Glossary of Ecology - D

D

• deciduous broadleaf forest - a forest in a more mild climate with dry seasons, where the tree's foliage changes with the varying seasons.
• Decomposition - process by which tissues of dead organisms break down to more simplistic forms of mater and organic matterial, freeing up the limited space in the biome
• density-dependent control - any factors that affect individuals of a population and that vary with population density.
• Desert ecology - The sum of the interactions between both biotic and abiotic factors of the desert biomes. including the interactions of plant, animal, and bacterial populations in a desert community.

• desert - a landscape that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year
• desertification - a process by which areas become desertlike wastelands with low biodiversity
• Demographics - the characteristics of human populations for purposes of social studies.
• demographic transition model - a model, which represents a shift from high to low birth rates and death rates as part of the economic development of a country
• denitrification - The breakdown of nitrates by anaerobic bacteria into other forms. Generally soil.
• density independent factor - A factor that affects the size of a population regardless of the population density.
• detrital food web - a food web depicting energy flow from photoautotrophs through detrivores and decomposers
• detritivore - heterotrophs which consume decomposing bits of organic matter, such as leaf litter.
• decomposer - organisms that breakdown substances into simpler substances
• distance effect (island biogeography) - the uniques assemblage of life form and species on an island
• dry woodland - a type of biome that forms when rainfall is averaging around 40 to 100 centimeters, and also has many tall trees
• dominance hierarchy - organization of individuals into groups with a social structure.
• Dominance species - a species which characterizes and predominates an ecological community as measured by primary productivity or biomass.
• doubling time - the amount of time it a population takes to double its size.