Chapter 5 Flashcards
Predation
occurs when a member of one species
the predator) feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species (the prey
Parasitism
occurs when one organism (the parasite) feeds on another organism (the host), usually by living on or in the host.
Mutualism
is an interaction that benefits both species by providing each with food, shelter, or some
other resource.
Commensalism
is an interaction that benefits one species but has little or no effect on the other.
Resource partitioning
occurs when species competing for similar scarce resources evolve specialized traits that allow them to share resources by using parts
of them, using them at different times, or using them in different ways
Coevolution
When populations of two different species interact in such a way over a long period of time, changes in the gene pool of one species can lead to changes in the gene pool of the other
Population
is a group of interbreeding individuals of the same species
Age structure
its distribution of individuals among various age groups
Range of tolerance
variations in its physical and chemical environment
Limiting factors
number of physical or chemical factors can help to determine the number of organisms in a population
Limiting factor principle
Too much or too little of any physical or chemical factor can limit or prevent growth of a population, even if all other factors are at or near the optimal range of tolerance
Environmental resistance
is the combination of all factors that act to limit the growth of a population
Carrying capacity
the maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain
indefinitely
Population crash
population suffers a sharp decline
Population density
is the number of individuals in a population found in a particular area or volume