Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

BIOL*2060 - Ecology > 2nd Half - Exam Review > Flashcards

2nd Half - Exam Review Flashcards

1
Q

Intrinsic Growth Rate

A

The max rate at which a population can grow under ideal conditions
- r in exponential
- Lambda geometric model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What purpose do the mathematical models serve?

A
  • Simplify complexity
  • Make (quantitative) predictions
  • Explore various scenarios
  • Test hypothesis and mechanisms
  • Communicate between disciplines
  • To criticize models and decide if assumptions are realistic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Geometric Growth

A

Populations grow geometrically when reproduction occurs at regular time intervals
Population Increases
- By a fixed proportion - lambda
- Constant ratio of change from one time to the next
- Over discrete, non overlapping time intervals
- The larger the population becomes, the faster it grows
- Used to model populations with discrete breeding seasons or generations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Exponential Growth

A

Populations grow exponentially when reproduction occurs continuously
- at a rate proportional to its current size
- continuously
- Larger the population becomes the faster it grows
- Used to model populations that grow continuously (rather than discrete intervals)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the critical value for lambda?

A

1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the critical value for r?

A

0

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What does the critical value for intrinsic growth rate mean?

A

No growth or change in population size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the differences + similarities between exponential and geometric growth? (2 and 2)

A

Similarities:
1. Both show rapid growth due to multiplication
2. Both involve some intrinsic rate of increase
Differences
1. Geometric growth is discrete, exponential growth is continuous
2. Different interpretation of growth rates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Liebig’s law of the minimum

A

The rate of biological process is limited by the factor in least amount relative to the organism’s requirements
- some factor is limiting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the 2 main types of limits?

A

1.Density dependant factors - become more important as the population size increases
- lead to carrying capacity
- often due to increased infraspecific competition at higher population

  1. Density independent factor - affect the population size regardless of its density
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Carrying capacity

A

The max number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the available resources in a particular environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What factors become more important as the population size increases (3)

A
  1. decrease in birth rate
  2. increase in death rate
  3. both
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

When is negative density dependance observed?

A
  • When the relationship between r max and density is -ve
  • Due to intraspecific competition
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Overshoot

A

If population exceeds carrying capacity
- decrease in birth rates
- increase in death rate
- both
Leads die off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Positive density dependent (allee effect)

A

The growth rate or survival of population increases as the population density increase
Due to:
- finding mate
- cooperative behaviours
- predator satiation
- resource availallity (niche construction)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Logistic Equation Model

A

The common model for negative density dependence
- S-shaped
- Inflection point
- Exponential phase before inflection point
- Logistic phase after inflection

K = carrying capacoty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

BIDE Model of Population Dynamics

A
  • Births
  • Immigration - individuals moving into the population
  • Deaths
  • Emigration - The movement of individuals out of the population to other areas
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the 3 types of fluctuation within a population

A
  1. Regular - tied to seasonal changes in environment
  2. Irregular - not tied to seasonal changes
  3. Cyclical - Intrinsic factors, result in a regularish pattern in the species, species interactions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Monotonic Damping

A

A smooth approach to carrying capacity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Damped Oscillations

A

Regular fluctuations that that decrease overtime

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Stable limit cycle

A

Regular fluctuations that is consistent over time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Chaos

A

Complex, unpredictable and irregular fluctuations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Density Independent Factors: Due to stochasticity

A

Due to stochasticity (conditions are changing in complex ways), typically unpredictable events
- Disease outbreaks (biotic), new disease not present (disease can be density dependant)
- Natural disasters (abiotic)
- Human disturbances

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

A population that is more variable is less stable: (4)

A
  • Stability - The maintenance of a relatively constant population size over time within a given geographic area (in terms of population).
  • Fluctuations can lead to periods of low population size
  • Small populations are more vulnerable to environmental changes and stochastic events
  • Small populations are thus at much greater risk of extinction than large populations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Resilient

A

Population that returns quickly after perturbation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Perturbation

A

Any temporary or permanent change in the conditions in an ecosystem that disrupts its normal functioning or structure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Ecological Interaction

