Ch 1 Review

4. Discuss the pros and cons of descriptive studies as opposed to laboratory studies of the same ecological phenomenon.

Answer:

pros: 

cons:

as opposed to laboratory studies of the same ecological phenomenon.

Ch 1 Review

5. What is a natural field experiement? Why are ecologists keen to take advantage of them?

Ch 1 Review

8. How might the results of the Cedar Creek study of old-field succession have been different if a single field had been monitored for 50 years, rather than simultaneously comparing fields abandoned at different times in the past?

Ch 1 Review

10. What are the main factors affecting the confidence we can have in predictions of a mathematical model?

Answer:

1) the more tosses of a coin will result in arriving closer to a mean of 0.5 (significant)

2)...

Ch 2 Review

3. Why is the survival of the fittest an unsatisfactory description of natural selection? 

Ch 2 Review

4. What is the essential difference between natural selection and the selection practiced by plant and animal breeders? 

Ch 2 Review

5. What are reciprocal transplants? Why are they so useful in ecological studies? 

Ch 2 Review

6. Is sexual selection, as practiced by guppies, different from or just part of natural selection? 

Ch 2 Review

8. What is it about the Galapagos finches that has made them such ideal material for the study of evolution? 

Ch 2 Review

9. What is the difference between convergent and parallel evolution? 

Answer:

 Convergence: 

Analogous structures

suggests similarities because of like ecological pressures

(birds & bats)

(hummingbird & hummingbird moth)

in contrast:

Homologous structures

similiar ancestry explains similiar structures.

(Human, cat, whale, bat)

Parallel Evolution:

Same ecological pressures but not related

(placentials & marcupials)

Ch 3 Review

2. Discuss whether you think the following statement is correct. "A layperson might describe Antarctica as an extreme environment, but an ecologist should never do so" 

Ch 3 Review

3. In what ways do ectotherms and endotherms differ, and in what ways are they similar? 

Ch 3 Review

4. Drawing examples from a variety of both animals and plants contrast the responses of tolerators and avoiders to seasonal variations in environmental conditions and resources.  

Ch 3 Review

5. Describe how plants requirements to increase the rate of photosynthesis and to decrease the rate of water loss interact. Describe, too, the strategies used by different types of plants to balance these requirements. 

Ch 3 Review

7. Account for the fact that the tissues of plants and animals have such contrasting C:N ratios. What are the consequences of these differences? 

Ch 3 Review

8. Describe the various ways in which animals use color to defend themselves against attacks by predators. 

Ch 3 Review

9. Explain, with examples, what exploitation and interference intraspecific competition have in common and how they differ. 

Ch 4 Review

1. Describe the various changes in climate that occur with changing latitude, including an explanation of why deserts are more likely to be found at around 30^o latitude than at other latitudes?

Ch 4 Review

2.  How would you expect the climate to change as you crossed from west to east over the Rocky Mountains?

Ch 4 Review

4.  The tropical rain forest is a diverse community supported by a nutrient-poor soil. Account for this. 

Ch 4 Review

5.  Which of the Earth's biomes do you think have been most stongly influenced by people? How and why have some biones been more strongly affected by uman activity than others?

Ch 4 Review

6.  What is meant by the 'stratification' of water in lakes? How does it occur? And, what are the reasons for variations in stratification from time to time and from lake to lake? 

Ch 4 Review

7.  Describe how the logging of a forest may influence the community of organisms inhabiting a stream running through the affected area. 

Ch 4 Review

8.  Why is much of the open ocean, in effect, a 'marine desert'? 

Ch 4 Review

9.  Discuss some reasons why community composition changes as one moves (i) up a mountain, and (ii) down the continental shelf into the abyssal depths of the ocean. 

Ch 5 Review

1.  Contrast the meaning of the word 'individual' for unitary and modular organisms. 

Answer:

Unitarian meaning of individual: A whole organism developing or growing from a fertilized egg or zygote and fully distinct from others. Unitary has determinate developmental trajectory, bodily structure and is well defined.

