Term
|
Definition
| the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment |
|
|
Term
| what do ecological interactions determine? |
|
Definition
| Distibution and abundance of organisms |
|
|
Term
| What level ranges do ecologists work at? |
|
Definition
| they work from individual organisms to the whole planet |
|
|
Term
| what is the global ecosystem or the sum of all the planets ecosystems? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what does global ecology examine? |
|
Definition
| the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the Biosphere |
|
|
Term
| what does landscape ecology focus on? |
|
Definition
| the exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact |
|
|
Term
| what does ecosystem ecology emphasize? |
|
Definition
| energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a group of populations of different species in an area |
|
|
Term
| what does community ecology deal with? |
|
Definition
| the whole array of interacting species in a community |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a group of individuals of the same species living in an area |
|
|
Term
| what does population ecology focus on? |
|
Definition
| factors that affect population size over time |
|
|
Term
| what does organismal ecology study? |
|
Definition
| how an organism's structure, physiology, and behavior meet environmental challenges |
|
|
Term
| what areas of biology are involved in ecological studies? |
|
Definition
| physiology, evolution, behavior |
|
|
Term
| what questions do ecologists ask? |
|
Definition
| where species occur and why species occur where they do |
|
|
Term
| what types of factors influence species distribution? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what are some examples of biotic factors? |
|
Definition
| Predation, herbivory, competition |
|
|
Term
| what are some examples of abiotic factors? |
|
Definition
Temperature, water and oxygen, sunlight, wind, salinity,and rocks and soil
(note vary in space and time) |
|
|
Term
| what is population ecology? |
|
Definition
| the study of populations in relation to environment, including environmental influences on density, distribution, age structure, and population size. |
|
|
Term
| what are population described by? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the number of individuals per unit area of volume. |
|
|
Term
| what is the mark recapture equation? |
|
Definition
N=sn/x
S=# of individuals captured tagged and realesed
n=# of individuals captured in 2nd sample
x=# of recaptures in second sample
N= population size |
|
|
Term
| what two processes remove and add individuals to a population resulting in density changes? |
|
Definition
| Immigration and Emigration |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the influx of new individuals from other areas |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the movement of individuals out of a population |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the pattern of spacing amoung individuals within the boudaries of the population |
|
|
Term
| what is a clumped dispersion pattern? |
|
Definition
| individuals are grouped in patches |
|
|
Term
| what is a uniform dispersion pattern? |
|
Definition
| individuals are equally spaced out |
|
|
Term
| what may influence a uniform dispersion pattern? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what is a random dispersion pattern? |
|
Definition
| individuals in a population are spaced in an unpredictable way |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the study of the vital statistics of a population and how they change over time |
|
|
Term
| what are particulat interests to demographers? |
|
Definition
| birth rates and death rates |
|
|
Term
| what is a life-table and how is it best made? |
|
Definition
| an age specific summary of the survival pattern of a population that is best made by following the cohort(a group of individuals of the same age) |
|
|
Term
| what is a survivorship curve? |
|
Definition
| a graphic way of representing the data in a life table |
|
|
Term
| what is a type I survivorship curve? |
|
Definition
| low death rates during early and middle life, then an increase of death rates amoung older age groups |
|
|
Term
| what is a type II survivorship curve? |
|
Definition
| the death rate is constant over an organisms life span |
|
|
Term
| what is a type III survivorship curve? |
|
Definition
| high death rates for the young, then a slower death rate for survivors |
|
|
Term
| what is a reproductive table/fertility schedule? |
|
Definition
| an age specific summary of the reproductive rates in a population |
|
|
Term
| what does a fertility schedule/reproductive table describe? |
|
Definition
| the reproductive patterns of a population |
|
|
Term
| what does the exponential model of population growth describe and how is it useful? |
|
Definition
| population growth in an idealized, unlimited environment. it is uselful to study populatin growth in an idealized situation to help understand the capacity of a species to increase and the conditions that may facilitate growth |
|
|
Term
| what is the per capita rate of increase(not ignoring immigration and emigration)? |
|
Definition
| change in population= Births+Immigration-Deaths-Emigration |
|
|
Term
| what is the per capita rate of increase ignoring immigration and emigration? |
|
Definition
ΔN/Δt= B-D
N=population size
t=time
B=# of births
D=#of deaths
|
|
|
Term
| what is the population growth equation using average birth and death rates? |
|
Definition
ΔN/Δt= bN-mN
N=population size
b=annual per capita birth rate
m= morality rate(per capita death rate) |
|
|
Term
| what is the per capita rate of interest equation? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| when does zero population growth(ZPG) occur? |
