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Ecosystem
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Organismal Ecology
study of an organism's relationship with its environment
Population Ecology
study of interaction between members of the same species
Biotic Factors
living organisms in an ecosystem
Abiotic Factors
non-living physical and chemical elements of an ecosystem
Population
groups of individuals of the same species in the same place
3 Characteristics of Populations
-same range/area -pattern of spacing of individuals is the same -change in size throughout time
Density-dependent factors
predation, inter and intra specific competition, accumulation of waste, diseases, etc.
Density-independent factors
weather, disasters, pollution, & other chemical/physical conditions
Cohort
group of individuals of same age
fecundity
number of offspring produced in a standard time
mortality
death rate in a standard time
life table
probability of survival and reproduction through a cohort's life
net reproduction rate
1=increasing <1=decreasing =1=balanced/stable
survivorship
percent of original population surviving to given age
survivorship curve
graph of number of individuals surviving at each age interval
population growth
populations often remain same size regardless of number of offspring born
exponential growth
when the biotic potential of any population is exponential and left unchecked, the population will explode. (J curve)
carrying capacity(K)
maximum number of individuals that an environment can support
logistic growth
applies to populations as they reach K. (S curve)
Demography
quantitative study of populations
generation times
average interval between birth of an individual and birth of its offspring
K-selected species
-mature late -greater longevity -increased parental care -increased competition -fewer offspring -larger offspring
r-selected species
-mature early -lower longevity -decreased parental care -decreased competition -more offspring -smaller offspring
community ecology
the study of interacting populations of species living within a particular area or habitat
intraspecific competition
competition within a species
interspecific competition
competition between species
interference competition
direct, physical interactions over resources
exploitative competition
interact indirectly by consuming the same resources
mechanisms to avoid competition
-intimidation (coloration and features) -camouflage -isolation mechanisms -specializing on particular resources -temporal adaptations -moving locations -social behaviors for collaboration -territoriality -symbiotic relationships
competitive exclusion principle
two species cannot occupy the same niches in a habitat
niche
total range of conditions under which an individual (or population) lives and replaces itself
realized niche
actual set of conditions under which an organisms exists
fundamental niche
entire set of optimal conditions under which an organismic unit can live and replace itself
resource partitioning
the differentiation of niches that enables similar species to coexist in a community
character displacement
difference in morphology between sympatric species
predation
consumption of prey by its predator
coevolution
features that decrease predation are strongly favored
niche restrictions
-other species -predators -pollinators -herbivores
aposematic coloration
specific coloration that signals a warning for predators
batesian mimicry
harmless species imitate warning signals of harmful species
Mullerian mimicry
related or unrelated poisonous species that share a predator come to resemble one another's warning signals
plant chemical defenses
-tough fibers -high cellulose content -oils, toxins, poisonous milky sap
types of symbiosis
-commensalism -parasitism -mutualism
commensalism
an interaction between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm
parasitism
an interaction between two organisms in which one benefits and the other (host) is harmed
endoparasites
live within the body of host
ectoparasites
live on surface of host
parasitoidism
parasite deposits eggs in/on host
endosymbiont
live inside another, but usually mutualistic
mutualism
an interaction between two organisms in which both organisms benefit
species richness
number of species present
abundance
number of individuals per species
relative abundance
how common or rare relative to others
diversity
species richness and evenness of species' abundances
evatranspiration
the release of water into the atmosphere as water vapor, by evaporation, transpiration, and respiration
dominant species
most abundant
keystone species
most influential with respect to trophic levels
foundation species
allows other species to inhabit an area by altering the environment
main abiotic cycles
-water -carbon -nitrogen -phosphorus
flow of energy
the movement of energy through an ecosystem
how energy exists
-heat -light -chemical-bond energy -motion
1st law of thermodynamics
energy is neither created nor destroyed; changes forms
2nd law of thermodynamics
Every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe.
major source of energy
the sun
trophic levels
group of organisms which occupy the same level in a food chain
autotrophs (primary producers)
"self-feeders" assemble inorganic precursors into the array of organic compounds of which they are made
photoautotrophs
gain energy from light
chemoautotrophs
energy from inorganic materials
heterotrophs (consumers)
obtain organic compounds by consuming other organisms
ten percent rule/law
during transfer of energy down trophic levels, only ~10% of energy is stored as biomass and is all that's available to the next trophic level
number of trophic levels
limited by energy availability
primary producers
autotrophs
consumers
-herbivores -primary carnivores -secondary carnivores -detritivores
limiting nutrients
nutrients in shortest supply and put a limit on growth
gross primary productivity
rate at which primary producers incorporate energy from the sun
net primary productivity
energy that remains in primary producers after respiration and heat loss