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Ecology definitions Flashcards

Ecology definitions
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  • Ecology
    The study of interactions among organisms and their environment, encompassing individual adaptations, population dynamics, community interactions, and ecosystem processes, including nutrient and energy flow.
  • Population
    A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area, capable of interbreeding and sharing a common gene pool.
  • Community
    A group of interacting populations of different species living in the same area, focusing on their interactions, such as predation, competition, and symbiosis.
  • Ecosystem
    A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, encompassing both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components, and the flow of energy and nutrients among them.
  • Biosphere
    The global sum of all ecosystems, encompassing all living organisms and their physical environments, interacting as a whole on Earth.
  • Biogeography
    The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems across geographic space and through geological time, influenced by factors like climate, landforms, and historical events.
  • Biotic Factors
    Living components of an ecosystem, including organisms and their interactions, such as predation, competition, and symbiosis.
  • Dispersal
    Movement of organisms from their birthplace to a new location where they breed, affecting species distribution and genetic diversity.
  • Range
    The actual geographic area where a species is found, influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors, and can span multiple continents.
  • Wallace Line
    A biogeographical boundary in Southeast Asia separating species with Asian and Australian affinities, influenced by deep ocean trenches that limited species migration during lower sea levels.
  • Biome
    A large, distinct community of flora, fauna, and abiotic factors, spanning multiple ecosystems, characterized by specific climate and geography, found across different regions of the planet.