8-1 Vocab Flashcards
(20 cards)
Dispersion
The pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of a population
Population Dynamics
The study of how complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors influence variations in population size
K-Selection
Selection for life history traits that are sensitive to population density
Cohort
A group of individuals of the same age in a population
Climograph
A plot of the temperature and precipitation in a particular region
Metapopulation
A group of spatially separated populations of one species that interact through immigration and emigration
Immigration
The influx of new individuals into a population from other areas
Aphotic Zone
The part of an ocean or lake beneath the photic zone, where light does not penetrate sufficiently for photosynthesis to occur
Abiotic
Nonliving; referring to the physical and chemical properties of an environment
Exponential Population Growth
Growth of a population in an ideal, unlimited environment, represented by a J-shaped curve when population size is plotted over time
Life Table
A summary of the age-specific survival and reproductive rates of individuals in a population
Logistical Population Growth
Population growth that levels off as population size approaches carrying capacity
Disturbance
A natural or human-caused event that changes a biological community and usually removes organisms from it. Disturbances, such as fires and storms, play a pivotal role in structuring many communities
Ecotone
The transition from one type of habitat or ecosystem to another, such as the transition from a forest to a grassland
Intrinsic Rate of Increase
(r) In population models, the per capita rate at which an exponentially growing population increases in size at each instant in time
Biotic
Pertaining to the living factors—the organisms—in an environment
Ecology
The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment
Survivorship Curve
A plot of the number of members of a cohort that are still alive at each age; one way to represent age-specific mortality
Dispersal
The movement of individuals or gametes away from their parent location. This movement sometimes expands the geographic range of a population or species
Biomes
Any of the world’s major ecosystem types, often classified according to the predominant vegetation for terrestrial biomes and the physical environment for aquatic biomes and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment
