Genetics and ecosystems official content key terms

Population dynamics

The study of how and why populations change in size and structure over time.

Limiting factors

Environmental conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population.

Ecological Succession

The gradual process of change and replacement in the species composition of a community over time.

Climax Community

A stable and mature community that has reached the final stage of ecological succession.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecosystem diversity.

Conservation biology

A field of biology that focuses on the study and preservation of biodiversity, aiming to protect species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Species Distribution

The manner in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged in an area.

Behavioral response

The reaction of an organism to a specific stimulus in its environment, often influenced by internal and external factors.

Environmental gradient

A gradual change in environmental conditions, such as light or moisture, that can influence the distribution and movement of organisms.

Sampling technique

A method used to select a subset of individuals from a population to estimate characteristics of the whole population.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of different species and their relative abundance.