Unit 7 Ecosystems and Succession Terms

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ecosystem diversity

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the variety of different communities in a particular area

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biodiversity index

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a measure of the diversity of different plant and animal species in an area

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disruption

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an event that causes a noticeable change to an ecosystem; also known as a disturbance

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pioneer species

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species which colonize land that has not yet been settled; the beginning of ecological succession

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intermediate species

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the organisms or species that appear in an area or ecosystem in the middle stage of succession; not the first or the final stage

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keystone species

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species with a critical role inside its community; maintains the structure of the community

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climax community

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a relatively stable community in an ecosystem; the last stage of ecological succession

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primary succession

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the type of ecological succession that starts from bare rock with no soil or living things

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secondary succession

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the type of ecological succession that starts from soil (and probably seeds) but very limited species and numbers of organisms

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lichen

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looks like a small plant, but it has no stems or leaves; actually a weird combination of algae that helps a fungus; can grow with little or no soil