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VIU Biology 202 - Ecology > Communities - Structure > Flashcards

Communities - Structure Flashcards

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1
Q

How are communities organized?

A

Communities can be organized by a variety of concepts that categorize according to the interactions between a community’s populations

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2
Q

Use conceptual models to describe communities

A

Communities can be structured according to interdependent and independent models

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3
Q

Link concepts from physical environment to populations to explain communities

A
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4
Q

Community

A

A group of organisms living together in
space & time that interact directly/indirectly

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5
Q

How is a community defined?

A

A community is defined by the area’s dominant vegetation type and its biogeoclimatic zones

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6
Q

Ecotone

A

Area of transition (sharp or gradual) between communities

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7
Q

Organismal (interdependent) community concept

A

Created by Frederick Clements.
A community is a mutually interdependent superorganism.

Species have overlapping habitat requirements and are divided by only narrow boundaries

Predictable succession towards a climax

Fails to account for competition and disturbance

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8
Q

Individualistic (independent) community concept

A

Created by Henry Gleason.
Species act selfishly & independently. Local environment drives community.

There is no predictable end point to succession because there is continuous variation.

Does not account for facilitation, predictable patterns, and symbiotic relationships

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9
Q

Functional orgaization

A

Groups of species processing resources to provide specific functions

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10
Q

Guild

A

Groups of species sharing a resource

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11
Q

Equilibrium

A

Allows community to reach stable point because competing influences are balanced

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12
Q

Non-equilibrium

A

Communities are dynamic and unpredictable because local conditions vary temporally & spatially. Competition influences the dynamic.

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13
Q

Species richness

A

How many species are present

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14
Q

Species evenness

A

Relative abundance of each species

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15
Q

Species diversity

A

Product of both richness and evenness of each species

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16
Q

Dominant species

A

The most abundant and obvious species

17
Q

Keystone species

A

Has a disproportionate impact on community structure given its abundance

18
Q

What is a niche?

A

The sum of all environmental factors that limit growth, reproduction, and distribution

19
Q

Fundamental niche

A

The environmental conditions a species could occupy is there is no competition

20
Q

Realized niche

A

The environmental conditions a species does occupy given competitive interactions

21
Q

Can two species occupy the exact same niche?

A

No, but overlap is possible

22
Q

How do abiotic elements influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Competition for light between plants affects vertical profile/structure which creates more or less habitat for animals

Fire disturbance affects structure by destroying the vertical profile and underbrush that provide habitats for animals.

23
Q

How does herbivory influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Plant individuals and/or communities may be threatened if overconsumed. This affects the community by changing light levels, habitat, and nutrient availability.

24
Q

How does predation influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Prey numbers are greatly affected by predation, and prey numbers directly affect the amount of vegetation that makes up a community’s structure.

25
Q

How does competition influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Competition works on individuals, but effects will move up the line to populations and communities. Successful competitors will proliferate, while unsuccessful competitors are reduced.

26
Q

How does disease influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Disease makes individuals less competitive and will control population growth. It will also change competition dynamics.

27
Q

How do symbiotic relationships influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

Symbiotic relationships may increase or decrease fitness, leading to changes in competition.

28
Q

Competitive exclusion

A

Creates an unstable equilibrium because of two species overlapping ecological needs

29
Q

How does competitive release influence the presence abundance of species?
How does this in turn affect community structure & function?

A

A species will occupy more of its fundamental niche because it is no longer hindered by competition.

30
Q

Asymmetric competition

A

When one species has a larger fundamental niche than another. This makes it better able to tolerate conditions.

31
Q

Resource partitioning

A

When species divide limited resources in order to reduce competition.

32
Q

Facilitation

A

When one species has a beneficial effect on another species, but it is not intentional (altruistic).

33
Q

What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?

A

The highest diversity is maintained at intermediate disturbance because competitive species and not competitive species can establish themselves.

34
Q

Alternative stable states

A

In response to a disturbance, a community may be stable, resilient, change, or reach a new stable state.

35
Q

Types of trophic transfers

A

Food chain: linear representation of feeding interactions
Food web: complex representation of multiple feeding interactions.

Entropy increases whenever there is a transfer of energy

36
Q

What is the top down regulation concept?

A

An ecological system is regulated by consumers who limit populations. Doesn’t account for over predation making the system collapse.

37
Q

What is the bottom up regulation concept?

A

Resources control an ecological system by limiting populations. Doesn’t account for how not all plants are edible.

38
Q

Trophic cascade

A

A change at the top of a food web will trickle down and affect all levels

VIU Biology 202 - Ecology (9 decks)

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