AP Biology Unit 8 - Ecology Key Terms

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182 Terms

1

abiotic

nonliving components of the environment

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aboveground biomass

total mass of aboveground living plants per area

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3

abyssal zone

deepest part of the ocean at depths of 4000 m or greater

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algal bloom

rapid increase of algae in an aquatic system

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5

aphotic zone

part of the ocean where no light penetrates

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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

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biogeography

study of the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that affect their distribution

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8

biome

ecological community of plants, animals, and other organisms that is adapted to a characteristic set of environmental conditions

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9

biotic

living components of the environment

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10

canopy

the branches and foliage of trees that form a layer of overhead coverage in a forest

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11

channel

width of a river or stream from one bank to the other bank

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12

clathrates

frozen chunks of ice and methane found at the bottom of the ocean

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13

climate

long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions present in a specific area

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14

conspecifics

individuals that are members of the same species

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15

coral reef

ocean ridges formed by marine invertebrates living in warm, shallow waters within the photic zone

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16

cryptofauna

invertebrates found within the calcium carbonate substrate of coral reefs

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17

ecology

study of interaction between organisms and their environment

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18

ecosystem services

human benefits and services provided by natural ecosystems

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19

emergent vegetation

wetland plants that are rooted in the soil but have portions of leaves, stems, and flowers extending above the water's surface

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20

endemic

species found only in a specific geographic area that is usually restricted in size

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21

estuary

biomes where a source of fresh water, such as a river, meets the ocean

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22

fall and spring turnover

seasonal process that recycles nutrients and oxygen from the bottom of a freshwater ecosystem to the top

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23

global climate change

altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, due largely to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide

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greenhouse effect

warming of Earth due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

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greenhouse gases

atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb and emit radiation, thus trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere

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haze-effect cooling

effect of the gases and solids from a volcanic eruption on global climate

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27

heterospecifics

individuals that are members of different species

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28

intertidal zone

the part of the ocean that is closest to land; parts extend above the water at low tide

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29

Milankovitch cycles

cyclic changes in the Earth's orbit that may affect climate

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30

neritic zone

part of the ocean that extends from low tide to the edge of the continental shelf

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31

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

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32

ocean upwelling

rising of deep ocean waters that occurs when prevailing winds blow along surface waters near a coastline

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oceanic zone

part of the ocean that begins offshore where the water measures 200 m deep or deeper

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pelagic realm (also, pelagic zone)

open ocean waters that are not close to the bottom or near the shore

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35

permafrost

a perennially frozen portion of the Arctic tundra soil

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36

photic zone

portion of the ocean that light can penetrate

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37

planktivore

animal species that eats plankton

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38

predator

animal species that hunt and are carnivores or "flesh eaters"

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39

Sargassum

type of free-floating marine seaweed

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40

solar intensity

amount of solar power energy the sun emits in a given amount of time

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41

source water

the point of origin of a river or stream

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42

thermocline

layer of water with a temperature that is significantly different from that of the surrounding layers

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43

weather

conditions of the atmosphere during a short period of time

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44

age structure

proportion of population members at specific age ranges

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45

aggressive display

visual display by a species member to discourage other members of the same species or different species

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46

aposematic coloration

warning coloration used as a defensive mechanism against predation

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47

Batesian mimicry

type of mimicry where a non-harmful species takes on the warning colorations of a harmful one

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48

behavior

change in an organism's activities in response to a stimulus

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49

behavioral biology

study of the biology and evolution of behavior

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50

biotic potential (rmax)

maximal potential growth rate of a species

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51

birth rate (B)

the number of births within a population at a specific point in time

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52

camouflage

avoid detection by blending in with the background

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carrying capacity (K)

number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the limited resources of a habitat

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54

classical conditioning

association of a specific stimulus and response through conditioning

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climax community

the final stage of succession, where a stable community is formed by a characteristic assortment of plant and animal species

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cognitive learning

knowledge and skills acquired by the manipulation of information in the mind

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commensalism

relationship between species wherein one species benefits from the close, prolonged interaction, while the other species neither benefits nor is harmed

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58

competitive exclusion principle

no two species within a habitat can coexist when they compete for the same resources at the same place and time

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conditioned behavior

behavior that becomes associated with a specific stimulus through conditioning

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60

courtship display

visual display used to attract a mate

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61

death rate (D)

the number of deaths within a population at a specific point in time

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62

demographic-based population model

modern model of population dynamics incorporating many features of the r- and K-selection theory

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63

demography

the statistical study of changes in populations over time

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64

density-dependent regulation

regulation of population that is influenced by population density, such as crowding effects; usually involves biotic factors

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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

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66

distraction display

visual display used to distract predators away from a nesting site

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67

Emsleyan/Mertensian mimicry

type of mimicry where a harmful species resembles a less harmful one

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68

energy budget

allocation of energy resources for body maintenance, reproduction, and parental care

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69

environmental disturbance

a change in the environment caused by natural disasters or human activities

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70

ethology

biological study of animal behavior

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71

exponential growth

accelerating growth pattern seen in species under conditions where resources are not limiting

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72

fecundity

potential reproductive capacity of an individual

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fixed action pattern

series of instinctual behaviors that, once initiated, always goes to completion regardless of changes in the environment

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foraging

behaviors species use to find food

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75

foundation species

a species which often forms the major structural portion of the habitat

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76

habituation

ability of a species to ignore repeated stimuli that have no consequence

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host

the organism that a parasite lives in or on

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78

imprinting

identification of parents by newborns as the first organism they see after birth

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79

innate behavior

instinctual behavior that is not altered by changes in the environment

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80

intersexual selection

selection of a desirable mate of the opposite sex

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81

interspecific competition

competition between species for resources in a shared habitat or environment

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intrasexual selection

competition between members of the same sex for a mate

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83

intraspecific competition

competition between members of the same species

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84

island biogeography

study of life on island chains and how their geography interacts with the diversity of species found there

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85

iteroparity

life history strategy characterized by multiple reproductive events during the lifetime of a species

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86

J-shaped growth curve

shape of an exponential growth curve

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87

K-selected species

a species suited to stable environments that produce a few, relatively large offspring and provide parental care

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keystone species

a species whose presence is key to maintaining biodiversity in an ecosystem and to upholding an ecological community's structure

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89

kin selection

sacrificing one's own life so that one's genes will be passed on to future generations by relatives

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90

kinesis

undirected movement of an organism in response to a stimulus

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91

learned behavior

behavior that responds to changes in the environment

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life history

inherited pattern of resource allocation under the influence of natural selection and other evolutionary forces

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93

life table

a table showing the life expectancy of a population member based on its age

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94

logistic growth

the leveling off of exponential growth due to limiting resources

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95

mark and recapture

technique used to determine population size in mobile organisms

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96

Migration

long-range seasonal movement of animal species

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97

monogamy

mating system whereby one male and one female remain coupled for at least one mating season

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98

mortality rate

the proportion of population surviving to the beginning of an age interval that dies during that age interval

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99

Mullerian mimicry

type of mimicry where species share warning coloration and all are harmful to predators

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100

mutualism

symbiotic relationship between two species where both species benefit

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