Community and Ecosystem Flashcards
assemblage of populations living close enough together for potential possible interaction
community
is a collection of populations of all the organisms which occur together in a given place and time.
community
is also commonly used to refer to a subset of populations within the whole community, for example we talk about plant communities, insect communities, arthropod communities, small mammal communities, etc.
community
dependent on species diversity and certain species in the community
community structure
is commonly used to refer to the limitations set by species interactions on which species can coexist with which other
community structure
is also used to describe the physical arrangement of species in a community, such as the vertical arrangement of species in a forest (trees, shrubs and ground growing herbaceous (non-woody) plants.
community structure
Limitations set by species interactions on which species can coexist with which others
community structure
– limitation to coexistence, and they can apply to single species, as well as to groups of species.
assembly rules
can have emergent properties which arise from these interactions - properties which could not be predicted by studying the individual populations in isolation.
ecological communities
such as competition, predation, herbivory, parasitism, and commensalism affect the structuring of communities
interspecific interactions
total number of species in the community
species richness
proportion of each species in the community
relative abundance
way an organism uses its environment, species thus become more specialized
niche
include the total range of environmental conditions that are suitable for existence without the influence of interspecific competition or predation from other species
fundamental niche
part of the fundamental niche actually occupied by the species
realized niche
Characteristics of community (biological structure) (2)
dominance
species diversity
Characteristics of community (physical structure) (2)
vertical stratification
horizontal pattern
vertical structure/layering include
light
temperature
oxygen
where two or more different communities meet
edge
when edges are stable or permanent
inherent edge
temporary which result from natural disturbances or human activities
induced edge
consist of edges and border
boundary
where two or more communities not only meet but intergrade
ecotone
the transition layer between the warmer mixed water at the surface and the cooler deep water below
thermocline
succession of new environment (no plants)
primary succession
occurs on habitats previously lacking plants
➢example include sand dunes, lava flows, and other bare surfaces
➢generally lacking a seed bank
primary succession
recovery from a disturbance in existing environment (plants previously
secondary succession
following disturbance after blow-down or logging
secondary succession
include fires, floods, hurricanes, human activity)
disturbances
why does succession occur?
➢Early arriving plants can tolerate harsh conditions, facilitate later arriving species
➢Sometimes due to chance who arrives first
➢Type of climax community depend on climate, terrain, and history
why do communities stay the same?
➢Stability is lack of change
➢Resiliency is ability to return to a given state following a disturbance
➢Complexity does not ensure stability
assemblage of communities interacting with another together with the environment a distinct area
ecosystem
Characteristics of ecosystem
➢Interdependence of biotic and abiotic factors
➢Homeostasis – optimum condition and balance in nature
➢Self-sustaining – continuous flow of nutrient and energy
➢Consisting of the major communities
Ecosystem classification based on temp (4)
▪Torrid
▪Tropics
▪Temperate
▪Frigid
Ecosystem classification based on habitat or biome
aquatic
terrestrial
can be classified into freshwater and marine waters
aquatic biomes
fresh water biome (2)
lotic
lentic
running waters
lotic waters
standing waters
lentic waters
marine waters divided into:
pelagic
benthic
refer to waters divided into neritic and oceanic
pelagic water
consists of the water column of the open ocean and can be further divided into regions by depth.
pelagic zone
province above continental shelft
neritic province
province of the oceanic basins
oceanic province
refers to the bottom which includes the supralittoral, littoral, sublittoral
benthic waters
located in the sublittoral shelf
continental shelf
located in the bathyal zone
continental slope
located in the abyssal zon
abyssal plane
largest environment, it covers 70% of the Earth’s surface
marine
covers 70% of the Earth’s surface
➢Form a single vast interconnected water mass partially separated into divisions by the continents
➢Characterize by general equality in the composition and amount of dissolved substances (average of 35 ppt) due to continuous diffusion of sea water by means of currents, tides, and storms
marine
marine depth varies from intertidal zones to depths of ____ km
10.8
Temperature ranges from ___ in the tropics to -_____ in the Arctic, rarely fluctuates more than 5 celsius
32
-2.2
the ocean floor, including the intertidal zone (littoral zone)
benthic region
Include organisms that live on the floor of the continental shelf, of the continental slope, and the abyssal plain
Majority of the organisms are invertebrates that serve as food for the species of marine vertebrates
benthic region
the open waters, include floating organisms (planktons) e.g. phytoplanktons and zooplanktons and free-swimming organism (nektons) e.g. fishes, turtles, marine mammals
pelagic zone
Divided into neritic province and oceanic province
pelagic zone
shallow water above the continental shelf, with more nutrients and organisms because sunlight penetrate the waters up to the bottom
neritic province
– above the high tide mark
supratidal
between the high and low tide
intertidal
below the low tide mark
subtidal
the region of the open sea beyond the continental shelf, above the oceanic basins
oceanic province
receives abundant sunlight, planktons are abundant
epipelagic
(200-1,000m) – known as the twilight zone, fishes are the primary vertebrates, with cetaceans as frequent visitors
mesopelagic
(1,000-4,000) – area of cold, quiet water, permanent darkness, and increased pressure, inhabited by a lesser number of fishes with bioluminescent organs
bathypelagic
3,000-6,000m) – comprises a
region with almost
physical environment i.e. continually dark, cold (4oC) ad unchanging composition inhabited by rattails (Macrouridae), brotulas (ophidiidae), lumpfishes (cyclopteridae), and batfishes (ogrocephalidae)
abyssopelagic
beyond 6,000 meters, still unexplored, the deepest living fish is known as Abyssobrotula galatheae (Ophidiidae), a blind elongate fish that feeds on benthic invertebrates and lives at adepth ranging from 3,100 to 8,370
hadopelagic
-contain brackish water, a mixture of fresh and salt waters, located where rivers flow into the oceans
estuaries
Trap the nutrients brought in from the sea by the tides and prevent the escape of nutrients carried by the rivers
estuaries
Called as nurseries of the sea because half of all marine fishes develop in the protecetive environment of estuaries, rich in larval shrimps, mollusk and fishes
estuaries
important habitat for many vertebrates, located adjacent to estuaries
salt marshes
form in warm, shallow seas provide a haven for many invertebrates and fishes
coral reefs
shrub and tree species that live along shores, rivers, and estuaries in the tropics and subtropics
mangrove
Grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water
mangrove
smallest environment which may include swamps, rain puddles, ponds, hot springs, lakes, streams, and rivers
freshwater
Classified into lotic system (flowing water) and lentic system (still water)
freshwater
Temperature ranges from freezing to boiling, water maybe clear or turbid with a maximum depth to 1,700 m or more
freshwater
affect the stream community
pH
temperature
