A branch of ecology which uses ecological principles and insights to solve environment-related problems. It includes agroecology and conservation biology.
A major sub-field of ecology which studies the dynamics of populations and the ways in which they interact with the environment. Also called population ecology.
The phenomenon by which a system is capable of producing and maintaining itself by creating its own parts. The term has often been applied to the self-maintaining chemistry of biological cells.
The science that studies the effects of biota on global chemistry and on the cycles of matter and energy that transport Earth's chemical components in time and space.
A branch of ecology which studies the use by organisms of naturally occurring chemical compounds for various purposes, e.g. in defense against predators.
A community of biological species that has reached a stable state, occurring when the different species are best adapted to average conditions in a given area.
Organisms from the same or from different species competing with each other for food, living space, reproductive success, or any other limited resource; the most adapted individuals come out on top and thus survive and reproduce.
A biological rule which states that two species cannot coexist in the same environment if they are competing for exactly the same resource, often memorably summarized as "complete competitors cannot coexist".
The process by which tissues of dead organisms are broken down by both biotic and abiotic processes into simpler forms of organic matter, thereby clearing the limited available space in a biome.
The study of the interactions between both biotic and abiotic factors that occur in desertbiomes, including interactions between plant, animal, and bacterial populations in desert communities.
A temporary change in environmental conditions that causes a pronounced and longer-lasting change in an ecosystem. Disturbances can quickly and dramatically alter the physical structure and arrangement of both biotic and abiotic elements, and often greatly impact local biodiversity. They may be products of natural phenomena, such as storms, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions, as well as of man-made phenomena, such as deforestation, pollution, and construction projects.
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.
The biotic and abiotic surroundings of an organism or population, and the chemical interactions between these factors that influence their survival, development, and evolution. An environment can vary in scale from microscopic to global.
An increase in natural or chemical nutrients in an ecosystem. This increase of nutrients typically stimulates growth of some aggressive plant species and hampers that of others, thereby harming biodiversity. In aquatic ecosystems, it may result in hypoxia.
The effective extinction of a species or other taxon such that reports of its existence cease, the reduced population no longer plays a significant role in ecosystem function, or the population is no longer viable because it is unable to sustain healthy reproduction, even if the last individual organism of the species has not yet died.
Along with bacteria, fungi are the major decomposers in most terrestrial (and some aquatic) ecosystems and therefore play a crucial role in the nutrient cycle.
A relatively dense area of trees and shrubs that occupies a corridor along a river or within a wetland and projects into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed, such as savannas, grasslands, and deserts.
The variety of geological and hydrological materials, forms, landscapes, and processes that constitute and shape the Earth, either as a whole or some specific part of it.[1] Geodiversity can be viewed as somewhat of an abiotic equivalent to biodiversity.
An ecogeographical rule which states that within a species of endotherms, more heavily pigmented forms or morphs tend to be found in more humid and/or sunnier environments, e.g. near the Equator. The phenomenon has been observed across a wide variety of animal species, and evolutionary explanations for it range from deterrence of microbial growth to protection against ultraviolet radiation.
The warming of the Earth's climate that results from solar irradiance being trapped in the atmosphere. The phenomenon is caused by atmospheric gases which allow the sun's energy to reach the Earth's surface but subsequently absorb heat that is radiated back from the warmed surface.
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.
The cycle or process of evaporation and condensation of water and its distribution across the Earth as driven by solar energy. Also called the water cycle.
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.
Any living species that defines a trait or characteristic of its environment. The presence and/or abundance of organisms of these species can be used as an indication of the health of a given ecosystem.
A form of competition that occurs between individuals of different species, e.g. when different species try to use the same resources in an environment. Contrast intraspecific competition.
A form of competition that occurs between individuals of the same species, e.g. when members of the same species compete for territories or access to mates. Compare interspecific competition.
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 other species in a community.
An animal mating system in which an aggregation of male animals gathers to engage in competitive displays to entice females during the breeding season.
A composite organism that is the result of a symbiosis between algae or cyanobacteria and the hyphae of a fungus. The combined lichen has properties different from those of its component organisms.
Any essential resource that is in short supply in a given environment and therefore limits the possibilities for change in other aspects of the same environment.
An observational methodology used to estimate variables of a population under study, including population density, survival rates, movement, and growth.
A wetland dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species and often found at the edges of lakes and streams, where it forms a transition between the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
A process in which the effects of a change in a system act to reduce or counteract the change. Negative feedback loops tend to promote stability and a settling to equilibrium, reducing the effects of perturbations in the system. Contrast positive feedback loop.
The continuous cycle by which atmospheric nitrogen and compounded nitrogen are continually exchanged through the soil into substances that can be taken up and used by green plants; what is left returns to the atmosphere as a result of denitrification.
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.
The layer of dead plant material on the ground, providing a habitat to plants, microorganisms and animals. It plays an important role in the nutrient cycle.
A branch of ecology which studies how political and economic power affect ecosystems, and vice versa how environmental factors influence social activity.
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.
A branch of ecology which deals with the dynamics of populations within species, and the interactions of these populations with environmental factors. Also called autecology.
A process in which the effects of a small change in a system include an increase in the magnitude of the change; "A produces more of B, which in turn produces more of A". Contrast negative feedback loop.
An organism that produces its own food from inorganic material present in the environment, through photosynthesis or, in the deep sea, through chemosynthesis. Also called a primary producer.
Any delineation between habitats in which trees are capable of growing and in which they are not capable of growing. Tree lines are found at the edges of habitats with suitable conditions for tree growth and development; beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the harsher environmental conditions, usually because of very cold temperatures or a lack of sufficient moisture.
A species selected for making conservation-related decisions because protecting it indirectly protects the many other species that make up the ecological community of its habitat. Compare flagship species.
A warning signal consisting of brightly colored or starkly contrasting patterns used by a prey species to advertise its unprofitability to potential predator species.
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. Also called hydrologic cycle.
The area of land from which rain and melted snow drains downhill into a body of water (i.e. a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean).
A powdery, poisonous, yellow substance reported dropping from the air in the eastern parts of China and Asia and found to be the excrement of wild honeybees contaminated by a fungal toxin.
The sensory cortex includes portions of the cerebral cortex, that wrinkly outer layer of the brain that process and make sense out of information gathered by our five senses: vision, audition (sound), olfaction (smell), gustation (taste), and somatosensation (touch).
