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density-dependent regulation : regulation of population that is influenced by population density, such as crowding effects; usually involves biotic factors | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
density-independent regulation : regulation of populations by factors that operate independent of population density, such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions; usually involves abiotic factors | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
distraction display : visual display used to distract predators away from a nesting site | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
Emsleyan/Mertensian mimicry : type of mimicry where a harmful species resembles a less harmful one | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
energy budget : allocation of energy resources for body maintenance, reproduction, and parental care | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
environmental disturbance : change in the environment caused by natural disasters or human activities | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
ethology : biological study of animal behavior | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
exponential growth : accelerating growth pattern seen in species under conditions where resources are not limiting | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
fecundity : potential reproductive capacity of an individual | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
fixed action pattern : series of instinctual behaviors that, once initiated, always goes to completion regardless of changes in the environment | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
foraging : behaviors species use to find food | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
foundation species : species which often forms the major structural portion of the habitat | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
habituation : ability of a species to ignore repeated stimuli that have no consequence | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
host : organism a parasite lives on | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
imprinting : identification of parents by newborns as the first organism they see after birth | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
innate behavior : instinctual behavior that is not altered by changes in the environment | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
intersexual selection : selection of a desirable mate of the opposite sex | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
interspecific competition : competition between species for resources in a shared habitat or environment | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
intrasexual selection : competition between members of the same sex for a mate | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
intraspecific competition : competition between members of the same species | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
island biogeography : study of life on island chains and how their geography interacts with the diversity of species found there | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
iteroparity : life history strategy characterized by multiple reproductive events during the lifetime of a species | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
J-shaped growth curve : shape of an exponential growth curve | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
K-selected species : species suited to stable environments that produce a few, relatively large offspring and provide parental care | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
keystone species : species whose presence is key to maintaining biodiversity in an ecosystem and to upholding an ecological communityâs structure | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
kin selection : sacrificing oneâs own life so that oneâs genes will be passed on to future generations by relatives | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
kinesis : undirected movement of an organism in response to a stimulus | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
learned behavior : behavior that responds to changes in the environment | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
life history : inherited pattern of resource allocation under the influence of natural selection and other evolutionary forces | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
life table : table showing the life expectancy of a population member based on its age | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
logistic growth : leveling off of exponential growth due to limiting resources | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
mark and recapture : technique used to determine population size in mobile organisms | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
migration : long-range seasonal movement of animal species | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
monogamy : mating system whereby one male and one female remain coupled for at least one mating season | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
mortality rate : proportion of population surviving to the beginning of an age interval that die during the age interval | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
Müllerian mimicry : type of mimicry where species share warning coloration and all are harmful to predators | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
mutualism : symbiotic relationship between two species where both species benefit | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
one-child policy : Chinaâs policy to limit population growth by limiting urban couples to have only one child or face the penalty of a fine | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
operant conditioning : learned behaviors in response to positive and/or negative reinforcement | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
parasite : organism that uses resources from another species, the host | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
pioneer species : first species to appear in primary and secondary succession | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
polyandry : mating system where one female mates with many males | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
polygyny : mating system where one male mates with many females | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
population density : number of population members divided by the area or volume being measured | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
population growth rate : number of organisms added in each reproductive generation | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
population size (N) : number of population members in a habitat at the same time | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
primary succession : succession on land that previously has had no life | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
quadrat : square made of various materials used to determine population size and density in slow moving or stationary organisms | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
r-selected species : species suited to changing environments that produce many offspring and provide little or no parental care | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
reflex action : action in response to direct physical stimulation of a nerve | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
relative species abundance : absolute population size of a particular species relative to the population sizes of other species within the community | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
S-shaped growth curve : shape of a logistic growth curve | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
secondary succession : succession in response to environmental disturbances that move a community away from its equilibrium | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
semelparity : life history strategy characterized by a single reproductive event followed by death | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
signal : method of communication between animals including those obtained by the senses of smell, hearing, sight, or touch | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
species dispersion pattern : (also, species distribution pattern) spatial location of individuals of a given species within a habitat at a particular point in time | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
species richness : number of different species in a community | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
