BIOL4660_Lecture 7

Flashcards focusing on key vocabulary and concepts related to aquatic community ecology.

Community

A set of interacting species that co-occur in space and time.

Assemblage

A set of species that co-occur in space and time.

Functional Groups

Assemblage of species that either perform similar activities or work together to perform a specific ecological function.

Guild

A set of species that co-occur in space and time and exploit the same class of resources in a similar way.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of the same species.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of different species.

Competitive Exclusion

A concept whereby one species outcompetes another, leading to the latter's extinction in that community.

Paradox of the Plankton

The coexistence of a high diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton in an apparently homogeneous environment.

Selective Feeding

A behavior where similar species specialize on slightly different food resources to avoid competition.

Keystone Predator

A predator that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, often increasing diversity.