Terms : Hide Images
| 205797104 | biodiversity | variety of species, genes, ecosystems, processes on Earth | |
| 205797105 | species diversity | variety of the number of types of species | |
| 205797106 | genetic diversity | variety of genes (section of DNA for making specific protein) | |
| 205797107 | ecosystem diversity | variety of types of biomes, aquatic ecosystems | |
| 205797108 | functional diversity | variety of processes | |
| 205797109 | biological evolution | changes in species over time, caused by changes in genes/DNA | |
| 205797110 | natural selection | proposed by Darwin, it is the mechanism for change | |
| 205797111 | fossils | preserved remains of organisms, impressions-found in rocks | |
| 205797112 | fossil record | collection of fossils found thus far | |
| 205797113 | human evolution | constantly being revised, they have oppsoable thumbs, bipedalism, complex cerebrum (brain) | |
| 205797114 | speciation | process by which new species is formed | |
| 205797115 | geographic isolation | type of speciation; when populations of species become physically separated into different groups, can be caused by migration, transplantation | |
| 205797116 | reproduction isolation | type of speciation, once geographically isolated, natural selection goes to work on the separate populations and eventually become so different that they could not produce viable, fertile offspring if rejoined | |
| 205797117 | extinction | species cease to exist, caused by natural factors, human activities | |
| 205797118 | endemic species | species found in one specific area | |
| 205797119 | background extinctions | natural extinctions that occur slowly, most occur this way | |
| 205797120 | mass extinctions | many species go extinct in short period of time | |
| 205797121 | ecological niche | specific role species plays in its ecosystem, not a habitat | |
| 205797122 | generalist species | have a very broad niche, can survive in many habitats, conditions, use various food sources, more tolerant of environment changes ex. coyotes | |
| 205797123 | specialist species | have narrow niches, may require one type of habitat, have very specific food source, not as tolerant to changes ex. giant panda | |
| 205797124 | native species | organisms that normally live in a particular area/ecosystem ex. indigenous species | |
| 205797125 | nonnative species | species that live in a particular area that are not native, often can be harmful to native species in ecosystems ex. asian honeysuckle | |
| 205797126 | indicator species | species that can indicate threats to ecosystem, insects, birds, amphibians | |
| 205797127 | amphibians | first terrestrial vertebrates, life cycle in water and on land, skin makes them vulnerable | |
| 205797128 | keystone species | species that has a large effect on other species in ecosystem, they help sustain the balance/maintain of ecosystem, usually exist in smaller numbers than other spcies ex. predators, mutualists, foundation species | |
| 205797129 | predators | keep population of other species in check ex. gray wolf, alligator | |
| 205797130 | mutualists | pollinating flowers | |
| 205797131 | foundation species | engineers, shape ecosystems ex. grizzly bears, elephants | |
| 207740765 | interspecific competition | type of species interactions; competition between different species..most species are in competition for resources (food) | |
| 207740766 | competitive exclusion principle | no two species can occupy exactly the same niche. | |
| 207740767 | predation | type of species interaction; one species (predator) feeds on a part or all of another living species (prey) | |
| 207740768 | pursuit | variety of method used to catch prey, or avoid predation-chase down the prey | |
| 207740769 | ambush | variety of method used to catch prey, or avoid predation-hide and attack | |
| 207740770 | camouflage | variety of method used to catch prey, or avoid predation-blend in with surroundings | |
| 207740771 | chemical warfare | variety of method used to catch prey, or avoid predation-venom | |
| 207740772 | aposmatic coloring | warning coloration to predators | |
| 207740773 | mimicry | look similar to dangerous species or species that use chemical warefare | |
| 207740774 | coevolution | two species interacting over a long period of time, cause changes in one another (one species drives evolution of other) | |
| 207740775 | parasitism | when a species lives on or in another and causes it harm, feeds on, uses energy of another organism | |
| 207740776 | mutualism | two species interact in ways that benefit both | |
| 207740777 | gut inhabitant mutalism | microorganisms (usually bacteria) living in digestive tact or other organisms | |
| 207740778 | commensalism | two species interact, one is benefited and has little impact on other | |
| 207740779 | population dynamics | how these characteristics change with environmental conditions ex. temperature, disease, pollution, other species. | |
| 207740780 | population distribution | how populations are dispersed over a particular area/volume | |
| 207740781 | clumping | type of population distribution, most common, the gathering in patches, groups | |
| 207740782 | uniform dispersion | type of population distribution, evenly spread out | |
| 207740783 | random dispersion | type of population distribution, scattered indiscriminately | |
| 207740784 | population numbers | number of individuals in population can increase, decrease, remain stable | |
| 207740785 | age structure of population | distribution of individuals according to their ages | |
| 208636516 | ecological succession | changes in species composition of ecosystem | |
| 208636517 | primary succession | the establishment of communities where there was no life before (rare today) "start from scratch" ecosystem, occurs in area with no soil | |
| 208636518 | secondary succession | ecosystem develops where soil or bottom sediment already exists, when nature "reclaims" an area, this happens when ecosystems have been burned or previously cut out. | |
| 208636519 | inertia | (persistence) The ability of an ecosystem to resist disturbances | |
| 208636520 | resilience | the ability of an ecosystem to restore itself through secondary succession after a disturbance | |
| 208636521 | tipping point | when an ecosystem changes in a quick and often irreversible manner | |
| 209056358 | biotic potential | capacity for growth in a population if resources are not limited | |
| 209056359 | intrinsic rate of increase | rate at which population would grow if resources were unlimited | |
| 209056360 | environmental resistance | sum of all the limiting factors that restrict population growth | |
| 209056361 | carrying capacity | (K) the maximum population of a species that an area can maintain indefinitely | |
| 209056362 | founder effect | when few individuals, begin a new isolated population | |
| 209056363 | demographic bottleneck | when few individuals survive population collapse | |
| 209056364 | genetic drift | random change in gene frequency - certain genes dominate population | |
| 209056365 | inbreeding | when members of small population (often related) breed with one another, it increases the number of "bad" genes | |
| 209056366 | minimum viable population size | number of individual population needs to exist for long-term | |
| 209056367 | r selected species | high potential of population increase, usually have many, small offspring, little or no parental care. ex. rats | |
| 209056368 | k selected species | reproduce later in life, few offspring, long life span, larger gestation period, mature slowly, cared for by parents ex. whales, humans, elephants | |
| 209056369 | exponential growth | when the population has few limits, starts out slow but then accelerates forms a J-shaped curve on the graph | |
| 209056370 | legistic growth | exponential growth followed by decrease in growth and then leveling off of population- fluctuates above and below K-caused by environment resistance | |
| 209056371 | population density | number of individuals in an area/volume | |
| 209056372 | density-dependent population controls | limited population growth and vary according to density of population | |
| 209056373 | stable | general pattern for population change; stays relatively constant | |
| 209056374 | irruptive | when the population grows to a high then crashes, often linked to seasonal changes of region | |
| 209056375 | cyclic | a "boom and bust", regular changes in population over long time periods | |
| 209056376 | irregular | changes in population that follow no pattern |
