Define: abiotic, give examples
Physical factors of the environment, e.g. light, temp, humidity, altitude etc.
Define: Biotic, give examples
factors in the environment due to there living things, e.g. parasitism, predators, producers etc.
Define: habitat
the place where an organism lives
Define: ecological niche
the sum total of an organism requirements and its inter-relationships with the other organism in the community
Define: daily rhythm
a rhythm with a period of 24hrs linked to the day night cycle
Define: circadian rhythm
a rhythm with a period of APPROXIMATELY 24hrs under constant environmental conditions (constant environmental conditions = no change therefore controlled by internal biological clock)
Define: circalunar rhythm
rhythm with a period of APPROXIMATELY 29 days under constant environmental conditions that corresponds with the lunar cycle
Define: circannual rhythm
a rhythm with a period of APPROXIMATELY 1 year under constant environmental conditions that corresponds with the earths circular motion of the earth
Define: circatidal rhythm
a rhythm with a period of APPROXIMATELY 12 hours under constant environmental conditions that corresponds with the rise and fall of the tides
Define: exogenous rhythm, give some examples
a rhythm that is controlled by an external environmental stimulus detected by an organism, e.g. the hours of light exposed per day, tidal rhythms etc.
Define: endogenous rhythm
a rhythm that is controlled by an internal biological clock
Define: period
the time it takes to complete one cycle of activity
Define: phase shift
when the onset of the period of the rhythm is changed (occurs earlier or later)
Define: free running period
the time when the organism is running without any zeitgeber
Define: entrainment
When the internal biological clock is changed by an environmental cue (FYI this is only demonstrated in a controlled environment created by humans, VERY unlikely to happen in real life)
Define: zeitgeber
any external or environmental cues that synchronises an organism biological clock
Define: diurnal
active during the day and inactive during the night
Define: nocturnal
active during the night and inactive during the day
Define: crepuscular
active at dawn and dusk
Define: arrhythmic
no regular pattern of activity
Define: photoperiodic response
the response of an organism to the change in the day or night length
Define: photoperiod
The period of time which organisms receive light during the day
Define: short day plants
plants that flower when the photoperiod is less than the critical day length and the photoperiod is getting shorter
Define: long day plants
plants that flower when the photoperiod exceeds a certain critical day length and the photoperiod is getting longer
Define: vernalisation
the induction of flowering or seed gemination by a period of chilling
Define: dormancy
metabolic inactivity in plants
Define: abscission
When parts of a plant fall off (e.g. leaves, fruit, seeds)
Define: hibernation
a state of animal inactivity and metabolic depression during cold weather (winter) characterised by lowered body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate and low metabolism
Define: aestivation
a state of animal inactivity and metabolic depression during hot weather (summer) characterised by lowered body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate and low metabolism
Define: diapause
a period of arrested development at an immature stage of growth due to unfavourable growing conditions in animals and can only be broken by a definite environmental stimulus such as a period of exposure to the cold, heat, wet etc.
Define: tropism
the growth response of a plant towards or away from a stimulus coming from one direction
Define: nastic response
the movement of a plant in response to a non-directional stimulus (e.g. temp, humidity)
Define: kinesis
the change in rate of movement of the whole organism in response to the change in intensity of a non-directional stimulus
Define: taxes (plural=taxis)
the movement of the whole organism towards or away from a directional stimulus
Define: photo-
light
Define: geo-
gravity
Define: helio-
sun
Define: thigmo-
touch
Define: chemo-
chemical
Define: thermo-
temperature
Define: hydro-
water
Define: migration
regular annual mass movement of animals from an area where they breed to an area where they do not breed
Define: territory
the area of land which an animal will defend
Define: home range
the area an animal will search for food, water, mates etc. (become home turf)
Define: homing
the ability of an organism to find it way home over unfamiliar territory
Define: intraspecific competition
competition between individuals of the same species
Define: interspecific competition
competition between individuals of different species
Define: agonistic, give some examples
any social behaviour related to fighting excluding predatory aggression, e.g. aggressive, submissive etc
Define: parasitoid
an insect which lays it eggs in a living host
Define: pathogen
a disease causing organism
Define: mutualism
a relationship between 2 different species where both benefit
Define: exploitation/parasitism/predation/herbivory
a relationship where one species is harmed while another is benefited
Define: competition
a relationship where both species are harmed
Define: batesian mimicry
the resemblance of a more dangerous species when actually being harmless
Define: mullerian mimicry
several poisonous or dangerous species that all have similar warning colouration patterns
Define: linear hierarchy
a linear order of animals from the most dominant (alpha) to the least dominant animal (omega)
Define: species
a group or organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Define: population
a group of organism of the same species living together in a defined area
Define: innate behaviour
genetically determined behaivour
Define: endemic species
a species that s only found in one place
Define: lianas/liane
climbing plant
Define: epiphyte
perching plant
Define: pair bond
a prolonged relationship between male and female associated with joint parental care
Define: Structural adaptation, give examples
physical feature of an organism that helps it to survive, e.g. fur, wings, teeth
Define: Physiological adaptation, give examples
Chemical features of an organism that helps it to survive, e.g. poison, anti-freeze, skin colour
Define: Behavioural adaptation, give examples
How an animal acts in order to survive, e.g. nocturnal, social, carnivore
Define: Fundamental Niche
The full environmental range of an organism
Define: Realised niche
The actual range of an organism niche which is normally smaller than the fundamental niche due to competition
Define: Ecology
The study of the relationship of organism with the environment around them, both biotic and abiotic
Define: intraspecific relationships
relationships between individuals of the same species
Define: interspecific relationhips
relationships between individuals of different species
Define: Altruistic behaviour
helping less advantaged members of the group
Define: Courtship
Behaviour that animals (typically the male) carry out to lure the opposite sex into mating
Define: Commensalism
When one species benefits from another species while the other is not affected
Define: Herbivory
process where an animal eats a plant or plant like organism
Define: Predator-prey relationships
process where an animal eats another animal
Define: parasitism
an organism which feeds off the host without killing them immediately
Define: Allelopathy
a form of interspecific competition in plant species where one species produces a chemical that inhibits that ability of another plant species to grow around it (+,-)
Define: Antibiosis
A form of interspecific competition when one species performs its normal chemical/behavioural functions which are of neutral affect to them, however they unintentionally negatively impact other species around them (0,-)
Define: Stratification
distinct vertical pattern seen in the way species distribute themselves due to variations in light intensity, O2 availability etc.
Define: Zonation
distinct horizontal pattern seen in the way species distribute themselves due to variations in exposure (e.g. light, air, temp)
Define: Succession
A distinct pattern over time seen in a species distribution of a community as an ecosystem develops from pioneer plants to a climax community
Define: Pioneer plant
Hardy plants that are able to survive in challenging conditions that over time make the conditions more favourable for other plants
Define: Climax community
The final most developed ecosystem
Define: Primary succession
the process of colonising a new environment that has not previously supported life
Define: Secondary succession
the process of colonising an environment that has previously had life on it