|
Definition
| when birth rate equals the death rate |
|
|
Term
| what is the change in population size equation? |
|
Definition
ΔN/Δt=rN
r=per capita rate of interest
N=population size |
|
|
Term
| what is the instantaneous growth rate equation? |
|
Definition
ΔN/Δt=rinstN
rinst= instantaneous per capita rate of increase
N= population size |
|
|
Term
| what is exponential population growth? |
|
Definition
| population increase under idealized conditions. |
|
|
Term
| under idealized conditions population growth rate of increase is at its what? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what is the equation for exponential population growth? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what shape of curve do the results from an exponential population growth equation produce? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what does the logistical population growth model describe? |
|
Definition
| that a populations growth rate slows as it nears carrying capacity |
|
|
Term
| can exponential growth be sustained in a population for long periods of time? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what is carrying capacity? |
|
Definition
| the maximum population size an environment can support |
|
|
Term
| what shaped curve does the logistical model of growth produce? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what happens in a density independent population? |
|
Definition
| birth rate and death rate do not change with population density |
|
|
Term
| what happens in a density dependent population? |
|
Definition
| birth rates fall and death rates rise with population density |
|
|
Term
| what are density dependent birth and death rates an example of? |
|
Definition
| negative feedback that regulates a populations growth |
|
|
Term
| what factors are density dependent birth and death rates affected by? |
|
Definition
| competition for resources, toxic wastes, predeation, intrinsic(pyschological) factors, territoriality, and disease |
|
|
Term
| what traits make up an organisms life history? |
|
Definition
| age of reproduction, how often reproduction occurs, how many offspring are produced, survival skills |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| when a reproductive trait is traded for the survival of the species |
|
|
Term
| what is k-selection or density dependent selection? |
|
Definition
selects for life history traits that are sensitive to population density.
low population reproductive rate=higher parental care |
|
|
Term
| what is r-selection or density independent selection? |
|
Definition
| selects for life history traits that maximize reproduction |
|
|
Term
| what does the study of population dynamics focus on? |
|
Definition
| the complex interaction between biotic and abiotic factors that cause variation in population size. |
|
|
Term
| what are boom-bust cycles? |
|
Definition
| population densitys that fluctuate |
|
|
Term
| what is a biological community? |
|
Definition
| an assemblege of populationsof various species living in close enough for potential interaction |
|
|
Term
| what are interspecific interactions? |
|
Definition
relationships with other species in a community.
|
|
|
Term
| what are the 5 categories of interspecific interactions? |
|
Definition
| Herbivory, facilitaion, predation, sybiosis, and competition |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| -/- interaction happens when two species compete for the same resource that is in short supply. |
|
|
Term
| what is intraspecific competition? |
|
Definition
| competition between the same species |
|
|
Term
| what is an ecological niche? |
|
Definition
| the total use of biotic and abiotic resources by a species |
|
|
Term
| what is competitive exclusion? |
|
Definition
| when one species outcompetes another for a resource making it impossible for the two to coexist |
|
|
Term
| what is resource partitioning? |
|
Definition
| differentiation of ecological niches allowing two or more species to coexist in a community |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/- interspecific interaction where the predator kills the prey |
|
|
Term
| how have prey adapted to fight predators? |
|
Definition
| they have developed camoflauge, mimicry, chemical defenses, and mechanical defenses |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/- interspecific interaction where a herbivore eats parts of a plant or algea |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| interspecific interaction where two or more species live in direct and intimate contact with one another |
|
|
Term
| what are the 4 categories of sybiosis? |
|
Definition
| Parasitism, commensalism, facultation, mutualism |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/- interaction where one organism, the parasite, gains nourishment from its host while damaging it |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/+ symbiosis where the interaction benefits both species |
|
|
Term
| what are the two categories of mutualism? |
|
Definition
obligate=1 species cant live without another
facultative=both species can survive alone |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/0 intraspecific interaction where one species benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| +/+ or +/0 interspecific interaction where one species can have positive effect on another without direct intimate contact |
|
|
Term
| what are two fundemental features of a community's structure? |
|
Definition
| species diversity and feeding relationships |
|
|
Term
| what is species diversity in a community and what are the two components? |
|
Definition
the variety of organisms that make up the community.
