adhesion-adapted
a term applied to seeds with hooks, spines, or barbs that disperse by attaching to passing animals
aril
a fleshy covering of some seeds that attracts birds and other vertebrates, which act as dispersers of such seeds
competitive plant
according to Grime competitive plants occupy environments where disturbance intensity is low and the intensity of stress is also low
elaiosome
a structure on the surface of some seeds generally containing oils attractive to ants, which act as dispersers of such seeds
fecundity
the number of eggs or seeds produced by an organism
forb
herbaceous plants other than graminoids
germination
the sprouting of seeds
gonadosomatic index
an index of reproductive effort calculated as ovary weight divided by body weight and adjusted for the number of batches of offspring produced per year
graminoid
grasses and grass-like plants, such as sedges and rushes
growth form
the life-form of a plant is a combination of its structure and its growth dynamics. Plant life-forms include trees, vines, annual plants, sclerophyllous vegetation, grasses, and forbs
iteroparity
reproduction that involves production of an organism’s offspring in two or more events, generally spaced out over the lifetime of the organism
k selection
a term referring to the carrying capacity of the logistic growth equation; a form of natural selection that favors more efficient utilization of resources such as food and nutrients
life history
the adaptations of an organism that influence aspects of its biology, such as the number of offspring it produces, its survival, and its size and age at reproductive maturity
phenology
the study of the relationship between climate and the timing of ecological events such as the date of arrival of migratory birds on their wintering grounds, the timing of spring plankton blooms, or the onset and ending of leaf fall in a deciduous forest
polymorphic locus
a locus, a gene, that occurs as more than one allele, each of which synthesizes a different allozyme
r selection
a term referring to the per capita rate of increase; a form of natural selection favoring higher population growth rate. r selection is predicted to be strongest in disturbed habitats.
reproductive effort
the allocation of energy, time, and other resources to the production and care of offspring, generally involving reduced allocation to other needs such as maintenance and growth.
ruderal
plants or animal that live in highly disturbed habitats and that may depend on disturbance to persist in the face of potential competition from other species
scatterhoarded
a term applied to seeds gathered by mammals and stored in scattered caches or hoards
semelparity
reproduction that involves production of all an organism’s offspring in one event, generally over a short period of time
stress-tolerant plants
plants that live under conditions of high stress but low disturbance