A

An interaction refers to the relationship between two or more species in an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Mutualism:
Exploitation:
- Predation
- Parasitism
- Herbivory
Competition:
Commensalism:
Amensalism:
No interaction:

A

Mutualism ++
Exploitation +-
- Predation
- Parasitism
- Herbivory
Competition –
Commensalism + N
Amensalism - N
No interaction NN

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Exploitation

A

Interactions in which one one individual consumes other individuals of another species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Predation

A

Is biological Interaction in which one organism kills and consumes another organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Herbivory

A

The consumption of plants whole or in part by animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Parasitism

A

Live in or on another organism host and derive nutrients from it. Often without immediately killing the host

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Carnivory

A

Is the predation by animals that consume other animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Cannibalism

A

The predation by an organism on individual of its own species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Omnivory

A

The consumption of organisms from more than one trophic level.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Mesopredator

A

A mid sized predator within an ecosystem that occupies an intermediate position in the food chain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Optimal forage theory

A
  • How organisms make decisions about their foraging behavior
  • Assumes that organisms have limited time and energy to spend on foraging
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Top Down regulation

A

Consumers regulate the abundance of prey species
- In turn can influence the abundance of lower trophic levels and the structure of the community

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Bottom-up regulation

A

The availability of resources influence the abundance of consumers
- in turn can affect the structure and dynamics of the community

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Search Image

A

Refers to a mental representation or template formed by predators to recognize and effectively locate a specific type of prey within their environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Functional Response

A

A relationship between the density of the prey and an indig=vidual predators rate of food consumption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Type I functional Response

A

Linear increase with prey density. Sometimes saturates at high prey densities. Predators are not constrained and can consume prey at a constant rate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Type II Functional Response and Handling Time

A

Rate increases with density. Starts to slow down at higher prey densities. Plateaus at high prey density. Predators have limited handling capacity encounter prey defenses
- Handling Time: the duration of time required for a predator to capture, subdue and consume its prey after successfully locating and capturing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Type III Functional Response (most common) , Search time, and Refuge

A

Low prey consumption under low prey density. Rapid increase at moderate prey densities. Plateaus at high prey densities. Predators: switch between prey types or when prey have complex anti-predator defenses uses refuge. Spend time searching for prey or learning to capture prey.
- Search time: the duration of time spent by a predator actively searching for its prey within a given habitat area
- A Refuge: a location or habitat that provides protection or shelter to individuals or populations of organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Type I: Shows…
Type II: shows…
Type III: shows…

A

Type I: Shows a constant linear increase
Type II: shows a plateauing effect
Type III: shows a delayed increase followed by a plateau

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Numerical Response

A

A change in the number of predators through population growth or population movement due to immigration or emigration.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

The Lotka-Volterra Model

A

Used to understand dynamics of predator-prey relationship

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Capture rate of predator on prey = … = …

A

= Functional response = consumption rate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Conversion efficiency of predator x capture rate of predator on prey = …

A

Numerical Response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Isoclines

A

Lines on a graph that indicate where the population growth rate is 0 for one or more species
- represent equilibrium conditions in population dynamics model
- particularly in predator-prey interactions or competition between species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

The principal of interaction strength

A
  • As a consumer-resource interaction strength increases, consumer-resource interacitions tend to become:
  • More top heavy
  • less stable and therefore more prone to extinction
  • Energy flow between a consumer and its resource, the interaction becomes more oscillatory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

The Weak Interaction Effect

A
  • Weak interactions mute strong excitable interactions by..
  • deflecting away from them and inhibiting population cycles
  • Weakening generalist interaction strength on any one prey due to trade offs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Interspecific competition

A

The interaction between two species where the increased abundance of any one species the population growth of the other species to decrease
- between individuals or populations of different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Intraspecific Competition

A
  • Between individuals of the same species
  • competition can occur through exploitation or interference
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Exploitative Competition

A

Competition between organisms where individuals compete indirectly through the consumption of a limited resource.
- Indirect

56
Q

Interference Competition

A

Competition between organisms where individuals directly interact with one another to access or control resources.
- Direct ex. Aggression, territorial defense, occupying space

