Studied by 4 people
abiotic
nonliving components of the environment
aboveground biomass
total mass of aboveground living plants per area
abyssal zone
deepest part of the ocean at depths of 4000 m or greater
algal bloom
rapid increase of algae in an aquatic system
aphotic zone
part of the ocean where no light penetrates
benthic realm (also, benthic zone)
the part of the ocean that extends along the ocean bottom from the shoreline to the deepest parts of the ocean floor
biogeography
study of the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that affect their distribution
biome
ecological community of plants, animals, and other organisms that is adapted to a characteristic set of environmental conditions
biotic
living components of the environment
canopy
the branches and foliage of trees that form a layer of overhead coverage in a forest
channel
width of a river or stream from one bank to the other bank
clathrates
frozen chunks of ice and methane found at the bottom of the ocean
climate
long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions present in a specific area
conspecifics
individuals that are members of the same species
coral reef
ocean ridges formed by marine invertebrates living in warm, shallow waters within the photic zone
cryptofauna
invertebrates found within the calcium carbonate substrate of coral reefs
ecology
study of interaction between organisms and their environment
ecosystem services
human benefits and services provided by natural ecosystems
emergent vegetation
wetland plants that are rooted in the soil but have portions of leaves, stems, and flowers extending above the water's surface
endemic
species found only in a specific geographic area that is usually restricted in size
estuary
biomes where a source of fresh water, such as a river, meets the ocean
fall and spring turnover
seasonal process that recycles nutrients and oxygen from the bottom of a freshwater ecosystem to the top
global climate change
altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, due largely to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide
greenhouse effect
warming of Earth due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
greenhouse gases
atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb and emit radiation, thus trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere
haze-effect cooling
effect of the gases and solids from a volcanic eruption on global climate
heterospecifics
individuals that are members of different species
intertidal zone
the part of the ocean that is closest to land; parts extend above the water at low tide
Milankovitch cycles
cyclic changes in the Earth's orbit that may affect climate
neritic zone
part of the ocean that extends from low tide to the edge of the continental shelf
net primary productivity
measurement of the energy accumulation within an ecosystem, calculated as the total amount of carbon fixed per year minus the amount that is oxidized during cellular respiration
ocean upwelling
rising of deep ocean waters that occurs when prevailing winds blow along surface waters near a coastline
oceanic zone
part of the ocean that begins offshore where the water measures 200 m deep or deeper
pelagic realm (also, pelagic zone)
open ocean waters that are not close to the bottom or near the shore
permafrost
a perennially frozen portion of the Arctic tundra soil
photic zone
portion of the ocean that light can penetrate
planktivore
animal species that eats plankton
predator
animal species that hunt and are carnivores or "flesh eaters"
Sargassum
type of free-floating marine seaweed
solar intensity
amount of solar power energy the sun emits in a given amount of time
source water
the point of origin of a river or stream
thermocline
layer of water with a temperature that is significantly different from that of the surrounding layers
weather
conditions of the atmosphere during a short period of time
age structure
proportion of population members at specific age ranges
aggressive display
visual display by a species member to discourage other members of the same species or different species
aposematic coloration
warning coloration used as a defensive mechanism against predation
Batesian mimicry
type of mimicry where a non-harmful species takes on the warning colorations of a harmful one
behavior
change in an organism's activities in response to a stimulus
behavioral biology
study of the biology and evolution of behavior
biotic potential (rmax)
maximal potential growth rate of a species
birth rate (B)
the number of births within a population at a specific point in time
camouflage
avoid detection by blending in with the background
carrying capacity (K)
number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the limited resources of a habitat
classical conditioning
association of a specific stimulus and response through conditioning
climax community
the final stage of succession, where a stable community is formed by a characteristic assortment of plant and animal species
cognitive learning
knowledge and skills acquired by the manipulation of information in the mind
commensalism
relationship between species wherein one species benefits from the close, prolonged interaction, while the other species neither benefits nor is harmed
competitive exclusion principle
no two species within a habitat can coexist when they compete for the same resources at the same place and time
conditioned behavior
behavior that becomes associated with a specific stimulus through conditioning
courtship display
visual display used to attract a mate
death rate (D)
the number of deaths within a population at a specific point in time
demographic-based population model
modern model of population dynamics incorporating many features of the r- and K-selection theory
demography
the statistical study of changes in populations over time
density-dependent regulation
regulation of population that is influenced by population density, such as crowding effects; usually involves biotic factors
density-independent regulation
regulation of populations by factors that operate independent of population density, such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions; usually involves abiotic factors
distraction display
visual display used to distract predators away from a nesting site
Emsleyan/Mertensian mimicry
type of mimicry where a harmful species resembles a less harmful one
energy budget
allocation of energy resources for body maintenance, reproduction, and parental care
environmental disturbance
a change in the environment caused by natural disasters or human activities
ethology
biological study of animal behavior
exponential growth
accelerating growth pattern seen in species under conditions where resources are not limiting
fecundity
potential reproductive capacity of an individual
fixed action pattern
series of instinctual behaviors that, once initiated, always goes to completion regardless of changes in the environment
foraging
behaviors species use to find food
foundation species
a species which often forms the major structural portion of the habitat
habituation
ability of a species to ignore repeated stimuli that have no consequence
host
the organism that a parasite lives in or on
imprinting
identification of parents by newborns as the first organism they see after birth
innate behavior
instinctual behavior that is not altered by changes in the environment
intersexual selection
selection of a desirable mate of the opposite sex
interspecific competition
competition between species for resources in a shared habitat or environment
intrasexual selection
competition between members of the same sex for a mate
intraspecific competition
competition between members of the same species
island biogeography
study of life on island chains and how their geography interacts with the diversity of species found there
iteroparity
life history strategy characterized by multiple reproductive events during the lifetime of a species
J-shaped growth curve
shape of an exponential growth curve
K-selected species
a species suited to stable environments that produce a few, relatively large offspring and provide parental care
keystone species
a species whose presence is key to maintaining biodiversity in an ecosystem and to upholding an ecological community's structure
kin selection
sacrificing one's own life so that one's genes will be passed on to future generations by relatives
kinesis
undirected movement of an organism in response to a stimulus
learned behavior
behavior that responds to changes in the environment
life history
inherited pattern of resource allocation under the influence of natural selection and other evolutionary forces
life table
a table showing the life expectancy of a population member based on its age
logistic growth
the leveling off of exponential growth due to limiting resources
mark and recapture
technique used to determine population size in mobile organisms
Migration
long-range seasonal movement of animal species
monogamy
mating system whereby one male and one female remain coupled for at least one mating season
mortality rate
the proportion of population surviving to the beginning of an age interval that dies during that age interval
Mullerian mimicry
type of mimicry where species share warning coloration and all are harmful to predators
mutualism
symbiotic relationship between two species where both species benefit
Note 
Flashcard (76)