can be described as all of the biotic and abiotic factors in the area where an organism lives
ecological niche
is composed of all of the physical, chamical, and biological factors that a species needs to survive, stay healthy, and reproduce
competitive exclusion
states that when two species are competing for the same resources, one species will be suited to the niche, and the other species will be pushed into another niche or become extinct
ecological equivalent
are species that occupy similar niche but live in different geographical regions
competition
occurs when two organisms fight for the same limited resources
predation
the process by which one organism captures and feeds upon another organism
symbiosis
is a close ecological relationship between one or more organisms of different species that live in direct contact with one another
mutualism
is an interspecies interaction in which both organishm benefit from one another
commensalism
is a relationship between two organisms in which one recieves an exological benefit from one another
paratism
is a relationship similar to predation in that one organism benefits while the other is harmed
poulation density
is a measurement of the number of individuals living in a defined space
population disperion
is the way in which individuals of a population are spread in an area or a volume
survivorship curve
a generalized deiagram showing the number of surviving members over time from a measured set of births
immigration
the movement of individuals into a population from another population
emigration
is the movement of individuals out of a population and into another population
exponential growth
occurs when a population size increases dramatically over a period of time
succession
is the sequence of biotic changes that regenerate damaged community or create a community in a previously inhabited area
primary succession
is the establishment and development of an ecosystem in an area that was previously inhabited
limiting factor
something that has the greatest effect in keeping down the size population
pioneer species
the first organisms that live in a previously uninhabited area
logistic growth
a population begins with a period of slow growth followed by a brief period of exponential growth before leveling off at a stable size
carrying capacity
of an environment is the maximum member of individuals of a particular species that the the environment can normally consist and support
density-dependent limiting
are limiting factors that are affected by the number of individual in a given area
secondary succesion
the reestablishment of a damaged ecosystem in an area where the soil was left in tact
density-independent limiting factor
are aspects of the environment that limit a population's growth reguardless of the density of the population