Chapter 21 - Community Dynamic Disturbance

Question 1

What is patch and patchiness?

Answer 1

Patch is any discrete area, regardless of size.
Patchiness is a term that refers to the spatial scale of a system.

Question 2

Which type of spatial scale is commonly used by ecologist?

Answer 2

Local patches

Question 3

What is a disturbance?

Answer 3

Any discrete event that disrupts community structure and chances available resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment.

Question 4

Disturbance Distributions

Answer 4

Spatial distribution, including relationship to geographic, topographic, environmental, and community gradients

Question 5

Disturbance Frequency

Answer 5

Mean number of events per times period

Question 6

Disturbance return interval, or turnover time

Answer 6

The inverse of frequency; mean time between disturbances

Question 7

Exogenous v Endogenous

Answer 7

Exo = arising from outside the community (like fire)
Endo = resulting from biological interactions (like predation)