Chapter 52 Flashcards
Ecology
The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
Organismal Ecology
Includes the subdisciplinesof physiological, evolutionary, and behavioral ecology and is concerned with how an organism’s structure, physiology, and behavior meet challenges in the environment
Population
A group of individuals from the same species living in the same area
population ecology
This is the study of the factors that affect population size and why it changes over time
Community
A group of populations of different species in an area
Community Ecology
Analyzes how interactions between species such as population and competition affect community structure and organization
Ecosystem
The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which organisms interact
Ecosystem Ecology
Energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and their environment
Landscape Ecology
Focuses on the factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials and organisms across multiple ecosystems
biosphere
The global ecosystem, the sum of all the planets ecosystems and ecosystems
global ecology
Examines how regional exchange of energy and materials influences the functioning and distribution of organisms across the biosphere
Ecology and Environmentalism
Ecology helps provide the scientific understanding needed to conserve and sustain life on Earth
Silent Spring
Author Rachel Carson was targetting the pesticide DDT and she used ecology to show how the pesticide was causing other populations to decline. Promoted new environmental ethics that helped ban DDT and put in place more stringent controls on other pesticides
Biogeography
The study of past and present distribution of species for the use of the evolutionary theory. Biotic and Abiotic factors affect this distribution
Predation (Biotic Factor)
This is one species eating another, and this could cause different distribution depending on how much predators and prey there are
Paratism (Biotic)
When organisms live off other organisms
Competition (biotic)
The presence or absence of food resources that can cause increased competition between species
Disease (Biotic)
An increase in the concentration of a species also affects distribution
Herbivory( Biotic)
Organisms that consume plants or algae of an ecosystem affect the concentration of plants and animals
Temperature (Abiotic)
Most organisms are only able to function within a certain range of temperature. Beyond this range, cells may rupure or proteins may be denatured
Water(Abiotic)
Species that need water will dessicate if there is not enough water. Distribution depends on how much organisms can hold and contain water
Salinity (Abiotic)
The salt concentration of water could affect water balance through osmosis. Many marine animals are restricted to freshwater or saltwater environments
Sunlight (Abiotic)
The amount of sunlight controls the amount of photosynthetic organisms in an environment. Too much sunlight can damage organisms
Rock and Soil (Abiotic)
The pH, mineral composure, and physical stucture limits the distribution of plants and the animals feeding on them
Climate
The long term prevailing weather conditions in a particular area. Abiotic Factors: water availability, temperature
Rainshadow Effect
When moist air approaches a mountain, the air rises and cools, releasing moisture on the windward side of the peak. On either side cooler air descends absorbing the moister and producing the rain shadow
Biome
A major terrestrial or aquatic life zone that is characterized by vegetation in terrestrial biomes or organisms in aquatic biomes
Largest Marine Biome
Ocean- Earth Largest biome
Covers 75 percent of the Earth’s surface
photic/ aphotic
sufficient light for photosynthesis/ Insufficient light
Benthic
bottom of a sea or lake
Pelagic
Open sea, rather than water close to a shore
Oligotrophic/ Eutrophic
Oxygen rich and nutrient poor/ Oxygen poor and nutrient rich
Littoral Zone/ Limnetic Zone
Part of the ocean that is closes to shore, shallow water, supports rooted plants/ Farther from shore, light penetration, plant and animal plankton
zooplankton/phytoplankton
heterotrophs/autotrophs
neritic/abyssal
Surface water/ between 2000- 6000 meters below the surface
