set of conditions (including biotic interactions) under which a species exists.

Competitive exclusion principle

The principle stating that two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist at constant population values.

Biological hot spot

Regions with high levels of biodiversity that are under threat from human activity.