predation
the relationship between two species in which the predator species feeds on the other species, the prey
interspecific competition
a type of interaction in which two or more species use teh same limited resource
symbiosis
a close, long-term relationship between two organisms.
parasitism
a relationship in which one individual is harmed while the other individual benefits
mutualism
a relationship in which both organisms dervie some benefit.
commensalism
one organism benefits, but the other organism is neither helped nor harmed.
species richness
the number of species in a community
species evenness
the relative abundance of each species
species-area effect
a pattern in which the number of species in an area increases as the area increase
disturbances
events that change communities, remove or destroy organisms from communities, or alter resource availability
stability
the tendency of a community to maintain relatively constant conditions
ecological succession
the gradual sequential regrowth of a community of species in an area
primary succession
the development of community in an area that has not supported life previously, such as bare rock, a sand dune, or an island formed by a volcanic eruption
secondary succession
the equential replacement of species that follows disruption of an existing community
pioneer species
the species of organisms that predominate early in succession - tend to be small, reproduce quickly, and grow quickly.
climax community
a community that, after a process of ecological sucession, has reached a generally stable state.