Ecosystem: interactions among populations in a community
Consists of:A community of organismsThe soil, water, and weatherEnergy
Biome - a major ecosystem that shares the same type of climate and has similar life forms.
1. Salt water
2. Freshwater
3. Estuary
4. Terrestrial
TundraPermafrost - permanently frozen groundPlants - short roots; fast growing; perennials. Animals have thick fur / body fat / coloration.
Taiga / Coniferous ForestConifers - cone-bearing trees / bending branches / needles
as leaves. Animals also have thick fur / body fat.
DesertMost desert animals are nocturnal.
Estivation - sleeping during hot days.Plants have waxy leaves / spines.
Tropical Rain ForestArboreal - tree-dwelling animals
Trees / Plants:1. Canopy 2. Understory 3. Ground
Adaptation: the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment.
Coloration Speed Migration Thick fur Chemical defenses Hibernation/ Estivation Size Thorns and stickers
Succession: changes over time Primary succession – new land caused by
avalanches, volcanoes, and glaciers
Succession: changes over time Climax community – shows little or no change over time Secondary succession – sequence of life after natural
disasters (ex. Forest fires)
1988 forest fire inYellowstone Nat’l Park
Population Dynamics Exponential Growth - as a population gets
larger, it also grows faster. (p 97) Carrying capacity - the maximum number
of organisms that an environment can support (p 98).
Limiting factors: Factors that affect an organism’s ability to survive.
Density dependent factors:Disease Competition Parasites Food & water Space
Density independent factors (abiotic factors):
Temperature Storms Floods DroughtHabitat disruption (logging,
burning, draining swamps, moving in exotic species)
Demography - human population growth Immigration - moving in Emigration - moving out Growth rate Natality - birth rate
Fatality - death rate