57
Q

Competitive Exclusion

A

One species outcompetes the other species, causing extirpation or local extinction
- on species may be better adapted to a particular resource

58
Q

Competitive Exclusion Principal

A

Two species competing for the same limited resource cannot coexist indefinitely

59
Q

Resource Partitioning

A

Exploitative different resources in some way such that each specialized on a different resource or in a different location
- both survive

60
Q

Character displacement

A

Competition between similar species can lead to the evolution of distinct differences reducing competition

61
Q

Niche Overlap

A

The extant to which ecological niches of two or more species in a community share similar resources

62
Q

Niche/ resource partitioning

A

Different species with a community adapt to use different subsets of resources or occupy different ecological niches to reduce competition and co-exist in the same habitat
- when this leads to evolutionary changes becomes character displacement

63
Q

Competition coefficients

A

Quantify the intensity of competition between species for a shared limiting resource
- Quantifies the effect of one species on another
- Describe how the growth of one species is affected by the abundance of another species
- Converts the number of individuals of one species into the number of individuals of the other

64
Q

Mutualism

A

A reciprocal relationship between two species where both species benefit

65
Q

Symbiosis

A

A type of mutalism in which individuals live within or on the other organism

66
Q

Obligate Mutualism

A

Essential for survival of one or both interacting species

67
Q

Facultative Mutualism

A

Are not essential for the survival of either species

68
Q

Trophic mutualisms

A
  • trade food for nutrients
  • trade food for food
69
Q

Defense Mutualisms

A

trade defense for energy

70
Q

Transport mutualism

A

Trade transport for energy

71
Q

Mutualism can change with changing conditions

A
  • Strengths of mutualism depends on the conditions that motivate the trade
  • mutualisms can biome parasidi
72
Q

Indirect Inderactions

A

Refers to the relationships that are mediated or influenced by the presence or activities of one or more additional species
- trophic cascades
- apparent competition
- facilitation

73
Q

Apparent competition

A

Refers to indirect interaction between two or more species mediated by a common predator

74
Q

Trophic Cascade

A

The indirect effects in which a change in the abundance or behavior of one species cascades through food web, influencing the abundance or behavior of other species at different trophic levels
- change in abundance at one trophic level can be refleced in changes in abundance of organisms at other trophic levels

75
Q

Top-down cascade

A
  • The effects originate from changes in the top trophic level and cascade downward through the food chain
  • Consumers regulate the abundance of prey species
  • In turn influence the abundance of lower trophic levels
76
Q

Bottom-up Cascade

A
  • The effects start from the changes in the primary producers or lower trophic levels and cascade upward through the food chain
  • The availability of resources influence the abundance of consumer
  • In turn affect higher trophic levels
77
Q

Keystone Species

A

A disproportionately large impacts on its environment relative to its abundance

78
Q

Dominant Species

A

An abundant species that exerts a significant within that community or the structure and function of an ecosystem

79
Q

Ecosystem Engineer

A

Significantly modifies or creates habitat, thereby directly or indirectly affecting the ability of resource for other species
- Type of keystone species
- can reek havoc in areas where they are not

80
Q

Foundation Species

A

Provide the physical foundation or infrastructure for a community or ecosystem
- often dominant species (corals, mangrooves)

81
Q

Facilitation

A

One species positively influences another species
- in terms of growth, survival, reproduction

82
Q

Invasive Meltdown

A

Phenomenon in which the invasion of non-native species facilitates the invasion of additional non-native species

83
Q

Conductance

A

The proportion of possible links or interactions between species that are actually realized in a food web
- # actual links/ # possible links

84
Q

Compartments

A

Relatively isolated food web subsystem that are richly connected within the subsystem but are loosley connected between subsystems
- strong interactions within a compartment
- Weak interactions between compartments

85
Q

Module/ Motifs

A

A subset species within a larger food web that are interconnected by their feeding relationships
- more common than expected by chance

86
Q

Generalist

A
  • A consumer that can make use of a variety of different resources
  • Flexibility is useful when facing variable environmental conditions
87
Q

Habitat Coupling

A
  • Linking of discrete habitats are connected through the movement and foraging of mobile consumers
  • Flexability is useful when moving between habitats
88
Q

Food web rewiring

A

Fundamental changes in the structure of a food web that alter the pathways of nutrients and or energy in an ecosystem.

