AP Biology Unit 8 - Ecology Key Terms

abiotic

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