Fungus is the worlds largest individual organism. Called the humongous fungus, underground, 5.5km, more than 2400 years old, a genotype was sampled to make sure its all the same thing.

Modular meaning of individual: Indeterminate growth plan involves propagation of units, has a branching structure to it and vegatative reproduction or propagation. 

Ch 5 Review

9.  What is meant by the carrying capacity of a population? Describe where it appears and why, in: (i) S-shaped population growth; (ii) the logistic equation; and (iii) dome-shaped net recruitment curves.  

Answer:

The carrying capacity of a population is the point at which population reaches the point where the population and resources are leveled out to sustain the current population.

J-shaped population growth curve (exponential equation): The j-shaped curve shows a population explosion that shoots up above the carrying capacity and then plummets because there are not enough resources to sustain the population explosion.

S-shaped population growth curve (logistics equation): The s-shaped curve accelerates over time to the inflectio point (or demographic transition) then continues upward to the deseleration point. Carrying capacity occurs after the deseleration point because the population slows and begins to approach the carrying capacity where there begins to be a more of a struggle for resources to sustain the population.

Dome-shaped net recruitment curves: (number of births minus number of deaths over time): it is low when there are few individuals available to give birth or to die, Net recruitment will also be low when the carrying capacity is reached. Will be at its peak at some intermediate density. Reflects the essence of net recruitment patterns when density dependent birth and death are the result of intraspecific competition.  

(k-n)

k

The formula above shows density dependence: the denser the population the more they slow down.

True or False:

Ecology encompasses field studies, lab studies and theoretical modeling.

Answer:

True, ecology encompasses:

Field Studies

Lab Studies

Theoretical Modeling

True or False:

When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the Southern Hemisphere experiences winter.

Answer:

False

When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the Southern Hemisphere experiences summer.

True or False:

A standard error is the missed opportunity of a predator to kill a prey because of evasive action.

Answer:

False

A standard error shows a plus or minus 2 positions from variance findings to account for accuracy. If variance is lower tighter than it is more probable.

True or False:

In terms of evolution, the bird wing is analogous to the bat wing.

Answer:

True

In terms of evolution, the bird wing is analogous to the bat wing.

True or False:

The smaller the difference between actual water vapor pressure and saturation water vapor pressure, the lower the evaporative water loss rate to air.

Answer:

True

Water diffuses down a concentration gradient. The smaller the difference between actual water vapor pressure and saturation water vapor pressure, the lower the evaporative water loss rate to air.

Relative humidity %:     Actual water vapor pressure

                                     Potential water vapor pressure

- at freezing temps wv is lower

- RH is the difference between the actual and potential

- at the intercept point of actual and potential is the 100% dewpoint.

True or False:

C₄ photosynthesis allows succulent plants in arid environments to keep their stomata closed during the day.

Answer:

False

CAM photosynthesis allows succulents in arid environments to keep their stomata closed during the day. PEP is the binding molecule for the CO2. The affinity for CO2 binding is high. The site of photosynthesis is temporal separation (stomata closed during the day and open at night when humidity is up)

True or False:

A negative value for the per capita rate of increase for a population suggests that death rates are lower than birth rates.

Answer

False

A negative value for the per capita rate of increase for a population suggests that death rates are higher than birth rates.

True or False:

The world's Mediterranean-climate regions lie between 30^o and 45^o in the Northern hemisphere only.

Answer:

False

The world's Mediterranean-climate regions lie between 30^o and 45^o in the Northern and Sourthern hemisphere.

True or False

As sunlight strikes a temperate coniferous forest, the wavelengths absorbed for photosynthesis are red and blue.

Answer:

True

As sunlight strikes a temperate coniferous forest, the wavelengths absorbed for photosynthesis are red and blue.

Short Answer:

Organisms whose body temperature reflects that of the environment are called                      .

Answer:

Ectotherms

Short Answer:

In deserts, precipitation tends to be less than                      .

Answer:

In deserts, precipitation tends to be less than evapotranspiration

Multiple Choice:

As a result of a statistical test, an ecologist reports a statistically significant relationship between altitude and the number of species of tree. She reports this in terms of a P-value as follows:

Answer:

P = 0.049

Multiple Choice:

Ecology deals mainly with which four levels of organization?

