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chapter 4
ecology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ecology | is the study of how organisms interact with each other and with there enviroments |
| species | a group of individuals that interbreed and produce fertile offspring |
| populations | members of a species that live in the same area at the same time |
| community | all the populations in a particular area |
| ecosystem | all the living things and their physical enviroments within a particular area |
| biosphere | all parts of earth that host life with all of its organisms and enviroments |
| biotic factors | parts of an ecosystem that are living or used to be living "bio" |
| abiotic factors | parts of an ecosystem that has never been living |
| habitat | the specific environment in which an organism lives |
| resource | anything an organism needs including nutrients , shelter , breeding sites , mates etc |
| population size | the number of individual organisms present in a given population at a given time |
| population density | the number of Individuals within a population per unit area |
| population distribution | how organisms are arranged within an area |
| age structure | the relative numbers of organisms of each age within a population |
| age structure diagrams | are visual tools scientist use to show the age structure of populations |
| sex ratio | its proportion of males to females |
| survivorship curves | to show the likelihood of death varies with age , population ecologists show this |
| immigration | the arrival of individuals from outside a given area |
| emigration | is the departure of individuals from a given area |
| migration | a seasonal movement into and out of an area |
| exponential growth | when a population increases by a fixed percentage each year |
| limiting factors | characteristics of the enviroment that limit population growth |
| carrying capacity | the largest population size s given environment can sustainably support |
| logistic growth | populations initial experiential increase is slowed and finally stopped by limiting factors |
| density - dependent factor | high population density increases competition for resources such as food and water |
| density - independent factors | are limiting factors who's influence is not affected by population density |
| biotic potential | maximum ability to produce offspring in ideal conditions |