Glossary of ecology

A

abiotic component

adaptive behavior - In behavioral ecology, any behavior which contributes to an individual's reproductive success and is thus subject to the forces of natural selection

air - see under "atmosphere"

allee effect - concept in population ecology that describes the positive relation between the size of a given population and its growth

animal

animal behaviour - see under "ethology"

animal communication

animal migration

applied ecology - uses ecological principles and insights to solve environment related problems (includes agroecology and conservation biology)

aquatic plants - vascular plants adopted to living in aquatic environments in salt or fresh water

area effect (island biodiversity) - the hypothesis that larger islands are able to support more species than smaller ones

atmosphere - earth's atmosphere is composed of gases and water that are retained by earth's gravity and that help the earth retain heat and reflect UV radiation.

autecology - also known as population ecology. It is a major sub field of ecology which deals with the dynamics of species populations and the way in which these populations interact with the environment

autopoïesis (controversial theory)

autotroph - see under "producer"

B

bacteria

behavioral ecology - studies the ecological and evolutionary basis of animal behavior, mainly on the level of the individual

benthos

biodegradable - capable of decaying through the action of living organisms

biodiversity - diversity among and within plant and animal species in a given environment

biogeochemistry - studies the effect of biota on global chemistry, and on the cycles of matter and energy that transport earth's chemical components in time and space

biogeochemical cycle - the pathway through which an element, or molecule moves through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere

biogeographic realm - see under "ecozone"

biogeography - the study of the geographic distribution of species on Earth

bio-invader - non-native species

biological dispersal

biological magnification - the increase in concentration of a substance in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain

biological organization

biomass - the sum of all living organisms in a given area

biomass pyramid - or ecological pyramid - a graph that illustrates the productivity in a trophic level

biome - the total complex of biotic communities occupying and characterizing a particular area

biosphere - ('the sphere of life') - the global sum of all ecosystems on Earth

biota - the total collection of organisms of a geographic region or a time period

biotic component

biotic potential - under ideal conditions, the maximum rate of increase of a population in a given area

boreal forest - forest areas of the northern North Temperate Zone, mostly consisting of conifers, called taiga in Siberia

C

camouflage - deceitful inconspicuous appearance, adopted by an organism, used to deceive possible predators or prey

canopy

carbon cycle - the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth

carrying capacity - the maximum number of individuals a given environment's resources can support, including the food and water available for that environment

charismatic megafauna - a species of large animal species with widespread popular appeal that environmental activists use to achieve conservation goals well beyond just those species. Examples include the giant panda, the Bengal tiger, and the blue whale. See also: flagship species

chemical ecology - the study of the use by organisms of biological (natural) chemicals, for example in defense against predators

climate - the long term average weather pattern in a particular place

climate change - change in weather conditions such as cloud cover, wind speed, temperature, rainfall or humidity in a specific region

climate change and ecosystems

climax community - a community of plants and animals that has reached a stable state, occurring when the different species are best adapted to average conditions in a given area

colony

commensalism - a symbiotic relationship between two organisms of different species, in which one of the organisms benefits while the other remains unaffected

community - an assemblage of various organisms living in the same environment

community ecology (or synecology) - studies the interactions between species within an ecological community

competition - organisms from the same or from different species competing with each other for food, living conditions, reproductive success, or any limited resource; the most adapted individuals come out on top and thus survive and reproduce

competitive exclusion principle - states that two species cannot coexist in the same region if they are competing for exactly the same resources

coniferous forest - one of the main land ("terrestrial") biomes, culminating in the taiga

conservation biology- scientific study of earth's biodiversity that aims at protecting natural habitats and the plant and animal species living in them

consumer or heterotroph - an organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals

cooperation - the process of organisms working together for mutual benefit

coral reef

courtship display - ritual social behavior between possible mates

cryosphere

D

deciduous broadleaf forest - any forest, situated in a temperate zone, whose trees shed their leaves during the cold season

decomposition - process by which tissues of dead organisms break down into simpler forms of organic matter, thereby clearing the limited available space in a biome

deep sea community- any community of organisms linked by a shared habitat in the deep sea

density dependence - the dependence of the growth rate of a population of a given species on its density

deforestation

desert ecology - the sum of interactions between both biotic and abiotic factors that occur in a desert biome, including interactions between plant, animal, and bacterial populations in a desert community.