Answer:

Communities, Organisms, Populations, Ecosystems

Exponential population growth cannont be sustained because:

Answer:

resources run out

Answer:

the prevailing westerly winds are relatively dry as they descend the eastern side of the mountains.

Answer:

redwood trees (Sequioa sempervirens) and corals

Answer:

1. Ensures every individual has an equal chance of being sampled.

2. Allows for an unbiased sample from a population.

3. Permits analysis of a representative subset of the population.

4. Is often necessary because it is impossible to sample the entire population.

Answer:

Cellular respiration

Answer:

birds

Answer:

They gain water by osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane.

[image]

- more on the outside so water flows out of the membrane (dehydration, death)

- saltwater fish can urinate to eliminate hypotonic condition

(can lead to death of organism.)

Answer:

Humans and chimps are NOT of the same species

Biological Species Concept:

- Two populations are of the same biospecies if members can potentially interbreed to produce viable offspring.

Answer:

Cool, humid conditions

Darwin and Wallace were both strongly influenced by the book An Essay on the Principle of Population written by:

Answer:

Malthus

Answer:

1) Under a regime of absolute fire supression, shade tolerant species are likely to out compete shade-intolerant species.

2) In forests managed with periodic fire, shade-intolerant species can out compete shade tolerant species.

dominate is not equal to dorminant

a) Write the equation for exponential population groth, being sure to include terms for the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and population size N. Graph the exponential growth curve as a function of time.

b) Now write the logistic equation for population growth, adding the term for carrying capacity K. Identify the term for density-dependence slowing the growth function down as N approaches K. Graph the logistic population growth curve as a function of time.

Answer:

a) exponential growth model

dN = rN

dt            

[image]

b) Logistic growth model

dN = rN (K-N)

dt              K

[image]

Answer:

(K-N)

K

Answer:

[image]

Blue Whale, Type I

(low jouvenile mortality rate (humans, whales)

low fecundity

Acorn Woodpecker, Type II

(seed banks)

Common Oyster, Type III

(high juvenile mortality rate - redwoods, barnacles)

(high fecundity)

Ch 5 Review

6.  Describe what are meant by aggregated, random and regular distributions of organisms in space, and outline, with actual examples where possible, some of the behavioral processes that might lead to each type of distribution. 

The type of pattern often results from the nature of the relationships within the population. Distribution can be affected by the time of day, month, year, or competition between species over the same food source.

Random: humans

Regular: territorial birds.

Clumped (aggregated): If a group of monkeys occupies separated trees, their spacing will looked clumped. Yet in each tree their spacing seems regular.

Answer:

habitat:

[image]

Answer:

Possible Short Essay (10 pts):

write a paragraph

Globalization of the world's biota, involving pernicious invasive species, may be leading towards greater homogeneity of species world-wide. How do invasive species et the opportunity to colonize new regions? How and why are they successful in getting established? Why might invasive species be abundant in their new habitats, while rare in their homelands?

Possible Short Essay (10 pts):

write a paragraph

Deep-sea vent communities have revealed a multitude of novel forms of life, rich in endemic species. They have also proven to hold vast quantities of valuable minerls suitable for mining. What is your position on the question of preserving vent communities and addressing commercial interest in minerals? How would you implement a plan prioritizing these concerns?

Possible Short Essay (10 pts):

write a paragraph

In what way are sea otters thought to be colliding with the fishing industry along the Washington coast? How is it that the otters have staged a comeback since their brush with extinction in the 19th century? Why is their metabolic rate so high, compared to other marine mammals?

Possible Essay (15 pts):

write two paragraphs

Why do some temporal patterns in ecology need long runs of data to detect them, while other patterns need only short runs of data?

Possible Essay (15 pts):

write two paragraphs

Why is "the survival of the fittest" an unsatisfactory description of natural selection?

