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Conservation Biology Unit 1 > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

3 species concepts to consider

A

species diversity

genetic diversity

ecosystem diversity

**All are necessary for continued survival of species and natural communities

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2
Q

Components of species diversity

A

species concepts
classications
origin of species
measuring species diversity

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3
Q

Components of genetic diversity

A

gene pools

differences among populations

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4
Q

Components of ecosystem diversity

A

physical environments
species interactions
trophic levels
keystone species and resources

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5
Q

What is included in species diversity?

A

all species on earth

represent range of evolutionary adaptations to particular environments

provide many plants and animal products that can be used as food, shelter, and medicine.

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6
Q

What are the 2 common definitions of species concepts?

A

morphological species definition

biological species definition

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7
Q

Species concepts: What is the morphological species definition

A

a group of individuals that is morphologically or biochemically distinct from other groups

  • not helpful with scale
  • ex. all birds distinct from mammals and reptiles
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8
Q

Species concepts: what is the biological species definition

A

a group of individuals that actually or potentially breed among themselves and do not breed with individuals of other groups

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9
Q

What are the issues with the biological species definition?

A
  • unambiguous
  • operationally difficult to determine
  • not generally useful
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10
Q

What are two general problems with trying to classify species?

A

cryptic biodiversity

hybrids

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11
Q

What are the 5 kingdoms that are generally recognized?

A 
plants
animals
fungi
protists
monerans (bacteria)
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12
Q

How are species classified, from biggest to smallest classification?

A 
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus, species
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13
Q

Name two theories of how new species originate.

A

transformation of species (phyletic evolution= cladogenesis = speciation)

adaptive radiation

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14
Q

What is adaptive radiation?

A

the evolution of many species from a single ancestor in response to many different environments

seen and studied on islands

general phenomenon

  • marsupials (australia)
  • mammals (s. am.)
  • flowering plants
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15
Q

Define the transformation of species

A

multiplication of species via phyletic evolution/cladogenesis/speciation

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16
Q

Can speciation maintain current levels of biodiversity? Why?

A

no.

rate= higher for extinction than speciation by 1000x

area of habitat = smaller areas prevent speciation.
-less of Earth’s surface supports natural communities = less opportunity for speciation and evolution

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17
Q

Why can’t speciation of most threatened species maintain the current level of biodiversity?

A

because many threatened species are the sole remaining representatives of their genus or family.

ex. coelacanth in Indian Ocean
Giant panda in China

extinction of these could not be balance by appearance of new species.

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18
Q

Three ways to measure species diversity

A

alpha diversity (species richness)
gamma diversity
beta diversity

*In practice, these are often correlated.

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19
Q

What is species richness/ alpha diversity?

A

a way to measure sp. diversity

“the number of species in a community”

ex. a forest in wisconsin vs. the amazon which would have greater # of species

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20
Q

What is gamma diversity

A

the number of species in a large region (or continent)

includes diverse biological communities or wide geographic areas

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21
Q

What is beta diversity?

A

variability of sp. composition along environmental or geographical gradients

gamma diversity/ alpha diversity = variability

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22
Q

Define genetic diversity

A

the genetic variation within species

  • among individuals of a single population
  • among geographically separate populations
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23
Q

Why is genetic diversity in a gene pool important? (2)

A
  • genetically variable individuals and populations appear to have higher fitness (better survival and reproduction)
  • genetic variation is required for evolution in response to a changing environment
24
Q

Define gene pool

A

total array of genes and alleles in a population

25
Q

How do different genetic alleles arise?

A

from genetic mutation.

alleles are just a different form of a gene

26
Q

Individuals can be _______ or ________ for a gene.

A

homozygous
heterozygous

genotype determines their phenotype

27
Q

Monomorphic vs. polymorphic populations

A

a population has either one allele (monomorphic) or multiple alleles (polymorphic) for a trait

ex. a tribe has only the allele for blonde hair.

28
Q

What is the cause of genetic differences among populations?

A

Populations often differ genetically
-esp. in widespread sp. that have a broad environmental range

Cause:
-some of the genetic differences may be adaptive and caused by selection

(others may not be adaptive & caused by genetic drift)

29
Q

Selection of an allele vs. genetic drift

A

selection: differential survival and reproduction of different genotypes

genetic drift: random fluctuations of allele frequencies. not necessarily a good thing. Happens with small populations.

30
Q

Define gene flow

A

transfer of alleles among populations through migration and mating.

