vocab ch.3

• Carrying Capacity

  The greatest population that can be supported sustainably in an area
• Climax Community

  The relalivtly stable community of a species present at the end of ecological succession
• Culling

  Reducing the population of a species by selective killing
• Decomposer

  Organisms that break down dead organic matter, releasing nutrients in the process. Many bacteria and fungi are decomposers. They secrete enzymes onto the dead organic matter and absorb the products of digestion.
• Ecological Niche

  The role that an organism plays in its habitat, including its use of resources and its inter relationships with other species
• Halophyte

  An organism that thrives in conditions with a high salt concentration
• K-selected species

  species that have a relativley low breeding capacity

  -> often maturing at a later age and have few young
• Maximum sustainable yield (MSY)


  The greatest amount that can be harvested sustainably
• Pioneer species

  ONe of the first species to colonise and area at the start of ecological succesion
• Plagioclimax

  A community of species that does not develop to a natural climatic climax community
• Population

  all the individuals of a species living in a particular area
• Range of tolerance

  The range of conditions within which a species can survive
• R-selected species

  Species that have a relativley high breeding capacity

  -> maturing at a young age and having large numbers of young
• Secondary succession

  Ecological succession that takes place in an area where the existing climax community has been disturbed or destroyed
• Sere

  A stage in ecological succession in the change that occur, eventually producing the climax community