Studied by 29 peopleecological niche
the distinct role a species plays in its ecosystem
generalist species
broad niche - has a lot of different things it can eat (cockroaches)
specialist species
specific niche - specific to environmental change (salamanders)
indicator species
sensitive to environmental change (lichen)
keystone species
large role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem (starfish)
foundational species
an animal that enhances the habitat to benefit others
in-situ conservation
protected on nature preserves or national parks and they stay in their natural habitat (national park)
ex-situ conservation
species are removed from their natural habitat (captive breeding)
edge effect
change in the ecosystem on the edge of a reserve or parks
fragmentation
some reserves become fragmented into smaller patches, usually by conservation
island size
a larger reserve is better ecologically than a smaller one
fundamental niche
represents the broadest possible niche a species could potentially live in within the boundaries of its limiting factor
realized niche
represents the actual mode of existence in which the species is really found
biotic index
measures the health of an environment by counting the number and type of organisms int he environment
limiting factor
any factor that puts an upper limit one the size of a population
FCR
Feed Conversion Ratio: the ratio of food mass provided to body masss output
closed ecosystem
energy can go in and out, but matter cannot
reasons why energy is lost between trophic levels
not all biomass is eaten in one trophic level and is broken down by decomposers
some of the biomass is indigestible and egested
some of the biomass exits the body as urine
energy is lost through cellular respiration
gersmehl nutrient cycle
a graphical representation of how biomass, litter, and soil interconnect to recycle nutrients for the plants and animals in the ecosystem
primary succession
when the area that is colonized arises from a lifeless area
secondary succession
soil remains following an upheaval of expected change within an ecosystem that is undergoing succession
interspecific competition
individuals of one species compete within those of a different species
intraspecific competition
organism compete with others of the same species for things such as food or a mate
predator/prey
a predator is an organism that feeds on another living species, that other species being the prey (mantis/cricket)
herbivory
primary consumers feed only on plant material
parasitism
when one organism feeds on or off another and does harm to the other
mutualism
a relationship in which both organisms benefit
commensalism
a relationship when one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
transect
a line across a habitat or part of a habitat which is used to explore a relationship between the population of organisms present and one or more abiotic factors
poikilotherms
an animal that has a variable body temperature according to the surrounding environment
homeotherms
an animal which maintains a regulated body temperature through physiological mechanisms
gersmehl diagram - L
the total amount ’organic’ matter, including humus and leaf litter
gersmehl diagram - B
the total mass of living organisms, mainly plant tissue per unit area
gersmehl diagram - S
the mineral (inorganic) and organic nutrients that are found in the soil
gersmehl diagram
diagrams used to model how biomass, litter, and soil interconnect to recycle nutrients for the environment
alien species
a species of plant, animal, or microorganism that moves to an area in which is did not previously occur
biological control
controlling invasive species by introducing predators or diseased organisms
physical removal
controlling invasive species by physically removing them
chemical control
controlling invasive species by using herbicides, pesticides, insecticides or other poisons
bioaccumulations
when organisms accumulate toxins in their body by consuming other organisms with toxins
biomagnification
when the concentration of toxins increases with each trophic level as you go up the food chain because the organisms are consuming a large number of organisms in the trophic level below them
ocean gyre
a naturally occurring ocean current
endemic species
a species that is native to an area
anthropogenic
caused by humans
Note
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