desert - a landscape that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year

desertification - a process by which areas become desert-like wastelands with a lower, and different biodiversity

denitrification - breakdown of nitrates (mostly in the soil), by anaerobic bacteria, into their constituent chemical elements: nitrogen and oxygen

detrital food web - a food web depicting the energy flow from photoautotrophs through detritivores and decomposers

detritivore - heterotrophs which consume decomposing bits of organic matter, such as plant litter

decomposer - organism that breaks down organic matter

disturbance

dominance hierarchy - organization of individual organisms into groups with a social structure

dominance species - a species which characterizes and dominates an ecological community as measured by its primary productivity or biomass

duck weed

E

earth science

earth system science

ecology - the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

ecological economics

ecological extinction

ecological land classification

ecological literacy - the ability to understand the natural systems that make life on earth possible

ecological niche - (see under "niche")

ecological selection - ecological processes that operate on a species' inherited traits without reference to mating or secondary sex characteristics

ecological productivity

ecological succession - the change in the species structure of an ecological community over time

ecological threshold

ecophagy - the destruction of an ecosystem

ecophysiology - studies the interaction of the physiological traits of an organism with its abiotic environment

ecopoiesis - hypothetical shaping by human action of a sustainable ecosystem on a currently lifeless, sterile planet

ecoregion - a region defined by its geography and ecology

ecosynthesis - the use of introduced species to fill niches in a disrupted environment with the aim of increasing the speed of ecological restoration

ecosystem - the total of interacting organisms (biocoenosis) and non-living things (biotope) in a specific environment

ecosystem ecology - studies how flows of energy and matter interact with biotic elements of ecosystems

ecosystem engineer

ecosystem functional type

ecosystem modeling - the use of mathematics, computer programs and models to understand and predict ecosystem behaviour

ecosystem services - resources and processes provided in an ecosystem and which benefit organisms

ecotone - a transition area between two adjacent but different landscape patches

ecotope

ecotoxicology - looks at the ecological role of toxic chemicals (often pollutants, but also naturally occurring compounds)

ecozone - an area hat has characteristics of natural origin such as climate, terrain, vegetation, etc. It is also the largest division of the earth's surface filled with living organisms

El Niño - a band of anomalously warm ocean water temperatures that occasionally develops off the coast of South America and can cause climatic changes across the Pacific Ocean

emigration- for an organism, leaving its native community for a new one

endangered species - a species that risks becoming extinct

energy pyramid - a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or biomass productivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem

environment

environmental degradation

environmental science

environmental restoration - undoing the damage caused to an area by human activity or by natural disasters

erosion

estuary - a body of coastal water, attached to both ocean and river, often coloured black as a result of silt and sediment being carried by the latter

ethology - the study of animal behavior

eusociality

eutrophication - an increase in natural or chemical nutrients in the ecosystem. This increase of nutrients typically stimulates growth of some aggressive plant species, thereby hampering that of others, and harming biodiversity. In water it may result in hypoxia

evaporation - the slow vaporization of water from either the soil o from surface water

evolutionary ecology - (or ecoevolution) the evolutionary changes occurring to an organism within its population or within the wider community

exotic species - an introduced species not native or endemic to a habitat

extinction - occurs when the last organism of a species has died

extinction vortex

extreme environment - environment in which few life forms can survive

extremophile - organism that thrives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions

F

fall overturn - the mixing (or "turning over") of lake water occurring in autumn, causing its re-oxygenation

feedback

fire ecology - scientific discipline that looks at the ecological role of natural fire

fixed action pattern - in ethology, an instinctive behaviorial pattern

flagship species - species chosen to represent an environmental cause, such as an ecosystem in need of conservation

food chain - a group of organisms interrelated by the fact that each member of the group feeds upon the one below it

food density - the amount of food available in a given ecotope

food web - a set of interconnected food chains by which energy and nutrients circulate within an ecosystem

forest ecology

foundation species - a species of dominant primary producer in an ecosystem both in terms of abundance and influence

founder effect - the accumulation of random genetic changes in an isolated population

freshwater biology

functional ecology - the study of the roles, or functions, that certain species (or groups of species) play in an ecosystem

functional response - the intake rate of a consumer as a function of "food density" (see above)

fungus - in ecology, along with bacteria, fungi are the major decomposers in most terrestrial (and in some aquatic) ecosystems and therefore play a crucial role in the nutrient cycle

G

gallery forest

genetic bottleneck - an evolutionary event in which a significant percentage of a population or species is killed or otherwise prevented from reproducing

geodiversity

geographical zone

global ecology - see under "macroecology"

global ecophagy - the destruction of Earth's ecosystem.

global warming - the rise of average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans

grassland - area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses

greenhouse effect - warming of the climate that results from solar irradiance being trapped in the atmosphere, which is caused by gases that allow sunshine to pass through but absorb heat that is radiated back from the warmed surface of the earth

ground cover - any plant that grows over an area of ground, providing protection of the topsoil from erosion and drought

guest - the generic term used for parasitic, mutualistic and commensalist symbionts

H

habitat - a specific ecological area that is inhabited by specific plant and animal species

habitat corridors - a strip of land intended to facilitate the movement of wildlife species between disconnected areas of their habitat

habitat fragmentation - environmental change that causes the discontinuation of a species' habitat

halophyte - salt loving plant

halophile - salt loving organism

heath - low-growing woody vegetation found on free-draining acid soils

heterotroph see under "consumer"

homeostasis - the property of a system by which it regulates its internal environment and maintains a constant and stable condition; e.g. endothermic animals maintaining a constant body temperature

host - an organism that harbors a parasitic, a mutualistic or a commensal symbiont

human ecology - an interdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social and built environments

humus

hydrologic cycle or water cycle - the cycle or process of evaporation and condensation of water, and its distribution across the earth driven by solar energy

hydrophyte - see under "aquatic plant"

hydrosphere - the combined mass of water found on, under and above the surface of the earth

hydrothermal vent - an underwater steaming fissure that has a unique ecosystem

hypoxia - reduced oxygen content of air or a body of water, detrimental to aerobic organisms

I

ice cap

illegitimate receiver - an organism that intercepts a signal intended for another organism, to the fitness detriment of either the signaler or the legitimate receiver of the signal

indicator species - any living species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment; the presence and/or abundance of organisms of these species are an indication of the health of a given ecosystem

instinctive behavior

insular biogeography - the unique community of an island

intermediate disturbance hypothesis - a theory that tries to predict how species diversity will change with varying levels of disturbance

interspecific competition - occurs when different species try to use the same resources in an environment

intertidal zone - periodically immersed coastal area

invasive species - a non-native species whose introduction to an area is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health

ion exchange- a reversible chemical reaction where ions with the same charge are switched; this principle is used in the purification of waste water

J

jungle - a large, undeveloped, humid forest that is home to many wild plants and animals

K

k-selected species - a species that forms a group of strong competitors in a crowded environment and that has fewer but stronger offspring

kelp

keystone species - keystone species is a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its abundance. Such species affect many other organisms in an ecosystem and help to determine the types and numbers of various others species in a community.

L

La Niña - counterpart of El Niño

lake - an inland body of water, localized in a basin, often fed by a river

lake ecosystem

lake stratification

landscape ecology - an interdiscipline between ecology, botany, biogeography, physical geography and environmental planning

large marine ecosystems- 64 global extensive coastal sea areas, indicated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where primary production and biomass are higher than in the open ocean

lek mating - aggregation of male animals gathered to engage in competitive displays to entice females during the breeding season

lemna

lichen

life form - an entity or being that is living

limiting factor - any essential resource that is in short supply in a given environment

limnology- the study of inland waters, often regarded as forming part of ecology or of environmental science

lithosphere

logistic curve - an S shaped curve that usually represents growth of the population of a given species

Lotka–Volterra equation - mathematical equation used to describe the predator-prey interaction between two given species

M

macroecology - examines ecological phenomena at the largest possible scale

mangrove wetland - mangroves are shrubs or small trees that grow in coastal saline or brackish water in the tropics and provide a habitat to many marine organisms

marine ecosystem (part of the aquatic ecosystem) - environment dominated and determined by the presence of saline water

marine snow - tiny particles, including dead organic matter from the upper layers of the ocean, sinking deep into the ocean

mark and recapture - used to estimate populations and find survival rates, movement and growth

marsh

mesopredator release hypothesis - hypothesis which states that as top predators dwindle in an ecosystem an increase in the different populations of mesopredators occurs

metabolic theory of ecology - theory that explains the relationship between an organism's body mass and metabolic rate

microbial ecology - the ecology of micro-organisms

micro-climate - a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas

microecology - the study of small scale ecological phenomena

migration - the movement of organisms from one place to another

mimicry (in evolutionary biology) - a similarity of one species to another that protects one or both

molecular ecology - a field of evolutionary biology concerned with applying molecular population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, and genomics to traditional ecological questions; essentially the same as ecological genetics

monsoon - occurrence of seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation

mutualism - a form of symbiosis from which both individual organisms involved derive a fitness benefit

N

natural resource - natural biotic and abiotic resources combined

natural science

natural selection

nature

negative feedback loop - feedback that reduces the output of a system, for example when the temperature rises in a room, it turns off the thermostat so that the temperature remains stable

neutralism - belief that changes in evolution are caused by random mutation rather than by natural selection

niche - a position or function of an organism in a community of related organisms

niche differentiation see under "resource partitioning"

nitrification - the oxidation of ammonia with oxygen into nitrite

nitrogen cycle - a continuous cycle by which nitrogen from the atmosphere and compounded nitrogen keep getting exchanged through the soil into substances that can be taken up and used by green plants; what is left returns to the air as a result of denitrification

nitrogen fixation - conversion of nitrogen into nitrogen compounds (ex. nitrate, nitrite), carried out naturally by certain bacteria and algae

numerical response - the change in predator density as a function of change in prey density

nutrient - chemical elements and compounds that provide organisms with the necessary nourishment.

nutrient cycle - or ecological recycling - the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter

nutrient cycle efficiency - see under "ecosytem ecology"

O

ocean - body of salt water which covers almost 75% of Earth's surface

old field

oxygenation

P

paleoecology - science that uses data from fossils to reconstruct the ecosystems of the past

parasite - an organism that depends for its survival on a symbiotic relationship with another organism —its host— which it does not usually kill directly but does negatively affect

parasitoid - an organism that is a parasite for most of its life and that will usually kill its host

permafrost - permanently frozen layer of terrain found beneath the arctic tundra

pheromone - a chemical excreted into the environment as a signal, which causes a natural behavioral response in members of the same population

phosphorus cycle - the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the environment

phytophysiognomy - overall physical characteristics of a plant community

phytoplankton

pioneer species - species that first inhabits a previously unoccupied environment

plankton

plant

plant community

plant litter - the layer of dead plant material on the ground, providing a habitat to plants, micro organisms and animals; plays an important role in the nutrient cycle

plant nutrition

polar climate

political ecology - studies how political and economic power affect the ecosystem, and vice versa how environmental factors influence social activity

pollination - a type of fertilization in which pollen grains are transported through the air from one seed plant to the ovule-bearing organs of another seed plant. This transport is helped by either wind, water, or animal assistance

pollinator decline

population density - the number of individuals of a species living in a defined area

population distribution - see under "range"

population ecology (or auto-ecology) - deals with the dynamics of populations within species, and the interactions of these populations with environmental factors

population size - the number of individuals of a species in a particular population

prairie

predation

predator - an organism that lives by killing and consuming another living organism

prey - living organisms that predators feed on

primary production - production of organic compounds out of carbondioxide present in the atmosphere; all life on Earth directly or indirectly depends on it

producer or primary producer - an organism that makes its own food from inorganic material present in the environment, through photosynthesis, in the deep sea through chemosynthesis

protocooperation - mutualism without necessity

productivity

Q

quadrat (or "quad") - a rectangular plot of land extensively studied for its ecology

R

rain shadow - arid or semi-arid climatical conditions of an area due to its position leeward of a mountain range

range - the range or distribution of a species in the geographical area within which that species can be foun

resource - a substance or object in the environment, required by an organism for its normal growth, maintenance, and reproduction

resource partitioning - coexistence of two or more competing species that use the same natural resource but in different ways

restoration ecology - attempts to understand the ecological basis needed to restore impaired or damaged ecosystems

riparian forest

river ecosystem

root microbiome

r-selected species - a species selected for its superiority in variable or unpredictable environments

run-off - the flow of water over land from rain, melting snow, or other sources

S

sand

saprotrophic nutrition

savanna - a tropical or subtropical grassland ecosystem with trees, but without a closed canopy

secondary succession - ecological succession that occurs after the original community has been destroyed or disturbed, as with a forest fire

selfish herd - individuals in a group acting together without planned direction

sessile animals

sexual selection - a trait that makes an individual organism more likely to find a mate than other members of its species; a microevolutionary process

sign stimulus - fixed action patterns such as mating dances

signaler

social animal

social parasite see under "parasite"

social behavior - behavior of an individual organism towards other members of the population of its species

soil or pedosphere - the naturally occurring, unconsolidated or loose covering of Earth's surface

soil biology

soil ecology - the ecology of the pedosphere

soil microbiology

song system - in songbirds a series of discrete brain nuclei used to learn and produce certain sequences

source-sink dynamics - a theoretical model used by ecologists to describe how variation in habitat quality may affect the population growth or decline of organisms

speciation - the evolutionary process through which new biological species come about

species diversity

species evenness

species richness

spring overturn - the mixing of lake water through the melting of ice cover, the warming of surface waters, convection currents, and wind action occurring in spring

steppe

sulfur cycle

stream - a flowing-water ecosystem that starts out as a freshwater spring or as melting snow

survivorship curve - a graph showing the number or proportion of individuals surviving at each age for a given species

symbiosis - a non predator - prey interaction between individuals of different species

symbiont

synecology

systems ecology

T

Taylor's law

temperate deciduous forest - see under "deciduous broadleaf forest"

temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

terrestrial ecology

terrestrial ecoregion

territory - an area that one or more individual organisms defend against competition

threat display - a signal used by individual organisms of certain species meaning that the user intends to attack

theoretical ecology - the development of ecological theory, usually with mathematical, statistical and/or computer modeling tools

tree line

trophic cascade

trophic level - the position of an organism on the food chain — what it eats, and what eats it

tropics

tropical rain forest - a biome characterized by regular, heavy rainfall, with a humidity of 80 plus percent, and great biodiversity

tundra - a permanently frozen, treeless expanse between the ice cap and tree line of arctic regions

U

umbrella species - species selected for making conservation related decisions, because protecting these species indirectly protects the many other species that make up the ecological community of its habitat

upwelling - wind-driven motion of cooler nutrient-rich ocean water towards the surface, stimulating the growth of phytoplankton

urban ecology - the study of ecosystems in urban areas

V

vegetation - ground cover provided by plants

vegetation formation - a concept used to classify vegetation communities

vegetation type - see under "plant community"

Verhulst equation

virology

virus - a microscopic infectious agent that replicates only within the living cell of other organisms

W

warning coloration - a warning signal that prey uses to warn off predators

water

water column

water cycle - (or hydrological cycle) the non-stop circulation of water on, above, and below Earth's surface. At different times during the cycle, water changes between its different states: liquid, vapor and ice

water pollution

water stagnation

water vapour - the gaseous state of water.

watershed - the land where water from rain and melted snow drains downhill into a body of water (i.e. a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean)

web of life - also known as the food chain, food network, or trophic social network. It describes the eating relationships between different species in a given ecosystem

weed - a plant growing where it is not wanted usually at a high rate of dispersal.

wetland - distinct ecosystem consisting of land permanently or seasonally saturated with water; the habitat of aquatic plants

wild fire

wildlife

woodland - low-density forest

X

xeric - extremely dry

xerocole - animal adapted to desert life

xerophyte - plant adapted to dry conditions

xylophagous - (organism) feeding on wood

Y

yellow rain - a powdery, poisonous, yellow substance reported dropping from the air in southeast Asia and found to be the excrement of wild honeybees contaminated by a fungal toxin

Z

zooplankton