IB Bio - Ecology and Conservation

ecological niche

ecological 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

1. not all biomass is eaten in one trophic level and is broken down by decomposers

2. some of the biomass is indigestible and egested

3. some of the biomass exits the body as urine

4. 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