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Ecology
Whatever
28
Biology
Undergraduate 3
02/04/2014

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Term
Ecology
Definition
The study of the distribution and abudance of organisms and the factors and interactions that determine distribution and abudance
Term
Abiotic factors
Definition
non-living chemical and physical factors (temp, light, nutrients, water)
Term
Biotic factors
Definition
living (biological) factors: aka other organisms, competition, predation
Term
Organism
Definition
a single individual of a single species
Term
Population
Definition
Individuals of the same species living in the same geographical area
Term
Community
Definition
2 or more populations living in the same geographical area
Term
Ecosystem
Definition
Comprising the community, together with its physical environment
Term
Weather
Definition
the short-term atmospheric conditions at a particular place and time
Term
Climate
Definition
the long-term average atmospheric conditions found over time (temp, precip, wind velocity)
Term
Biome
Definition
contiguous areas with similar climactic conditions on earth
Term
Terrestrial biomes
Definition
based on the structure of their dominant vegetation
Term
Aquatic biomes
Definition
based on physical/chemical differences
Term
Transplant experiment
Definition
move organism and see if it can survive and reproduce in the new environment. Follow through at least one complete generation
Term
Habitat selection
Definition
when a species can relocate but chooses not to
Term
Dispersal
Definition
the movement of organisms from one geographical location to another
Term
Competition
Definition
can occur between 2 or more organisms or species that exploit the same types of limited resources and live in the same geographical area
Term
Types of Competition
Definition
Intraspecific: within a species
Interspecific: between species
Interference: direct physical interaction
Exploitative: indirect interaction
Term
Predation
Definition
limits the distribution of organisms via direct consumption of prey or behavioral modifications of prey in the presence of predators
Term
Disturbance
Definition
Frequent disturbance allows organisms to adapt evolutionarily. Infrequent disturbance doesn't, duh.
Term
Density
Definition
the number of individuals per unit area or volume
Term
Sub-sampling density methods
Definition
quadrant, mark and recapture
Term
Patterns of dispersion
Definition
clumped, uniform, random (rare in nature)
Term
Carrying Capacity
Definition
the maximum population size that an environment can support
Term
Density-dependent control
Definition
factors that alter per capita birth or death rates in a population are dependent on population density

ex. parasitism, predation, competition can be d-d
Term
Density-independent control
Definition
factors are independent of pop. density

ex: physical/chemical factors: weather, drought, freezes, flood and fire
Term
Stable equilibrium
Definition
If perturbed population will return to initial density

Density-dependent control (think cone on a plane)
Term
Unstable equilibrium
Definition
inverse density-dependence, D-D with long time lags (upside-down cone)
Term
Metapopulation
Definition
population is divided into discrete sub-populations connected by immigration and emmigration
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