1.1. (8/26) Ecology, species, Categorization Flashcards
sample mean
add values divide by total number of values
sample variance
n/n-1 times [(square each value and add them together/n) - sample mean)]
What are the unique processes that are examined when taking the individual approach to studying ecology?
What are the unique processes that are examined when taking the population approach to studying ecology?
What are the unique processes that are examined when taking the community approach to studying ecology?
What are the unique processes that are examined when taking the ecosystem approach to studying ecology?
What is unique about water with regard to how temperature affects its density?
Describe how ecological systems are governed by physical and biological principles.
energy moves and is recycled, dynamic steady states
What does it mean when we say that ecological systems are in a dynamic steady state?
What are the three conditions required for evolution by natural selection to occur?
what does ecology mean?
-the study of one’s surroundings
- the study of the interactions of organisms and their environment
- the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions that determine them
- the movement of energy through and cycle of matter within a system (system approach)
How is environment defined?
physical, chemical, temperature, light, nutrient availability, biotic, predation, disease, competition
What kinds of questions are asked to determine distribution and abundance?
How are organisms distributed across the landscape? why does one species live in this place and not another? What process controls where we find things?
what does ecology cover?
- descriptions of structure: any observable pattern
- functional understanding of the world around us: processes that underly observable structure
- evolutionary understanding of function and structure: WHY these patterns and emergence
- apply knowledge to resource management and conservation: document, explain, manage, design, predict systems
What is life?
- Homeostasis
- response to stimuli
- ability to reproduce
- requires energy
- passing on genetic code
- evolution by natural selection
- take in energy
- get rid of waste
- grow and develop
- respond and evolve to environment
What is homeostasis?
natural state, equilibrium
What are the cell differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
- Prokaryotes: no nucleus for DNA. no specialized internal structures
- differences in cell wall
- Eukaryotes: nucleus, specialized internal structures
What are the two kinds of prokaryotes?
Bacteria and Archaea (genetically and molecularly different)
What are the characteristics of bacteria?
- single-celled without nucleus
Domains
- highest level of life classification
- three groups: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Archaea
single-celled, extreme environments
Eukarya
nucleus
Why are prokaryotes important ecologically?
- shape, structure, and change how an ecosystem works
- diverse
- biochemical specialists
What are the kingdoms under eukaryotes?
- protists
- red algae
- green algae
- plants
- fungi
- animals
What are the characteristics of protists? who falls under this group?
- single-celled
- diverse
- membrane-bound nucleus
- protists (protozoa, algae, molds) red algae, green algae
Who does photosynthesis?
plants and protests and eubacteria
what are fungi and animals?
heterotrophs
what are heterotrophs
require organic carbon for energy
what do fungi focus on?
- dead materials
- decomposers
What is mutualism
engage in a cooperative effort to make a living
which organism is an example of mutualism?
lichen: green algae and fungus
what is the lichen structure?
fungal hyphae, algal cells (photosynthesis), loose hyphae, lower level of tight hyphae, substratum
how do the different components of the lichen benefit from mutualism?
fungus: nutrients once dead
green algae: protection
What is the detailed filing system?
domain -> kingdom -> phylum -> class -> order -> family -> genus -> species
How are species named?
binomial nomenclature (two names)
Describe the parts of binomial nomenclature
- italicized
- genus is first word
- first word capitalized
What is taxonomy?
field of science focused on the identification of species on Earth
What are the three different ways we define a species?
biological, morphological, genetic/molecular
What is the biological definition of species?
groups of individuals that can potentially breed in the wild with fertile offspring
What is the morphological definition of species?
internally, functionally, and biochemically distinct from others in an important way
What is the genetic/molecular definition of species?
distinct sequencing and enzymes
Why does it matter how we define a species?
conservation
what is polyploidy?
when chromosomes are doubled in offspring from gametes (meiosis) production
What is hybridization?
polyploidy produces enough distinct offspring that can reproduce
How many angiosperm species originated by hybridization?
70%
what is an angiosperm species?
plants that flower
How do microorganisms reproduce?
asexual
what is horizontal gene transfer?
individuals come together swap genetic material and go on to asexually split
How are microorganism species delineated?
30% arbitrary threshold for similarity
How many species exist? why can we never know? how many have been classified?
8-9 million, extinction, 1/3 - 1%`