species richness and relative abundance |
|
|
Term
| define species richness and relative abundance. |
|
Definition
species richness- total number of different species in the community
relative abundance-proportion each species represents of the total number of individuals. |
|
|
Term
| communities with a higher diversity are what? |
|
Definition
| more productive and more stable in their productivity,better able to withstand and recover from environmental stress, and more resistant to invasive species(organisms that become established outside their native range) |
|
|
Term
| what is Trophic Structure? |
|
Definition
| the feeding relationships between organisms in a community and is the key factor in community dynamics. |
|
|
Term
| what do food chains link? |
|
Definition
| trophic levels from producers to top carnivores |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a braching food chain with complex trophic interactions |
|
|
Term
| what are dominant species? |
|
Definition
| species that are most abundant and have the largest biomass |
|
|
Term
| what is a keystone species? |
|
Definition
| species that exert strong control over a community by there ecological roles |
|
|
Term
| what is an ecosystem engineer? |
|
Definition
| species that cause physical change in the environment that affect community structure |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| passage of energy through an ecosystem |
|
|
Term
| what is chemical cycling? |
|
Definition
| the cycling of abiotic materials through an ecosystem |
|
|
Term
| what is primary productions? |
|
Definition
| carried out by producers is the amount of sunlight converted into chemical energy producing biomass |
|
|
Term
| what limits the length of food chains? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what does a pyramid of production show? |
|
Definition
| cumulative loss of energy transfer in a food chain |
|
|
Term
| what are biochemical cycles? |
|
Definition
| cycles between organisms and the Earth |
|
|
Term
| what are examples of biochemical cycles? |
|
Definition
| water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and phosphate cycle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the sum of all the planets ecosystems |
|
|
Term
| what dictates the organization of the ecosystems that make up the biosphere? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area |
|
|
Term
| what are the 4 major abiotic components of climate? |
|
Definition
| temperature, wind, sunlight, and precipitation |
|
|
Term
| what are global climate patterns determined by? |
|
Definition
| solar energy and the planets movement in space |
|
|
Term
| what affects the amount of heat and light per unit of surface area on earth? |
|
Definition
| the angle at which the sun hits the earth |
|
|
Term
| what are the regional and local effects on climate? |
|
Definition
| seasonality, bodies of water, and mountains |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| major life zones characterized by vegetation type or physical environment |
|
|
Term
| what effects the latitudinal patterns of terrestrial biomes? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what does a climograph plot? |
|
Definition
| temperature and precipitation in a region |
|
|
Term
| what are biomes affected by? |
|
Definition
| average temperature and precipitation and pattern of temperature and precipitation |
|
|
Term
| what are terrestrial biomes usually named after? |
|
Definition
| physical or climatic factors and vegetation |
|
|
Term
terrestrial biomes grade into each without what?
