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AP Biology > Chapter 14: Ecology > Flashcards

Chapter 14: Ecology Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

ecology

A

the scientific study of the interaction between organisms, populations, or communities and their biotic and abiotic environment

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2
Q

biotic

A

living

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3
Q

abiotic

A

non-living

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4
Q

environment

A

has biotic and abiotic components

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5
Q

biomes

A

a. major ecosystems distributed by latitude

b. a major ecosystem characterized by a predominant plant community and animals adapted to these plants

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6
Q

permafrost

A

permanently frozen subsoil

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7
Q

epiphytes

A

plants that grow on top of other plants (ex: orchids, mistletoe)

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8
Q

vertical stratification

A

different plant and animal communities exist at different heights of the forest canopy

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9
Q

limiting factor

A

a single abiotic factor, scarce in supply, which when increased will bring about the production of more organisms

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10
Q

C4 plants

A

plants that can take in carbon dioxide and store it in a four carbon compound, enabling the carbon fixation process to be compartmentalized

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11
Q

forbs

A

small broadleaf plants

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12
Q

aquatic biomes

A

an ecosystem that occurs in water; contains plants and animals specialized to exist in water

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13
Q

ecotones

A

the areas where habitats overlap

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14
Q

photic zones

A

penetrated by light

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15
Q

aphotic zones

A

penetrated by less light

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16
Q

chemosynthesis

A

chemical energy is obtained by oxidizing inorganic substances such as hydrogen sulfide; doesn’t need light energy

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17
Q

thermocline

A

a heat gradient that varies with depth; temperature can vary greatly between layers and may change seasonally

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18
Q

phytoplankton

A

plant organisms such as algae

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19
Q

zooplankton

A

animal-like plankton

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20
Q

oligotrophic

A

nutrient poor, clear, deep lake with phytoplankton

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21
Q

eutrophic

A

nutrient rich, shallow, wide lake with high amounts of phytoplankton

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22
Q

hydrophytes

A

have special adaptations that allow them to thrive where plants could not (ex: pond lilies, cattails)

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23
Q

neritic zone

A

shallow regions over continental shelfts

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24
Q

coral reefs

A

invertebrates with associated plants and animals

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25
Q

organismal ecology

A

the study of individual organisms and how they interact with their environment

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26
Q

ethology

A

the study of animal behavior

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27
Q

fixed action patterns (FAPs)

A

highly stereotypical behaviors that are species specific and genetically based. The behaviors must be completed once initiated.

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28
Q

releasers

A

environmental stimuli that trigger stereotypical behaviors

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29
Q

imprinting

A

learning that is restricted to a time period in an organism’s life and is typically irreversible

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30
Q

dihybrid cross

A

an experimental cross involving two genes

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31
Q

backcross

A

a testcross with one of the original P1 parents

32
Q

testcross

A

breeding an organisms of unknown genotype with a homozygous recessive; the ratio of the offspring phenotypes determines the unknown genotype

33
Q

optimal foraging theory

A

employed by behavioral ecologists to predict which prey organisms are selected based on cost/benefit factor

34
Q

intraspecific

A

within a giving species

35
Q

agonistic

A

threatening or posturing

36
Q

sexual selection

A

the process where advantages in attracting or competing for mates results in differential reproductive success

37
Q

natural selection

A

the process where advantages in an individual’s interaction with its environment results in differential reproductive success

38
Q

lek

A

a group of males who gather to perform courtship displays

39
Q

population

A

all of the members of the same species in a given area

40
Q

life history

A

characteristics of an organism that pertain to their schedule of growth, reproduction, and death

41
Q

exponential

A

populations which grow under ideal conditions at an intrinsic rate of increase

42
Q

logistic population growth

A

rate of growth decreases as population increases and reaches carrying capacity

43
Q

carrying capacity

A

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)

44
Q

intraspecific competition

A

members of the same species vie for the same limited resources

45
Q

density dependent factor

A

increases in relative effect as population size increases; ex: availability of food

46
Q

density independent variables

A

factors that reduce populations size regardless of population density; ex: weather

47
Q

community ecology

A

the study of how populations of different species interact with each other and their environment

48
Q

coevolution

A

a change over time involving two species where a change in one drives a change in the other

49
Q

competitive exclusion

A

the concept that two species with similar resource requirements cannot coexist

50
Q

ecological niche

A

an organism’s role in its environment; the total of an organism’s use of biotic and abiotic factors

51
Q

character displacement

A

the occurence of characteristics that are more divergent in co-occurring populations than in separately occurring populations

52
Q

symbiosis

A

a close relationship between two species consisting of a host and its symbiont

53
Q

zooxanthelae

A

multicellular algae

54
Q

ecological succession

A

change in community structure over time

55
Q

facilitative replacement

A

the presence of a species in a community changes the environment allowing new species to colonize

56
Q

lichen

A

symbiotic association of algal and fungus

57
Q

virgin stands

A

undisturbed forest

58
Q

secondary succession

A

disruption of an existing community that leaves the soil intact

59
Q

community

A

all of the organisms that live in a certain area and interact with each other

60
Q

species diversity

A

the number of species in a community

61
Q

primary producer

A

organisms that form the base of a food chain, usually photoautotrophs

62
Q

ecosystem

A

interrelationships of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environment

63
Q

entropy

A

tendency towards disorder

64
Q

trophic levels

A

a way of categorizing species according to their source of nutrition

65
Q

food chain

A

shows transfer of food energy from one trophic level to the next starting with primary producers

66
Q

detritivores

A

obtain energy from non-living organic material

67
Q

primary productivity

A

a measurement of the incorporation of energy and materials into the bodies of organisms

68
Q

biomass

A

the aggregate dry weight of all organisms in a community or ecosystem

69
Q

joule

A

a unit of energy

70
Q

transpiration

A

the process by which water evaporates from a plant’s leaves

71
Q

agronomy

A

the practice of applying soil and plant sciences to farming

72
Q

algae blooms

A

above average growth of photosynthetic organisms

73
Q

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)

A

a fat soluble pesticide used to control insects that is potentially harmful to other animals, and has been banned in the United States

74
Q

biological magnification

A

the process where toxins become accumulated with each successive trophic level

75
Q

greenhouse effect

A

rising global temperatures as a result of the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere

AP Biology (14 decks)

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