Populations and sustainability Flashcards
What’s meant by ‘carrying capacity’?
The maximum size a population can maintain for a long period of time
What’s meant by exponential growth?
The continuous growth in population size
What does out-competing do?
Increases one species and decreases the other species in population size
What’s predation?
When one species is killed and eaten by another species
What does interspecific competition cause?
Slows the rate of population size
What does intraspecific competition do?
Causes fluctuations in population size
What’s a niche?
The specific role of a species in an ecosystem
Can multiple species overlap in a niche?
No - every species has evolved to occupy one niche
When is a species out-competed?
When a species is more well-adapted to the environment than the other
What’s meant by succession?
The change in an ecosystem over time
Where does primary succession take place?
On newly exposed/ formed land
What’s the definition of conservation?
Maintaining an ecosystem
What’s the definition of preservation?
Leaving the ecosystem undisturbed
What are the economic reasons for conserving & preserving?
- Natural pest control
- Boosts tourism
- Food source
What are the social reasons for conserving & preserving?
- Aesthetics
- Organisms used in medicine
