Ecology
Study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans and their physical environment
Ecosystem
A balanced biological system where all the organisms and non living components interact in a particular location.
Habitat
The place wheree an organism lives
Niche
The role and position of an organism in its environment including all interaction with the biotic and abiotic factors of its environment
Environment
Factors of a habitat that affect an organism
Biotic
Part of the environment of an organism that is living
Abiotic
A part of the environment of an organism that is non living
Limiting factors
Aspects of the environment which restrict population size
Species
Group of organisms who share large number of common characteristics and can interpreted to produce fertile offspring
Population
Group of organisms of a single species inter breeding and occupying a particular habitat
Community
Interacting populations of two or more species in the same habitat at the same time
what does ecosystems being dynamic mean
They are constantly changing
Causes of population fluctuations 4
natality
mortality
immigration into the population
emigration away
Carrying capacity
Max population size that can be sustained over a period of time in a particular environment
What does carrying capacity depend on 2
availability of resources
effect of other species
4 stages of animal/ bacterial/ yeast population growth curve
lag phase
log/ exponential phase
stationary phase
death phase
what is the lag phase for animal pop 3
Very slow growth rate
Few individuals/ shortage of reproducing individuals
Period of adaptation to a new environment
log phase of animal pop 3
Max rate of pop growth
Plentiful resources
No limiting factors
Stationary phase animal pop 3
Natality equals mortality
Environmental resistance
Carrying capacity has been reached
Decline phase for animal pop and example of cause
Mortality rate is greater than natality rate
e.g Food source depleted
lag phase for bacteria/ yeast 2
B/Y are synthesizing new proteins
Ro cell division is low
Exponential phase for bacteria/ yeast 3
Plenty of nutrients
No limiting factors
Max Ro pop growth: doubling in a unit time
Stationary phase of bateria/ yeast 2
Increase in limiting factors
Ro cell death= Ro cell division
Cause of death phase for bacteria/ yeast
build up of toxic waste
