Community Ecology Study Guide

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms related to community ecology, including concepts of biodiversity, population dynamics, ecosystem services, and species interactions.

Smart Growth

An urban planning approach that focuses on sustainable and environmentally friendly development.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world, including species richness, species evenness, genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity.

Population Ecology

The study of how populations interact with their environment and how they change over time.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support sustainably.

Exponential Growth

A pattern of increase where the population grows at a constant rate, leading to a rapid increase over time.

Logistic Growth

Population growth that slows as it approaches the carrying capacity of the environment.

Generalists vs Specialists

Generalists can thrive in a variety of environments, while specialists are adapted to a specific niche.

r-strategists

Species that reproduce quickly and in large numbers but invest little in parental care.

K-strategists

Species that reproduce slowly, produce fewer offspring, and invest significant resources in raising their young.

Nonnative Species

Species that are introduced to a new habitat and can disrupt local ecosystems.

Endangered Species

A species at serious risk of extinction.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, categorized into provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

Doubling Time

The period of time it takes for a population to double in size.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem that determine how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another.

Urbanization

The process of making an area more urban, which can affect local ecosystems and water cycles.

Succession

The series of changes in species composition in a given area over time, with primary succession beginning in lifeless areas and secondary succession occurring in previously inhabited areas.

Mark Recapture Formula

A method for estimating wildlife populations that involves capturing, marking, and recapturing individuals.

Biome Characteristics

Distinct biological communities determined by factors such as climate, geography, and species adaptation.

Cause of Seasons

Seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the sun.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances.

Sustainable Forestry

Forest management practices that maintain the forest's biodiversity and productivity.

Species Interactions

Relationships between species in an ecosystem, including mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, and the roles of keystone, foundation, and indicator species.