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Ecology Vocab 2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acid rain | any form of precipitation (rain, snow, fog) containing abnormally high levels of acidic components, primarily nitric and sulfuric acids, resulting from the release of pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere |
| Ammonification | decomposers return the nitrogen from the remains of dead plants and animals back to the soil as ammonia |
| Carrying capacity | largest number of individuals of a particular species that a particular environment can support |
| Commensalism | symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed |
| Competitive exclusion | two species competing for the same limited resources cannot coexist in the same ecological niche; one species will eventually outcompete the other, leading to its displacement or extinction. |
| Denitrification | occurs when anaerobic bacteria (chemoautotrophs) break down nitrates and release nitrogen gas back into the environment |
| Density-dependent limiting factor | limiting factor that depends on population density |
| Density-independent limiting factor | limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of the population density |
| Eutrophication | the addition of excess nutrients to a body of water in many cases due to an excess of nutrients that causes a bloom of producers (algae) |
| Exponential growth | growth pattern in which the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate |
| Greenhouse effect | the process in which certain gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor) trap sunlight energy in Earth’s atmosphere as heat |
| Logistic growth | growth pattern in which a population’s growth slows and then stops following a period of exponential growth |
| K-Strategist Species | strong competitors in a crowded but stable niche and invest more heavily in fewer offspring; high probability offspring will survive to adulthood |
| Mutualism | symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship |
| Nitrification | bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates that plants can use |
| Nitrogen fixation | process of converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds that plants can absorb and use |
| Nonrenewable resource | resource that cannot be replenished by a natural process within a reasonable amount of time |
| Ozone layer | A layer of ozone (O3) that surrounds Earth and prevents lethal doses of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun from reaching organisms. |
| Parasitism | a symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it |
| Particulates | microscopic solid or liquid particles suspended in the air that can be inhaled and cause health problems, including respiratory and cardiovascular issues. These particles can be natural or anthropogenic in origin |
| Pollution | the introduction of harmful substances or energy into the environment that can negatively impact living organisms and ecosystems. |
| Population density | number of individuals per unit area |
| Renewable resource | resources that can continue to exist despite being consumed or can replenish themselves over a period of time even as they are used |
| R-Strategist Species | use less crowded and unstable ecological niches and produce many organisms; many will not survive to adulthood |
| Smog | gray-brown haze formed by a mixture of chemicals |
| Symbiosis | relationship in which two species live close together |
Created by:
sheilamonroe