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80 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
absolute humidity
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" amount of water present in a unit volume of air (e.g., g/L). "
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acclimation
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" compensatory change in response to a maintained deviation in a single environmental variable, usually in the laboratory. "
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acclimatization
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compensatory change in response to maintained deviations in more than one environmental variable; usually under natural conditions.
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acute.
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term applied to short term exposure to high levels of physical factors.
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adaptation
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any modification that promotes the likelihood of an organism's production of viable gene sets.
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aerial
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adapted for flying.
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Allen's rule
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" ecogeographic rule that maintains that within polytypic species, individuals from the northern part of the range tend to have relative1y shorter appendage length. "
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alluvium
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mineral component of soil arising from rivercarried materials.
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alpha particle
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" a helium nucleus; two protons plus two neutrons. Product of unstable isotopes, a form of radioactivity. "
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arboreal
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term applied to organisms highly adapted for living in trees.
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autecology
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study of organisms in relation to their physical environment; ecology of individuals or species.
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Bergmann's rule
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" within a polytypic species, individuals from the northern part of the range are larger than those from the southern part of the range. "
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beta particle
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positron (+ particle) or electron ( particle) produced as a result of decomposition of unstable isotopes.
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biotic
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biological; usually used to describe the components of factors such as the environment that are due to biological factors.
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chronic
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term which refers to situations in which organisms are exposed to low levels of a physical factor for a long period of time.
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cline
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variation in population characteristics over a geographic range; usually in conjunction with environmental v~riation and often a linear function of latitude.
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convergent evolution
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increasing similarity of relatively unrelated organisms: results from living in similar habitats.
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crepuscular
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active at twilight (dawn or dusk) or in the twilight zone of caves.
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cursorial
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adapted for a running mode of existence in open habitat; prairie animals.
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diapause
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period of inactivity in insects; overwintering in which the organism is resistant to cold. May be a temporary interruption in growth of larvae which is associated with a dormant period. Not a form of hypothermia.
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diurnal
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active during tight periods.
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ecological indicator
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species whose presence provides information about the nature of the local environment.
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ecology
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the study of the relationships between organisms and between organisms and their environment.
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ecotype
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genetically different populations restricted to different habitats; minor variations in form and physiology brought about by geographic differences in environment.
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ectothermy
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maintenance of body temperature by means of heat obtained outside of the body.
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edaphic
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" pertaining to, or influence by, soil conditions. "
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endothermy
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" maintenance of body temperature by means of heat produced within the body, usually by shivering. "
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environment.
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the sum total of all factors that influence organisms.
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estivation
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" avoid dry, hot conditions in a burrow or other protected location; not a form of hypothermia. "
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eurythermal
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having a wide tolerance to temperature.
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evapotranspiration
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the total water loss resulting from evaporation from plants (transpiration) and from all other surfaces in the community.
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gamma ray
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very shortwave electromagnetic radiation; produced as a result of the decay of unstable isotopes and may cause molecular and cellular damage in living organisms.
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growth form
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the phenotypic e <pression of the genotype as influenced by the environ me It.
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halophyte
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a plant which is highly tolerant of salinity.
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halflife
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the time required for onehalf of an amount of unstable isotope to break down to its next product. 1 heat a form of energy transferable between objects having different temperatures.
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heterothermy
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ability to be homeothermic or poikilothermic at turns; hibernators or animals who enter torpor regularly.
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hibernation
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a form of adaptive hypothermia in which animals spend the winter in protected sites; requires considerable physiological preparation such as changes in blood electrolytes and fat deposition.
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homeotherm
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" animal which maintains a relatively high, constant body temperature. "
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hydric
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wet; aquatic habitat.
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hydrophyte
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plant adapted to existence in a moist or aquatic habitat.
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hypertonic
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having an effective osmotic concentration higher than a reference solution.
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hypotonic
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having an effective osmotic concentration lower than a reference solution.
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hypothermia.
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having a body temperature lower than some normal standard.
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isotonic
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having the same osmotic concentration as some other reference solution.
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lacustrine
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" refers to mineral components of soil that originate in the benthic zone of lakes (e.g., marl). "
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life form
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characteristic structure of a plant or animal which reflects adaptation to a particular habitat.
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loess
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windcarried minerals which contribute locally to soils.
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lower critical temperature
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ambient temperature below which an endothermic homeotherm must increase its metabolic rate in order to maintain its body temperature. 7
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marl
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precipitated carbonates in the benthic zone of a lake.
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mesic
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intermediate; usually used to describe environmental conditions. 1 mesophyte plant best adapted to intermediate conditions.
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mor soil
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acidic soil having low invertebrate populations and low decomposition rates.
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motile
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capable of movement.
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mull soil
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neutral or basic soils which have large invertebrate populations and relatively great rates of decomposition.
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nocturnal
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active at night.
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oikos
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" Greek root for the word ""ecology""; means home or habitation. "
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photoperiod.
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the daily regime of light/dark.
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photoperiodism
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behavioral and/or physiological response to change in daily ratios of daylight/darkness.
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poikilotherm
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~ organism whose body temperature is near that of ambient over most of the temperature range.
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productive energy
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surplus energy remaining after that necessary for basic
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radiation
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" part of the electromagnetic spectrum (light) or a particle produced by unstable, radioactive isotopes. "
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rain shadow.
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the region on the lee side of mountains where rainfall is lower than on the windward side.
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relative humidity
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the amount of water in the air relative to the amount at saturation under the same conditions.
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respiration
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sum total of metabolic processes reflected as the utilization of oxygen or production of carbon dioxide.
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saltatorial
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term used to refer to organisms highly adapted for jumping.
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sessile
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attached; immovable.
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soil
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" solid substrate of biotic communities composed of weathered, decomposed, organic and mineral components. "
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specific heat
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" capacity of a substance to take up energy; amount of energy that must be added to change temperature of a substance by a given amount (e.g., 1 calorie is required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water 1°C. "
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stenohaline
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narrow tolerance to salinity.
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stenophagous
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restricted food preference.
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stenothermal.
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having a narrow tolerance to temperature extremes.
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synergism
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interaction of factors such that the total effect is greater than expected.
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taxis
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directed movement.
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temperature
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an index of the kinetic energy of molecules.
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torpidity
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lowered body temperature accompanied by reduced respiration and loss of body movement; usually a temporary condition.
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transpiration
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evaporation of water from plant surfaces. 1 tropism directed growth.
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ultimate factor
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" aspect of the environment which promotes the survivorship and reproduction of an organism; reinforces response through natural selection (e.g., food for young as a result of timing of reproduction). "
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upper critical temperature
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the ambient temperature above which a homeotherm's body temperature rises sharply; thermoregulation cannot occur above this temperature.
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vapor pressure deficit
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difference between the water contents of two bodies as measured by partial pressure; indicates the direction and intensity of water movement.
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xeric
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" dry, arid. "
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xerophyte
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plant adapted to arid conditions.
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