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Definition
| when two organisms make use of the same resource so that their niches overlap |
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| the biome characterized by less than 25 cm of precipitation annually and sparse vegetation of small plants specialized to conserve water; occurs in North Africa, central Australia, southwestern North America, eastern Asia, and the southeast tip of South America |
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Definition
| a gradual change in the types of plants that represent the structure of a community |
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Definition
| refers to height above (or below) sea level |
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Definition
| when a species is gone completely from Earth, or when so few individuals remain that reproduction is not possible |
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Term
| Extirpation [EK-stur-PAY-shun] |
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Definition
| the phenomenon of local extinction, which occurs when a species ceases to exist in one area but still exists elsewhere in the world |
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Definition
| species that are not native to a particular ecosystem; they are often able to out compete the existing native species for a particular niche |
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Definition
| the biome characterized by rainfall between 25 and 75 cm per year supporting the growth of grasses |
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Term
| interspecific competition |
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Definition
| competition between different species |
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Definition
| a species whose presence plays an important ecological role in determining the types and numbers of other species in particular ecosystems; when these species are eliminated, the effects on the ecosystem are dramatic |
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Definition
| the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator, which is designated as zero (0) degrees |
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Definition
| a strategy whereby one species resembles another that is poisonous, dangerous, or distasteful to avoid predation; also refers to situations where two harmful species have similar coloration (e.g., bees and wasps) |
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