Chapter 14: Ecology Flashcards
ecology
the scientific study of the interaction between organisms, populations, or communities and their biotic and abiotic environment
biotic
living
abiotic
non-living
environment
has biotic and abiotic components
biomes
a. major ecosystems distributed by latitude
b. a major ecosystem characterized by a predominant plant community and animals adapted to these plants
permafrost
permanently frozen subsoil
epiphytes
plants that grow on top of other plants (ex: orchids, mistletoe)
vertical stratification
different plant and animal communities exist at different heights of the forest canopy
limiting factor
a single abiotic factor, scarce in supply, which when increased will bring about the production of more organisms
C4 plants
plants that can take in carbon dioxide and store it in a four carbon compound, enabling the carbon fixation process to be compartmentalized
forbs
small broadleaf plants
aquatic biomes
an ecosystem that occurs in water; contains plants and animals specialized to exist in water
ecotones
the areas where habitats overlap
photic zones
penetrated by light
aphotic zones
penetrated by less light
chemosynthesis
chemical energy is obtained by oxidizing inorganic substances such as hydrogen sulfide; doesn’t need light energy
thermocline
a heat gradient that varies with depth; temperature can vary greatly between layers and may change seasonally
phytoplankton
plant organisms such as algae
zooplankton
animal-like plankton
oligotrophic
nutrient poor, clear, deep lake with phytoplankton
eutrophic
nutrient rich, shallow, wide lake with high amounts of phytoplankton
hydrophytes
have special adaptations that allow them to thrive where plants could not (ex: pond lilies, cattails)
neritic zone
shallow regions over continental shelfts
coral reefs
invertebrates with associated plants and animals
organismal ecology
the study of individual organisms and how they interact with their environment
ethology
the study of animal behavior
fixed action patterns (FAPs)
highly stereotypical behaviors that are species specific and genetically based. The behaviors must be completed once initiated.
releasers
environmental stimuli that trigger stereotypical behaviors
imprinting
learning that is restricted to a time period in an organism’s life and is typically irreversible
dihybrid cross
an experimental cross involving two genes
backcross
a testcross with one of the original P1 parents
testcross
breeding an organisms of unknown genotype with a homozygous recessive; the ratio of the offspring phenotypes determines the unknown genotype
optimal foraging theory
employed by behavioral ecologists to predict which prey organisms are selected based on cost/benefit factor
intraspecific
within a giving species
agonistic
threatening or posturing
sexual selection
the process where advantages in attracting or competing for mates results in differential reproductive success
natural selection
the process where advantages in an individual’s interaction with its environment results in differential reproductive success
lek
a group of males who gather to perform courtship displays
population
all of the members of the same species in a given area
life history
characteristics of an organism that pertain to their schedule of growth, reproduction, and death
exponential
populations which grow under ideal conditions at an intrinsic rate of increase
logistic population growth
rate of growth decreases as population increases and reaches carrying capacity
carrying capacity
the number of individuals of the population that a particular environment can support with no net increase or decrease over an extended period of time (represented by K in the logistic model)
intraspecific competition
members of the same species vie for the same limited resources
density dependent factor
increases in relative effect as population size increases; ex: availability of food
density independent variables
factors that reduce populations size regardless of population density; ex: weather
community ecology
the study of how populations of different species interact with each other and their environment
coevolution
a change over time involving two species where a change in one drives a change in the other
competitive exclusion
the concept that two species with similar resource requirements cannot coexist
ecological niche
an organism’s role in its environment; the total of an organism’s use of biotic and abiotic factors
character displacement
the occurence of characteristics that are more divergent in co-occurring populations than in separately occurring populations
symbiosis
a close relationship between two species consisting of a host and its symbiont
zooxanthelae
multicellular algae
ecological succession
change in community structure over time
facilitative replacement
the presence of a species in a community changes the environment allowing new species to colonize
lichen
symbiotic association of algal and fungus
virgin stands
undisturbed forest
secondary succession
disruption of an existing community that leaves the soil intact
community
all of the organisms that live in a certain area and interact with each other
species diversity
the number of species in a community
primary producer
organisms that form the base of a food chain, usually photoautotrophs
ecosystem
interrelationships of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environment
entropy
tendency towards disorder
trophic levels
a way of categorizing species according to their source of nutrition
food chain
shows transfer of food energy from one trophic level to the next starting with primary producers
detritivores
obtain energy from non-living organic material
primary productivity
a measurement of the incorporation of energy and materials into the bodies of organisms
biomass
the aggregate dry weight of all organisms in a community or ecosystem
joule
a unit of energy
transpiration
the process by which water evaporates from a plant’s leaves
agronomy
the practice of applying soil and plant sciences to farming
algae blooms
above average growth of photosynthetic organisms
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)
a fat soluble pesticide used to control insects that is potentially harmful to other animals, and has been banned in the United States
biological magnification
the process where toxins become accumulated with each successive trophic level
greenhouse effect
rising global temperatures as a result of the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere
