Glossary

• Abiotic = non-living components of an ecosystem
• Biotic = living components of an ecosystem
• Population = group of organisms of the same species that can breed and produce fertile offspring
• Species = organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring
• Carrying capacity = maximum number of individuals that can exist in a habitat without threatening other species
• Community = interacting group of various species in a common location
• Habitat = ecological area where a specific species lives
• Microhabitat = small area that differs somehow from the surrounding habitat
• Niche = role of an organism in a community
• Population size = number of individuals in a population
• Limiting factors = factor that limits the output of a system
• Denaturation = unfolding or breaking up of a protein
• Immigration = movement of an organism to another area
• Emigration = when a population/organism leaves their native land to travel to a non-native land
• Intra-specific competition = members of the same species compete for limited resources
• Inter-specific competition = members of different species compete for limited resources
• Predator = animal that naturally preys on other animals
• Prey = animal that is hunted by another animal for food
• Selection pressure = when a particular phenotype becomes more favourable in certain environmental conditions
• Abundance = when a species has a high population relative to the area it inhabits
• Frame Quadrat = frame used to isolate an area to study the distribution of an item over a large area
• Point Quadrat = frame shaped like a T
• Sample = proportion of the total population used to estimate characteristics of the entire population
• Line transect = line across a habitat used in sampling methods
• Belt transect = used when there is a gradual change from one habitat to another
• Percentage Cover = percentage of the quadrat area that is covered by one species
• Mark-release-recapture = used to estimate the size of a population when it is impractical to count every individual
• Primary succession = ecological succession in which plants and animals first colonise a barren habitat
• Pioneer species = species that are first to colonise newly created environments
• Climax community = community when the populations remain stable and exist in balance
• Secondary succession = when a climax community is impacted by a disturbance
• Conservation = protecting biodiversity and maintaining natural ecosystems