Discuss:

circular reasoning and doesn't take into account               

Answer:

Darwin, 1859. He was born February 12, 1809

Argument for natural selection:

Obs 1: All pops have ability to increase greatly

Obs 2: Over time, pop levels tend to be stabilize

Obs 3: Resources are limited

Obs 4: Some orgs in a pop vary

Obs 5: This variation is sometimes heritable

Inf 1: Struggle to survive

Inf 2: Natuaral Selection: Differential Survival and Reproduction. Sometimes an individual in a pop will successfully reproduce at the expense of other individual orgs in a pop. These successes are based on favoured characteristics that are NOT random.

True or False:

The more samples taken, the closer the mean will arrive at 0.5 (significance)

Answer:

True

True or False

A corelation shows similiar patterns but may not necessarily be connected.

Answer:

True

What is a subspecies?

What is a race?

Answer:

A subspecies is a formally named race.

A race is a geographically and genetically distinct population.

Answer:

When ancestral species A and B are separated by geographic (allopatric) and reproductive isolation mutations occur that result in natural selection and adaptations to create a new species C.

Answer:

Ecology is the study of organisms and their interactions with other organisms in an ecosystem which includes living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) *distribution and abundance of organisms.

Levels: Organisms, population, community, ecosystem

Answer:

1. Observational study - measurative (measuring acorns)

2. Experiments - field (clear cutting experiments

3. Lab experiment - Lab (composition rates of dung, effects of temp, humidity, etc.)

4. Mathematical Modeling - Complex systems

Homeostasus has to do with?

Answer:

How organisms deal with temperature relations. Homeostasus is the regulation of internal body conditions. 36 - 37^oc is the ideal temp for enzyme function. Hotter temps denature enzymes and colder temps slow them down.

Endotherms: Regulate their own temp (warm-blooded)

Ectotherms: Cannot regulate their own temp (cold-blooded)

Answer:

Thermus Aquatics are organisms that live in hot springs, vents & special communities and are stable at high temperatures, 90^oc or more.

Answer:

Avoiders: These organisms lay dorment in the summer

Tolerators: These are succulent and absorb water to survive (evergreen & connifer)

Answer:

6H₂O+6CO₂+energy (atp)--->C₆H₁₂O₆+O₂

photosynthesis

The blue & red radiation part of the visual spectrum drives photosynthesis (no green)

Answer:

[image]

- Oxygen enters the mesophyll

- CO₂ enters through the stomata

- oxygen is the waste that exits the stomata

Three (3) major patterns

(producing food and avoiding dessication)

Three main kinds of photosynthesis pathways:

C3

C4

CAM

Answer:

Type: C3    (loses water in photosynthesis)

Binding Molecule for CO₂: Rubisco

(most abundant protein on earth)    

Affinity for CO₂ binding: Low

Site of Photosynthesis: Same Cell

Type: C4    (grains & grasses)

Binding Molecule for CO₂: PEP

Affinity for CO₂ binding: High

(more efficient w/CO₂)

Site of Photosynthesis: Spacially separated

Type: CAM

Binding Molecule for CO₂: PEP    

Affinity for CO₂ binding: High

Site of Photosynthesis: Temporal separation

(stomata closed during day, open at night when humidity is up to reduce water loss)

Answer:

[image]

- 0^o Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) 

(Tropical rainforest, rains leach soil of nutrients, creating hardpans, most nutrients locked up in living tissue and has a rapid nutrient cycle).

15- 30^o deserts

(drought stress most of the year, evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation, opportunistic species exploit erratic precipitation).

30- 45^o cool maritime climate

(Mediteranean vegetation (chaparal))

- 90^o polar desert

Answer:

Sets of individuals of the same species in a certain place.

These affect population:

Births, immigration

deaths, emmigration

Answer:

A Genet is a distinct genotype

A Ramet is a unit of a genet

Genotypes vs Genotypes

- marine invertebrates example: corals

- Forest: Sequoia Sempervirens (always strong) 

- most living biomass competes this way

Answer:

[image]

The sequoia recruitment shows that there is very little recruitment going on. We have a couple of young trees, but the majority are older with no replacement coming in.

[image]

Valley Oak is more stable. It shows a healthy number of young coming in to replace the older trees when they are gone.