The Living World: Ecosystem Structure
Community - An association of different populations of organisms that live and interact at the same place at the same time.
Ecosystem - A biological community and its abiotic environment.
Population - A group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area at the same time.
Species - A group of living organisms consisting of similar individyals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
Ecosystem - A biological community and its abiotic environment.
Population - A group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area at the same time.
Species - A group of living organisms consisting of similar individyals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
Species compete with each other for food, water, living space and other resources. Each organism plays one of three roles: producer, consumer, or decomposer. Communities vary in size, do not have precise boundaries, and are hardly isolted. Communities exist within communities. There are two types of ecosystems: natural in which are operated under natural conditions and artificial ecosystems in which are controlled by humans. Ecosystems consist of biotic (living) components and abiotic (nonliving) components. Functions of ecosystems include: trophic level interaction, ecological succession, and bio geochemistry. For more indepth information visit: here.
Ecological niche -The totality of an organism's adaptions, its use of resources, and the lifestyle to which it is fitted.
Habitat - The local environment in which an organism lives.
Fundamental niche - The potential, idealized ecological niche of an organism.
Realized niche - The liftestyle an organism actually pursues and the resources it actually uses.
Limiting resource - Any environmental resource that, because it is scarce or at unfavorable levels, restricts the ecological niche of an organism.
Competition - The interaction among organisms that vie for the same resources (such as food or living space) in an ecosystem.
Intraspecific competition - Competition among individuals within a population.
Interspecific competition - Competition among species.
Resource partitioning - Coexisting species' niches differ from each other in one or more ways.
Habitat - The local environment in which an organism lives.
Fundamental niche - The potential, idealized ecological niche of an organism.
Realized niche - The liftestyle an organism actually pursues and the resources it actually uses.
Limiting resource - Any environmental resource that, because it is scarce or at unfavorable levels, restricts the ecological niche of an organism.
Competition - The interaction among organisms that vie for the same resources (such as food or living space) in an ecosystem.
Intraspecific competition - Competition among individuals within a population.
Interspecific competition - Competition among species.
Resource partitioning - Coexisting species' niches differ from each other in one or more ways.
This is an example of resource partitioning. Although these birds niches seem identical, they spend their time eating in different parts of spruces and other conifer trees. This idea was concluded by Robert MacArthur, in his study on five North American warbler species.
Adaptions determine the tolerance an organism has for environmental extremes. If a species cannot tolerate amy feature of the environment, it cannot live there.
An ecological niche is described by whether the species is a producer, consumer, or decomposer, whether it is a predator or prey, what species it competes with, and the kinds of symbiotic associations it forms.
An ecological niche consists of all the physical, chemical, and biological factors an organism needs to stay healthy and reproduce.
An ecological niche is defined by the species structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptions.
An ecological niche is described by whether the species is a producer, consumer, or decomposer, whether it is a predator or prey, what species it competes with, and the kinds of symbiotic associations it forms.
An ecological niche consists of all the physical, chemical, and biological factors an organism needs to stay healthy and reproduce.
An ecological niche is defined by the species structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptions.
Symbiosis - Any intimate relationship or association between members of two or more species; includes mutalism, commensalism, and parasitism.
Coevolution - The interdependent evolution of two interacting species.
Mutualism - A symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit.
Commensalism - A type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits and the other one is neither harmed nor helped.
Parasitism - A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is adversely.
Predation - The consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator).
Coevolution - The interdependent evolution of two interacting species.
Mutualism - A symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit.
Commensalism - A type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits and the other one is neither harmed nor helped.
Parasitism - A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is adversely.
Predation - The consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator).
Symbionts are partners of a symbiotic relationship who either benefit, become harmed, or unaffected by the relationship. Coevolution creates symbioisis. For example, flowering plants and their animal pollinators have a symbiotic relationship who represent coevolution. Animal pollinators have coevolved body parts and behaviors that help aid pollination and obtain nectar as a reward.
An example of mutualism is the association of reef-building coral animals and microscopic algae. The algae provides the animal with carbon and nitrogen compounds.
An example of commensalism, the epiphytes are small plants that grow attached to the branches and trunks of larger trees; benefiting them and not affecting the tree.