-individuals, seeds, pollen grains
-reduces differences between populations
(which means it opposes genetic drift)

31
Q

What are the four concepts of evolution?

A

selection
genetic drift
gene flow
gene pool

i think.

32
Q

Define ecosystem diversity

A

variety of ecosystems present in a place or geographic area
-deserts, grasslands, wetlands, and forests

supports proper ecosystem functioning

  • provides services such as flood control
  • protection from soil erosion
  • air and water filtering
33
Q

What are the physical characteristics of an ecologically diverse environment?

A

ecosystem diversity/composition
biological community
organisms’ impact on the physical environment
limiting resources

34
Q

Define biological community

A

species that occupy a certain place and their interactions

35
Q

Define ecosystem

A

community plus physical and chemical features of the environment

-species composition depends on sp. interactions and physical environments

36
Q

Define limiting resource

A

any component of the niche that restricts population size

ex. roosting sites, soil nitrogen
- can include successional stage

37
Q

Define succession

A

change in the species composition in a biological community

38
Q

How does the physical environment impact ecosystem diversity?

A

determines whether a site will be a forest, grassland, desert, wetland, etc.

terrestrial communities: depends primarily on temperature and precipitation

aquatic communities: depends primarily on light and oxygen

39
Q

How can organisms affect their physical environment on a small scale?

A

wind speed, humidity, temperature

eg. more humid and constant temperature within a forest because of the plants.

40
Q

Define species interactions and name its subcatergories

A

defined in terms of positive and negative effects on participants

mutualism, competition, predation

41
Q

What is mutualism? (also symbiosis)

A

interaction in which both species benefit

flowering plants and pollinators

losing one participant can endanger the other

Symbiosis: extreme mutualism in which participants cannot survive without each other (ex. lichen = fungus + alga)

42
Q

What is competition?

A

interaction with negative effect for both species

may be a problem with introduced species

43
Q

What is predation?

A

interaction with a positive effect on one species and a negative effect on another

may indirectly affect the number of prey species

  • keeps density of each low enough to prevent competitive exclusion
  • ex. Pisaster (sea star) feeds on 15 sp. of mollusks, prevents one or two sp. from being dominant
44
Q

Name the trophic levels

A 
primary producers
primary consumers
secondary consumers
tertiary consumers (ETC up to 7 levels)
and detritivores
45
Q

What are primary producers?

A

photosynthetic species that obtain energy directly from sun to build organic molecules necessary for growth

  • higher plants in terrestrial communities
  • single cell algae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in aquatic communities
46
Q

What are primary consumers

A

herbivores

eat photosynthetic species

only small percentage of energy transferred to herbivore level (about 1/2)

  • respiration of photosynthetic species
  • much plant material is indigestible
47
Q

What are secondary consumers?

A

carnivores, predators

eat herbivores

48
Q

What are tertiary consumers?

A

secondary carnivores

eat carnivores

49
Q

What are detritivores?

A

species that feed on dead plant and animal tissues and wastes

  • decomposers
  • break down complex tissue and organic molecules
  • release minerals back into environment where can be taken up again by primary producers (nitrates, phosphates)
  • usually fungi and bacteria, includes vultures and other scavengers, dung beetles, earthworms
50
Q

What are parasites, pests, and pathogens in relation to trophic levels?

A

a subclass of secondary consumers (predators)

protozoa, fungi, bacteria

plants (mistletoe)

animals (tapeworms, mosquitoes)

trophic levels linked through food webs.

51
Q

What are keystone species?

A

species that determine the ability of large numbers of other species to persist in the community

52
Q

Four types of keystone species

A

top predators that control herbivore populations
-gray wolves

pollinators and seed dispersers
-flying foxes in old world tropics and pacific islands

species that modify physical environments
-beavers, leaf cutter ants

continuous food producers
-fig trees

53
Q

What happens when a keystone species goes extinct?

A

an extinction cascade= series of linked extinction events

54
Q

What happens when we try to restore keystone species?

A

other species and aspects of the physical environment (soil cover) may already have been lost and are irreplaceable.

55
Q

What are keystone resources?

A

resources that are crucial to many species in the community

may occupy only a small portion of a conservation area

56
Q

What are examples of keystone resources?

A

salt licks and mineral pools (provide essential minerals)

deep pools in streams and springs

  • refuge for fish and aquatic sp. during dry season
  • refuge for terrestrial animals as drinking water

hollow tree trunks
-breeding sites for many bird and animal species

Conservation Biology Unit 1 (8 decks)

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