|
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the area of integration between biomes |
|
|
Term
| layering vegetation provides what for animals? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an event such as a fire, storm, or human activity that changes a community |
|
|
Term
| what five things are terrestrial biomes characterized by? |
|
Definition
| distribution, precipitation, temperature, plants, and animals |
|
|
Term
| where to tropical forests usually occur? |
|
Definition
| in the warm moist belt along the equator |
|
|
Term
| what two types of tropical forests are there and what is the difference between them? |
|
Definition
tropical rain forest= precipitaion is relatively constant
tropical dry forest= precipitation is seasonal |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| equatorial and sub equatorial regions |
|
|
Term
| what makes a savanna different from a rainforest? |
|
Definition
temperature has more season variability
grasses and forbs make up most ground cover
the dominant species are fire adapted and tolerant of seasonal drought |
|
|
Term
| what organisms commonly inhabit savannas and what helps maintain this biome? |
|
Definition
insects, wildebeests, zebras, lions, and heyenas
fires set by humans |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in bands near 30° north and south of the equator and in the interior of continents |
|
|
Term
| what is the climate like in deserts? |
|
Definition
precipitation is low
temperatures may be hot or cold |
|
|
Term
| what common organisms live in the deserts and what adaptations have plants made? |
|
Definition
snakes and lizards, scorpions, ants, beetles, migratory and resident birds, and seed eating rodents.
adapted for heat and desiccation tolerance, water storage, and reduced leaf surface area |
|
|
Term
| where do chapparals occur? |
|
Definition
| midlatitudinal coastal regions on several continents |
|
|
Term
| what is the climate of a chapparal? |
|
Definition
precipitation is highly seasonal with rainy winters and dry summers
hot summers cold winters |
|
|
Term
| what animals live in chapparals and what has reduced them? |
|
Definition
amphibians, birds and reptiles, small mammals and browsing mammals.
human agriculture and urbinization |
|
|
Term
| where are temperate grasslands found? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what is the climate of a temperate grassland? |
|
Definition
precipitation is highly seasonal
winters are cold and dry summers are hot and wet |
|
|
Term
| what organisms live in temperate grassland and how have plants adapted there? |
|
Definition
| large grazers, wild horses, and small burrowers |
|
|
Term
| where are temperate broadleaf forests found? |
|
Definition
| at midlatitudes in the northern hemisphere as well as smaller areas in chile, south africa, australia, and new zealand |
|
|
Term
| what is the climate of a temperate broadleaf forest? |
|
Definition
significant amounts of precipitation during all seasons
winters are on averge freezing and summers are hot and humid |
|
|
Term
| what types of organisms live in temperate broadleaf forests? what plants dominate there? |
|
Definition
mammals, hibernating mammals, birds, and insects.
in the northern hemisphere deciduous trees
in australia eucalyptus |
|
|
Term
| where do northern coniferous forests occur? |
|
Definition
northern north america and eurasia
(largest terrestrial biome) |
|
|
Term
| what is the climate of northern coniferous forests? |
|
Definition
| precipitation varies, winters are cold and long while summers may be hot |
|
|
Term
| what plants dominate the northern coniferous forests? |
|
Definition
| conifers such as pine, spruce, fir, and hemlock trees |
|
|
Term
| how have the trees in the northern coniferous forests adapted? |
|
Definition
| they have a conical shape wich prevents snow build up thus preventing broken branches |
|
|
Term
| what organisms live in the northern coniferous forests? |
|
Definition
| migratory and resident birds, large mammals, and siberian tigers |
|
|
Term
| what are happening to the northern coniferous forests? |
|
Definition
| they are being logged at an alarming rate |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| expansive areas of the artic and on high mountains at all latitudes |
|
|
Term
| what is the climate of the tundra? |
|
Definition
precipitation is low in artic tundra higher in alpine tundra.
winters are long and cold while summers are relatively cool |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a permanently frozen layer of soil |
|
|
Term
| what plants and animals live in the tundra? |
|
Definition
| herbaceoous plants, support birds, grazers and their predators |
|
|
Term
| what are the two catagories of aquatic biomes? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| aquatic biomes are stratified into zones and layers defined by what? |
|
Definition
| light penetration, temperature, and depth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| layer of aquatic biome that recieves sufficient light for photosynthesis. |
|
|
Term
| what is the aphotic zone? |
|
Definition
| layer of aquatic biome that recieves little light |
|
|
Term
| what makes up the pelogic zone? |
|
Definition
| the photic and aphotic zones |
|
|
Term
| where is the abyssal zone located? |
|
Definition
| 2 to 6 thousand meters deep in the aphotic zone |
|
|
Term
| what is the benthic zone? |
|
Definition
| the organic and inorganic sediment at the bottom of all aquatic biomes |
|
|
Term
| what are the communities in the benthic zone called? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| dead organic matter that falls from the surface water and is an important food source |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a temperature boundary that seperates the warm upper layer from the cold deeper water |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the mixing of oxgenated water from the surface with the nutrient rich water from the bottom |
|
|
Term
| what can major aquatic biomes be characterized by? |
|
Definition
| physical environment, chemical environment, geological features, photosynthetic organisms, and heterotrophs |
|
|
Term
what are the 2 categories of lakes?
