Ecology Exam

is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment. These interactions determine distribution of organisms and their abundance.

How does a species or organism function in this environment? And, how does the environment influence that species or organism?

a group of individuals of the same species living in an area

a group of populations of different species in an area

the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact.

The science of studying and improving relationships between ecological processes in the environment and particular ecosystems. This is done within a variety of landscape scales, development spatial patterns, and organizational levels of research and policy.

movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or from their area of origin

• – Interactions with other species
• – Predation
• – Competition

• – Temperature
• – Water
• – Sunlight
• – Wind
• – Rocks and soil
• -Non biological things

consists of patterns on the global,regional, and local level

consists of very fine patterns, such as those encountered by the community of organisms underneath a fallen log

an important feature of terrestrial biomes, and in a forest it might consist of an upper canopy, low-tree layer, shrub understory, ground layer of herbaceous plants, forest floor, and root layer

individuals aggregate in patches and it might be influenced by availability and behavior

individuals are evenly distributed and it may be influenced by social interactions such as territoriality

the position of each individual isi ndependent of other individuals and it occurs in the absence of strong attractions or repulsions

Organism that reproduces only once in its lifetime.

Being capable of multiple reproductive events throughout life.

(K) is the maximumpopulation size the environment can support

Ecologists call relationships between species in a community

• • Competition
• • Predation
• • Herbivory
• • Symbiosis (parasitism, mutualism, andcommensalism)

(–/– interaction) occurs when species compete for a resource in short supply

• is a relationship where two or more species live in direct and intimate contact with one another
• • There are three types
• • Parasitism
• • Mutualism
• • Commensalism

Parasites that live within the body of their host are called this

Parasites that live on the external surface of a host

the total number of different species in the community

the proportion each species represents of the total individuals in the community

the feeding relationships between organisms in a community

link trophic levels from producers to top carnivores

those that are most abundant or have the highest biomass. Dominant species exert powerful control over the occurrence and distribution of other species

typically introduced to a new environment by humans, often lack predators or disease

exert strong control on a community by their ecological roles, or niches. Incontrast to dominant species, they are not necessarily abundant in a community

(ecosystem “engineers”)cause physical changes in the environment that affect community structure.

Examples: Beavers, humans

an event that changes a community, removes organisms from it, and alters resource availability.

Ex: Fire

Organism's functional role in the environment; also defined as the parts of the environment that a species uses or tolerates.