13: Types of Species

Question 1

What are tolerance limits?

Answer 1

minimum and maximum levels beyond which a particular species cannot survive for each environmental factor

Question 2

What is a critical limiting factor?

Answer 2

a factor that outweighs the rest

Question 3

What is an example of a critical limiting factor?

Answer 3

a farmer plants corn in a soil poor in phosphorous (critical limiting factor, determines how much that corn grows)

Question 4

What is the tolerance range for different species of fish?

Answer 4

trout –> bass –> perch –> catfish
colder <————————-> warmer

Question 5

What is a specialist?

Answer 5

animals with narrow niches

Question 6

What is an example of a specialist?

Answer 6

koalas that only eat eucalyptus

Question 7

What is a generalist?

Answer 7

animals that have broad niches

Question 8

What is an example of a generalist?

Answer 8

raccoons are omnivores that can feed on pretty much anything

Question 9

Who is more likely to become endangered or extinct? A generalist or a specialist?

Answer 9

a specialist

Question 10

What is an indicator species?

Answer 10

species whose presence, absence, or abundance in certain location tells us something about the environmental conditions

Question 11

What are examples of indicator species?

Answer 11

1. lichens are sensitive to air pollution; they give information on how much nitrogen is in the air
2. wood stork serves as an indicator species for restoration of the Everglades ecosystem (doesn’t like muddy water)

Question 12

Are indicator species more likely to be generalist or specialist?

Answer 12

specialist! (They are going to be very picky at least for one environmental factor)

Question 13

What is a native species?

Answer 13

one that normally lives in a particular ecosystem

Question 14

What is an example of a native species?

Answer 14

walleye is a fish native to the Great Lakes

Question 15

What is an immigrant/alien species?

Answer 15

those that have migrated or have been introduced by humans

Question 16

What is an example of an immigrant/alien species?

Answer 16

sea lampreys migrated to the Great Lakes during the last century

Question 17

Can alien species become invasive species?

Answer 17

yes

Question 18

What are invasive species?

Answer 18

non-native species that can cause economic, environmental, or human health harm

Question 19

What are examples of invasive species?

Answer 19

1. zebra mussel in the Great Lakes
   - damages boat equipment, pipes, and kills the native mussels
2. kudzu vine took over the Southern U.S
   - intentionally introduced for its ornamental value but now many things are swallowed by them