A tick on a dog, or any animal or human, is an example of parasitism because the tick benefits from nourishment from another organism. The parasite can cause harm to the other organism by disease and sometimes death, which is know as a pathogen.
Predation, where predators kill and feed on another organism, is described by carniovore-herbivore interactions and herbivore-producer interactions. Prey species often evolve in some sort of way that lessens their chances of being captured.
Adaptions related to predator-prey interactions consist of predator strategies known as pursuit and ambash (any trait that increases hunting efficiency) and prey strategies known as plant and animal defenses. Plant defenses include their protection such as thorns. tough leaves and chemicals. Animal defenses include coloration, flight, harsh skin or anything that could cause harm if one got too close, for example: a porcupine.
Adaptions related to predator-prey interactions consist of predator strategies known as pursuit and ambash (any trait that increases hunting efficiency) and prey strategies known as plant and animal defenses. Plant defenses include their protection such as thorns. tough leaves and chemicals. Animal defenses include coloration, flight, harsh skin or anything that could cause harm if one got too close, for example: a porcupine.
Keystone species - A species, often a predator, that exerts a profound influence on a community in excess of that expected by its relative abundance.
Species richness - The number of species in a community.
Ecotone - A transitional zone where two or more communities meet.
Species richness - The number of species in a community.
Ecotone - A transitional zone where two or more communities meet.
Example of an ecotone between two ecosystems.
Species Diversity
Dispersal and number of species in one location.
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Edge Effects
The boundary between natural habitats and developed or disturbed land.
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The creation of edge to natural ecosystems, wildlife is affected from within 300 ft. Changes include air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture and light intensity. Some animals make changes within these changes, some handle it well and others cannot adapt.
Terrestrial Biomes
Biome - A large, relatively distinct terrestrial region with similar climate, soil, plants, and animals, regardless of where it occurs in the world.
Tundra - The treeless biome in the far north that consists of boggy plains covered by lichens and small plants such as mosses; has harsh, very cold winters and extremely short summers.
Boreal forest - A region of coniferous forest (such as pine, spruce, and fir) in the Northern Hemisphere; located just south of the tundra.
Temperate rain forest - A coniferous biome with cool weather, dense fog, and high precipitation.
Temperate deciduous forest - A forest biome that occurs in temperate areas with a moderate amount of precipitation.
Temperate grasslands - A grassland with hot summers, cold winters, and less rainfall than the teperate deciduous forest biome.
Savanna - A tropical grassland with widely scattered trees or clumps of trees.
Tropical rain forest - A lush, species-rich forest biome that occurs where the climate is warm and moist throughout the year.
Tundra - The treeless biome in the far north that consists of boggy plains covered by lichens and small plants such as mosses; has harsh, very cold winters and extremely short summers.
Boreal forest - A region of coniferous forest (such as pine, spruce, and fir) in the Northern Hemisphere; located just south of the tundra.
Temperate rain forest - A coniferous biome with cool weather, dense fog, and high precipitation.
Temperate deciduous forest - A forest biome that occurs in temperate areas with a moderate amount of precipitation.
Temperate grasslands - A grassland with hot summers, cold winters, and less rainfall than the teperate deciduous forest biome.
Savanna - A tropical grassland with widely scattered trees or clumps of trees.
Tropical rain forest - A lush, species-rich forest biome that occurs where the climate is warm and moist throughout the year.
Tropical rain forest
Aquatic Biomes
Flowing-water ecosystem - A freshwater ecosystem such as a river or stream in which the water flows in a current.
Standing-water ecosystem - A body of fresh water that is surrounded by land and that does not flow; a lake or a pond.
Freshwater wetland - Land that shallow water covers for at least part of the year and that has a characteristic soil and water-tolerant vegetation.
Estuary - A coastal body of water, partly surrounded by land, with access to the open ocean and a large supply of fresh water from a river.
Standing-water ecosystem - A body of fresh water that is surrounded by land and that does not flow; a lake or a pond.
Freshwater wetland - Land that shallow water covers for at least part of the year and that has a characteristic soil and water-tolerant vegetation.
Estuary - A coastal body of water, partly surrounded by land, with access to the open ocean and a large supply of fresh water from a river.
Freshwater wetland