 | Term | Definition |
| |
Aggression |
Threatening behaviour usually associated with competition. It can involve predation however. A more specific term agonistic behaviour refer to conflicts within species but excludes predation. |
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Allelopathy |
Chemical inhibition of one species by another. Basically the same as antibiosis, except that the definition emphasises the chemical connection |
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Antibiosis |
An INTERspecific relationship where one organism is harmed, but the other is unaffected |
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Apical Dominance |
A tree where there is one main trunk and much smaller side branches. A bush is where all the stems are all equal. |
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Auxin |
A plant hormone that is involved in cell elongation |
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Mimicry |
Defensive technique in which an animal appears to be poisonous |
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Circadian |
A rhythm of about 24hours |
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Circatidal |
A rhythm of about 12.5hours |
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Circalunar |
A rhythm of about 1 month |
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Circaannual |
A rhythm of about 1 year |
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Commensalism |
An interspecific relationship where one organism benifits while the other is uneffected |
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Crepuscular |
When an animal is active around sunrise and sunset |
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Diurnal |
Active during the day |
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Dormancy |
When seeds do not germinate unless certain conditions change.(such as cutting the coat or a long period of cold) |
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Endogenous rhythm |
An internal rhythm that occurs when there are no external cues. Caused by a biological clock |
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Entrainment |
Forcing the free-running period to follow an external pattern |
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Exogenous rhythm |
A rhythm that occurs only when external cues are present |
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Free-running period |
The natural period of the rhythm if there are no external cues |
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Home range |
An area that an animal uses for food, but will not defend |
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Homing |
Animal ability to find and return to the home site. |
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Kinesis |
A whole-body response of animals where the response is independent of the stimulus direction, but may depend on the intensity of the stimulus |
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Migration |
Annual mass movement of animals, from breeding areas to other non-breeding areas and then returning. Animals only |
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Long-day plant |
A plant that flowers with increasing day length, usually over 12 hours |
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Mutualism |
An interspecfic relationships where both benefit |
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Nastic |
A plant response that is independent of the direction of stimulus |
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Parasitism |
An interspecific relationship where one individual is benefited and the other harmed |
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Phase shift |
To change the start times of a rhythm, but not its period.(Entrainment) |
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Photoperiodism |
The response of plants to the lengths of day(or night) |
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Phytochrome |
A plant pigment that controls the photoperiodic response |
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Short-day plant |
A plant that flowers in short days, during the autumn or winter |
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Taxis |
Movement of an animal or part of its body towards or away from a directional stimulus |
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Territory |
An area used by animal for feeding or breeding, that the animal will defend |
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Tropism |
A plant growth response to a directional stimulus |
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Zeitgeber |
Time signal for a biological clock. Eg sunrise, sunset, temperature, tidal, movement, day length |
| Add or remove terms from this set |