survivorship curve : graph of the number of surviving population members versus the relative age of the member | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
symbiosis : close interaction between individuals of different species over an extended period of time that impacts the abundance and distribution of the associating populations | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
taxis : directed movement in response to a stimulus | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
zero population growth : steady population size where birth rates and death rates are equal | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/45-key-terms |
Ecosystems exist on land, at sea, in the air, and underground. Different ways of modeling ecosystems are necessary to understand how environmental disturbances will affect ecosystem structure and dynamics. Conceptual models are useful to show the general relationships between organisms and the flow of materials or ener... | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-chapter-summary |
Organisms in an ecosystem acquire energy in a variety of ways, which is transferred between trophic levels as the energy flows from the bottom to the top of the food web, with energy being lost at each transfer. The efficiency of these transfers is important for understanding the different behaviors and eating habits o... | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-chapter-summary |
Mineral nutrients are cycled through ecosystems and their environment. Of particular importance are water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. All of these cycles have major impacts on ecosystem structure and function. As human activities have caused major disturbances to these cycles, their study and modeling is... | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-chapter-summary |
acid rain : corrosive rain caused by rainwater falling to the ground through sulfur dioxide gas, turning it into weak sulfuric acid; can damage structures and ecosystems | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
analytical model : ecosystem model that is created with mathematical formulas to predict the effects of environmental disturbances on ecosystem structure and dynamics | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
apex consumer : organism at the top of the food chain | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
assimilation : biomass consumed and assimilated from the previous trophic level after accounting for the energy lost due to incomplete ingestion of food, energy used for respiration, and energy lost as waste | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
biogeochemical cycle : cycling of mineral nutrients through ecosystems and through the non-living world | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
biomagnification : increasing concentrations of persistent, toxic substances in organisms at each trophic level, from the primary producers to the apex consumers | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
biomass : total weight, at the time of measurement, of living or previously living organisms in a unit area within a trophic level | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
chemoautotroph : organism capable of synthesizing its own food using energy from inorganic molecules | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
conceptual model : (also, compartment models) ecosystem model that consists of flow charts that show the interactions of different compartments of the living and non-living components of the ecosystem | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
dead zone : area within an ecosystem in lakes and near the mouths of rivers where large areas of ecosystems are depleted of their normal flora and fauna; these zones can be caused by eutrophication, oil spills, dumping of toxic chemicals, and other human activities | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
detrital food web : type of food web in which the primary consumers consist of decomposers; these are often associated with grazing food webs within the same ecosystem | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
ecological pyramid : (also, Eltonian pyramid) graphical representation of different trophic levels in an ecosystem based of organism numbers, biomass, or energy content | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
ecosystem : community of living organisms and their interactions with their abiotic environment | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
ecosystem dynamics : study of the changes in ecosystem structure caused by changes in the environment or internal forces | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
equilibrium : steady state of an ecosystem where all organisms are in balance with their environment and each other | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
eutrophication : process whereby nutrient runoff causes the excess growth of microorganisms, depleting dissolved oxygen levels and killing ecosystem fauna | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
fallout : direct deposit of solid minerals on land or in the ocean from the atmosphere | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
food chain : linear representation of a chain of primary producers, primary consumers, and higher-level consumers used to describe ecosystem structure and dynamics | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
food web : graphic representation of a holistic, non-linear web of primary producers, primary consumers, and higher-level consumers used to describe ecosystem structure and dynamics | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
grazing food web : type of food web in which the primary producers are either plants on land or phytoplankton in the water; often associated with a detrital food web within the same ecosystem | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
gross primary productivity : rate at which photosynthetic primary producers incorporate energy from the sun | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
holistic ecosystem model : study that attempts to quantify the composition, interactions, and dynamics of entire ecosystems; often limited by economic and logistical difficulties, depending on the ecosystem | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
hydrosphere : area of the Earth where water movement and storage occurs | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
mesocosm : portion of a natural ecosystem to be used for experiments | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
microcosm : re-creation of natural ecosystems entirely in a laboratory environment to be used for experiments | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
net consumer productivity : energy content available to the organisms of the next trophic level | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
net primary productivity : energy that remains in the primary producers after accounting for the organismsâ respiration and heat loss | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
net production efficiency (NPE) : measure of the ability of a trophic level to convert the energy it receives from the previous trophic level into biomass | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
non-renewable resource : resource, such as fossil fuel, that is either regenerated very slowly or not at all | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
primary consumer : trophic level that obtains its energy from the primary producers of an ecosystem | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
primary producer : trophic level that obtains its energy from sunlight, inorganic chemicals, or dead and/or decaying organic material | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
residence time : measure of the average time an individual water molecule stays in a particular reservoir | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
resilience (ecological) : speed at which an ecosystem recovers equilibrium after being disturbed | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
resistance (ecological) : ability of an ecosystem to remain at equilibrium in spite of disturbances | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
secondary consumer : usually a carnivore that eat primary consumers | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
simulation model : ecosystem model that is created with computer programs to holistically model ecosystems and to predict the effects of environmental disturbances on ecosystem structure and dynamics | https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/46-key-terms |
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