89
Q

What are the two types of rewiring?

A
  1. Topological rewiring - changes in who eats whom. Results from species introductions and/or losses
  2. Interaction Strength Rewiring - Changes in how much. Results from changes in the consumptive demands of consumers
    - these two types can co-occur
90
Q

Primary Productivity

A

The rate at which energy is captured and concerted into organic compounds by photosynthesis or chemisyntheis
- preformed by primary producers

91
Q

Primary producers: (3)

A
  1. provide energy for all ecosystems
  2. Most commonly sun used (photosynthesis)
  3. Chemosynthesis - convert carbon containing molecules into organic matter using the oxidation in organic compounds or ferrous ions as a source of energy
92
Q

Productivity

A

The rate at which energy is converted onto organic matter

93
Q

Production

A

The biomass produced by organisms in an ecosystem over a given period of of time

94
Q

The standing crop

A

The biomass of producers at a particular moment in time

95
Q

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

A

The rate at which energy is captured and assimilates by producers in a given area

96
Q

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

A

The rate at which energy is assimilated by producers and converted into biomass in a given area

97
Q

Primary productivity varies with (4)

A
  1. latitude
  2. Region
  3. Ecosystem type
  4. Season
98
Q

Consumers

A

Obtain their energy by “eating” primary producers and or other consumers/heterotroughs
- or by decomposing dead organic matter

99
Q

Food chain

A

A linear sequance of energy flow between organisms

100
Q

Tropic Level

A

A position in the food chanin that represents a group of organisms sharing the same primary source of nutrient and energy
- named in order from primary producers to various levels of consumers

101
Q

Secondary Production

A

Biomass accumulation in an area
- consumers assimilate some energy and egest some energy
- Consumers respire some of their enrgy for metabolism
- The rest contributes to secondary production

102
Q

Ecological Efficiency

A

The percentage of the net primary production from one trophic level compared to the next trophic level
- only a fraction of the energy and biomass at each trophic level are transferred to the next level
- Some enrgy is always lost
- Most trophic pyramids are wide at the bottom and narrow at the top

103
Q

Trophic pyramid

A

A chart composed of stacked rectagles representing the amount of energy or biomass in each trophic group
- pyramid of numbers
pyramid of biomass
- pyramid of energy

104
Q

Consumption efficiency

A

The percentage of energy or biomass in a trophic level that is consumed by the next higher trophic level

105
Q

Assimilation efficiency

A

The percentage of consumed energy that is assimilated

106
Q

Top Heaviness in a biomass pyramid

A

A relatively high concentration of biomass or numbers at higher trophic levels compared to lower trophic levels
- more biomass at higher trophic levels than at lower trophic levels means the pyramid is inverted

107
Q

Local Guild

A

A group of species that share a common resource and occur in the same community

108
Q

A community

A

A group of interacting species that occur together in the same place and time
- boundarie scan be distinct or gradual

109
Q

An ecotone

A

a transition area between two biological communities
- can be well blended or very small leading to gradual or abrupt change
- often the two communities are intermixed

110
Q

Succession

A

Process by which a community changes overtime
- occurs in a community as species replace each other overtime
- different species are present in different stages of succession

111
Q

R selected species are associated with what kind of successional stages?

A

Early successional stages
- they quickly colonize and exploit disturbed habitats

112
Q

K selected species are more prevalent with what kind of successional stage?

A

Later stages
- they outcompete other species and dominate stable environment

113
Q

Primary succession

A

When communities develop in habitats that are initially devoid of plants and organic soil

114
Q

Secondary Succession

A

When communities develop in habitats that have been distributed and include no plants but still contain organic soil

115
Q

Disturbance

A

Any event or process that disrupts the normal structure or functioning of an ecosystem

116
Q

Priority Effect

A

The arrival of one species at a site affects the subsequant colonization of another species

117
Q

Mechanisms of Succession (3)

A
  1. Facitiation - one species increases the probability of another species being present/ established
  2. Inhibition - one species decreases the probability that a second species will become established
    - Dependant on priority effect and disturbance
  3. Tolerance - when the probability that a species becomes established depends on its
    a. Dispersal ability
    b. Ability to survive under the conditions of the environment
118
Q

Are the mechanisms of succession exlusive?

A

No, they can happen at the same time.

119
Q

Paradox of Enrichment (kinds)

A

Increasingly the available of resources can lead to the decline or instability of a consumers population
1. increased resources
2. consumer response
3. overexploitation
4. boom and burst

120
Q

Two parallel food webs (green and brown)

A

Green food web
- how producers obtain energy from primary production
- how this energy moves up the food web when producers are consumed
Brown food web
- how scavengers, detrivores, and decomposers obtain energy from dead organic matter
- how this energy moves up the food web when they are consumed
- dead organic matter

121
Q

Biogeochemical Cycle

A

The movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms and gaseous/solids/liquid forms in the atmosphere, and rocks, soils, and sediment

122
Q

Pools

A

The total amount of a particular substance or element within a specific compartment or reservoir in an ecosystem
- can include living organisms as well as non-living components
- can vary greatly in size
- can be relatively stable or dynamic
- measurement units: mass

123
Q

Fluxes

A

The movement or transfer of matter, energy, or other substances between different pools within an ecosystem
- rate of exchange between pools
- can include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, predation, nutrient uptake
- measurement units

124
Q

Residence Time

A

The average amount of time energy or biomass remains within a specific compartment or trophic level
- Before it is either transferred to another pool or removed altogther

125
Q

Uptake
Decomposition
Mieralizarion
Leaching
Runoff
Volatilization
Weathering
Sedimentation

A

Uptake - nutrients are taken up by organisms from the environment
Decomposition - dead organic are broken down by decomposers
Mieralizarion - The conversion of organic nutrients into inorganic forms that can be taken up by plants and other organisms
Leaching - nutrients can be lost from an ecosystem through leaching where water carries dissolved nutrients downward into bodies of water
Runoff - nutrients can be washed away from the land surface into bodies of water
Volatilization - Nutrients are released into the atmosphere
Weathering - physical/ chemical breakdown of rocks
Sedimentation - the movement of elements back into sediments

126
Q

What role do microorganisms play on nutrient cycling

A

They transform organic form s of nutrients into inorganic forms that can be taken up and assimilated by primary producers

127
Q

Stoichiometry

A

In ecology refers to the study of the balance of elements and compounds in biological systems and their role in regulating ecological processes
- The elemental composition of organisms and ecosystems
- Relative proportions of different chemical elements: often expressed as ratios of one element to another.
- Provide insights into: nutrient limitation, growth and productivity, ecological interactions.

128
Q

Dark Diversity

A

Is the set of species that are absent from a study site but in the surrounding region and potentially able to inhabit particular ecological conditions

129
Q

Extinction

A

the future extinction of species due to events in the past
- Extinction takes time

130
Q

Biodiversity hotspot

A

Refers to a biogeographic region that is characterized by a high level of species richness and endemism
- Are under threat from human activities

131
Q

Species-area Relationship (SAR)

A

well established pattern in ecology
The specific mechanisms vary depending on context.

132
Q

The Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography

A
  • Incorporates habitat area and isolation
  • The mainland is a species pool
    1. New species colonize islands from nearby sources
    2. As more species colonize fewer species are left to disperse to the island
    3. Colonization rates slow
133
Q

Over time species will go extinct
As species go extinct

A
  1. Fewer competitors for resources
  2. Less niche overlap
  3. Larger populations for remaining species
  4. Extinction rate slows
134
Q

Alpha Diversity

A

The species richness in a defined habitat/ area

135
Q

Beta Diversity

A

In some measurments of species differences or turnover of species between habitats

136
Q

Value of biodiversity

A
  • Cultural spiritual significance
  • economic value
  • inspiration for innovation
  • aesthetic value

BIOL*2060 - Ecology (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions