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Introduction to Community Ecology definitions

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  • Community
    Multiple populations of different species living and interacting within the same area.
  • Community Ecology
    Study of interactions among species and the overall organization, diversity, and abundance within a group.
  • Community Structure
    Organization of species, including diversity and abundance, shaping the overall makeup of a group.
  • Competition
    Interaction where species vie for the same limited resources, influencing their distribution and abundance.
  • Exploitation
    Interaction involving one species benefiting at the expense of another, including predation, herbivory, and parasitism.
  • Mutualism
    Interaction where both participating species gain benefits, enhancing survival or reproduction.
  • Commensalism
    Interaction where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.
  • Trophic Structure
    Pattern of feeding relationships among species, determining energy flow and nutrient cycling.
  • Ecological Succession
    Gradual process of change in species composition and community structure over time.
  • Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis
    Concept proposing that moderate levels of disruption foster maximum species diversity.
  • Latitude
    Geographic factor influencing community composition, often affecting species diversity with distance from the equator.
  • Island Equilibrium Model
    Theory explaining species richness on islands as a balance between immigration and extinction rates.
  • Resource Partitioning
    Process where species divide resources to minimize competition and allow coexistence.
  • Character Displacement
    Evolutionary change in species traits due to competition, reducing niche overlap.
  • Species Impact
    Influence a particular species has on community structure and dynamics, often shaping ecosystem function.