Unit 4 Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
Ecology | Study of the interactions btwn organisms & their environments |
Organism | Single member of a specific species |
Species | Group of organisms able to successfully interbreed & create fertile offspring |
Population | All members of a species within a specific location |
Community | All populations interacting within a specific location |
Ecosystem | A specific location in which both biotic & abiotic (nonliving) factors interact |
Biome | Large geographic area characterized by specific kinds of plants,animals, climate |
Competition | Struggle for limited resources- interspecific or intraspecific |
Interspecific | Between members of different species |
Intraspecific | Between members of same species |
Biotic | Living, biological factors |
Abiotic | Physical, non living factors- ex. Soil, water, air, nutrients |
Symbiosis | A close interaction btwn 2 organisms in which at least 1 benefits |
Mutualism | Both organisms benefit in the relationship ex. Cape buffalo & Egret |
Commensalism | 1 organism benefits, the other is unharmed ex. Clownfish & Sea Anemone |
Parasitism | 1 organism benefits & the other loses energy/harmed ex. Tapeworm & gut of Human |
Interdependence | Idea that all [non]living things in an ecosystem depend on each other to survive/function |
Tolerance Curve | A graph that represents the success of species vs. a specific abiotic factor |
Optimal Range | The variation in a factor that allows for population growth |
Zone of Intolerance | The extreme range of a factor that prevents population growth; the population is at risk of eradication |
Zone of Stress | Range of a factor where population growth equals death; the population is at risk of eradication |
Coping Mechanisms | Strategies used by organism to overcome abiotic factors (increase their optimal range) |
Dormancy | State of reduced activity during periods of unfavorable environmental conditions |
Migration | Move temporarily to a more favorable environment ex. Loon migration to ocean to avoid low temps & scarce food |
Acclimation | Ability to adjust to abiotic factors over time ex. Increasing fat reserves & coat density by bears in winter |
Metabolic Strategies | Organisms utilize 2 basic strategies when interacting w/ the nonliving environment, especially temperature |
Conformers | Organisms that do not regulate their interior environment, they change as their external environment changes |
Regulators | Use energy to control internal conditions, maintain homeostasis despite changes in the environment |
Niche | Role of an organism within an ecosystem determined by its environment, biotic & abiotic factors. An organism's “job” in its ecosystem ex. Arboreal mammals- live, nest & find food in trees & don’t usually come to forest floor (squirrels, monkeys) |
Habitat | Location where an organism lives, ex intertidal zone, tree canopy |
Generalists | Species who can occupy a very broad niche; tolerates a wide range of conditions & uses a variety of resources ex. Opossum, leopard |
Specialists | Species who occupy a very narrow niche ex. Pandas only live in a very tiny area of mountainous China w/ a very particular bamboo as food |
Trophic Levels | Specific roles defined by nutrient/energy attainment |
Producers | Autotrophs, manufacture their own food using photosynthesis ex. Plants, algae, lichens, photosynthetic bacteria |
Consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary) | heterotrophs , cannot manufacture their own food, must ingest other organism Primary- (herbivore) organisms that only eat producers Secondary- organism that eat other consumers Tertiary- must be a carnivore |
Omnivore | Will eat both producers & consumers |
Carnivore | Eats only other consumers |
Scavenger | Will eat organisms that have recently died |
Decomposer | Organisms that break down dead organic tissues & organic matter ex. fungi, worms, bacteria |
Food Chain | Sequence of energy transfer w/in an ecosystem beginning w/ a producer-> single pathway of energy flow, arrows indicate direction of flow |
Food Web | Interlinked food chains; complex energy pathway |
10% Rule | only 10% of energy at a trophic level is passed onto the next level, remainder is lost as heat or in solid wastes |
Ecological Pyramid | Diagram showing the changes in available energy, # of organism, or biomass in an ecosystem |
Keystone Species | An organism in an ecosystem that has a critical role in the success & survival of the ecosystem & all other organisms present ex. Sea otters, starfish |
Trophic Cascade | When an organism (usually keystone species) is removed from ecosystem/food chain-> causes next lowest trophic level to grow in pop. -> causes next lowest trophic level to decrease in pop & ecosystem to collapse |
Terrestrial Succession (primary, secondary) | Changes in an ecosystem as it ages & matures Primary- development of a community where one hadn’t existed previously; soil forms first then plant community resets Secondary- recovery of an ecosystem after complete or partial destruction; soil remains but plant community resets ex. Forest fire, hurricane damage |
Pioneer organism | First organism to become established in a once=barren area; small, fast growing fast reproducing ex. Lichen on rock |
Climax community | Final stable stage of succession, “old growth forest”-> have many dif age/species of trees, as old trees die, new species/ages of plants occur |
Seral community | Interim stages that an area goes through as it establishes a climax community, all westford foresta are examples- westford has been deforested mult. times |
Eutrophication | The aging of a freshwater pond/lake Usually takes hundreds of years, however long it takes, all lakes will fill w/ sediment & become a forest in time->is sped up by synthetic fertilizers, dams & deforestation Ex. stony brook river->dams slowed water flow & sediment collected/algae formed |
Oligotrophic | Few plants, high clarity, firm bottom, high dissolved oxygen levels Species- trout,salmon, insects |
Mesotrophic | Moderate amount of plants, mod clarity, mod dissolved oxygen levels ex. Forge pond Species- bass, sunfish, perch, ducks |
Eutrophic | Abundant plants, poor clarity, mucky bottom, low dissolved oxygen levels ex. Grassy pond Species- catfish, snapping turtles, herons |
Cultural Eutrophication | Introduction of pollution/foreign materials & chemicals into bodies of water->causes rapid overgrowth of plants->eventually causes ecosystem to collapse Cause- humans/human activity Result- hypoxic (low oxygen) or dead zone |