what are the differences? |
|
Definition
oligatrophic lakes= nutrient poor oxygen rich
eutrophic lakes= nutrient rich oxygen poor with ice cover
|
|
|
Term
what two zones are associated with lakes only?
what defines them? |
|
Definition
limnetic zone= deep areas with small drifting zooplankton the feed on phytoplankton
littoral zone= well lit shallow areas with rooted or floating plants |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time and supports plants adapted to water saturated soil |
|
|
Term
| what is a wetland considered? |
|
Definition
| the most productive biome on earth |
|
|
Term
| what impact has the human population had on wetlands? |
|
Definition
| we have destroyed 90% of all wetlands |
|
|
Term
| what is the most prominent physical characteristic of a river or stream? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
what two categories are rivers devided into?
what are the characteristics? |
|
Definition
headwaters= from source of river cold, clear, turbulent, swift, oxygen rich, narrow, and rocky
downstream waters= for rivers, warmer, more turbid, oxygenated, wide, wandering, and silty bottoms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a transition area between river and sea |
|
|
Term
| what are the characteristics of an estuary? |
|
Definition
| salinity varies with the tide, nutrient rich, highly productive, complex tidal channels, islands, natural levees, and mudflats, abundant food supply attracting marine invertebretes, fish, waterfowl, and marine mammals |
|
|
Term
| what is an intertidal zone? |
|
Definition
| the area between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide that has high oxygen and nutrient levels with rocky or sandy substrates |
|
|
Term
| what are organisms living in the intertidal zone challenged with? |
|
Definition
| variations in temperature and salinity because of the mechanical forces of wave action |
|
|
Term
| what is the oceanic pelagic biome? |
|
Definition
| constantly mixed ocean by wind driven oceanic currents, high oxygen levels, covers 70% of earths surface, phytoplankton and zooplankton are the dominant organisms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| formed from the calcium skeletons of coral which require high oxygen levels and a solid subtrate for attatchment |
|
|
Term
| where do shallow reef-building corals lie and at what temperature? |
|
Definition
| in the photic zone in clear water 20-30°C |
|
|
Term
| at what depth do deep see corral live? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what is the marine benthic zone? |
|
Definition
| consists of the seafloor below surface waters of the coastal, or neritic, zone and the offshore pelagic zone. acidic water |
|
|
Term
| what is conservation biology? |
|
Definition
| biology that seeks to preserve life through understanding ecology, physiology, molecular, genetic, and evolutionary biology. |
|
|
Term
| what are the three main components of biodiversity? |
|
Definition
| genetics, species, and location |
|
|
Term
| what is genetic diversity? |
|
Definition
| genetic variation within a population and between populations |
|
|
Term
| what is species diversity? |
|
Definition
| the variety of species in an ecosystem or throughout the biosphere |
|
|
Term
| what is an endangered species and a threatened species? |
|
Definition
endangered species= species in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range
threatened species= species likely to become endangered in the future |
|
|
Term
| what are conservation biologist concerned about? |
|
Definition
| the loss of species because of the alarming statistics regarding extiction and biodiversity |
|
|
Term
| what is ecosystem diversity? |
|
Definition
| the variety of ecosystems in the biosphere |
|
|
Term
| what are ecosystem services? |
|
Definition
| all the processes through which natural ecosystems and their species help sustain human life |
|
|
Term
| what are the four major threats to species loss? |
|
Definition
| habitat loss, introduced species, overharvesting, and global change |
|
|
