5 Questions
What does community ecology seek to understand?
Distribution of species groupings in nature and their influences
What are some examples of interactions among species populations mentioned in the text?
Mutualism, parasitism, predation, and competition
What are some straightforward collective properties of a community that can be studied?
Species diversity and community biomass
What are emergent properties of a community?
Properties that appear when the community is the focus of attention
What does a community consist of?
Individuals and populations of species
Study Notes
Community Ecology
- Community ecology seeks to understand the interactions among species populations and the structure and function of ecological communities.
Interactions among Species Populations
- Predation: a predator species feeds on a prey species
- Competition: two or more species compete for the same resource
- Mutualism: a species benefits and another species also benefits
- Commensalism: a species benefits and another species is not affected
Collective Properties of a Community
- Species richness: the number of different species present in a community
- Species diversity: the number of species and their relative abundance
- Species abundance: the number of individuals of each species present in a community
Emergent Properties of a Community
- Primary production: the total amount of energy fixed by photosynthesis
- Nutrient cycling: the movement of nutrients through the community
- Disturbance regime: the frequency and intensity of disturbances that affect the community
Components of a Community
- Species populations: groups of individuals of the same species
- Interactions among species: predation, competition, mutualism, commensalism, etc.
- Abiotic environment: non-living factors such as temperature, light, and nutrients
Test your knowledge of community ecology with this quiz! Explore the interactions between species populations and their abiotic environment, and learn about the distribution of groupings of species in nature. Perfect for students and enthusiasts of ecology and environmental science.
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