Community Ecology Flashcards
when can competition occur?
when resources are LIMITED
what does every species need?
- food
- water
- space
- shelter
define biotic
LIVING (frog, plant, mushroom)
define ABIOTIC
nonliving (mountains, sun, waves)
define community
a GROUP OF POPULATIONS of different species that live in the SAME PLACE at the same time
describe community ecologists
scientists who study how POPULATIONS OR SPECIES INTERACT and how communities CHANGE
food webs can be divided into what?
tropic levels
define tropic levels
RANKS in the feeding HIERARCHY
describe producers
plants & algae/phytoplankton
describe primary consumers
HERBIVORES —> animals that eat plants
insects, rodents, rabbits, deer
describe secondary consumers
OMNIVORES OR CARNIVORES —> prey on herbivores
birds, lizards, snakes
describe tertiary consumers
MOSTLY CARNIVOROUS TOP PREDATORS
hawks, wolves
describe detritivores and decomposers
- eating nonliving organic matter
- RECYCLE nutrients
- feed on every trophic level
most energy is used for what?
RESPIRATION
each trophic level has just ___ of the energy level BELOW
10%
define keystone species
have especially GREAT IMPACTS on other community members and on the community identity
what happens if a keystone species is removed from an environment?
the communities change GREATLY
define trophic cascade
changes in lower trophic levels after a change in the KEYSTONE SPECIES (TERTIARY CONSUMER)
- changes at TOP trophic levels can have SIGNIFICANT effects one or two lvls below)
what is an indictator species?
a species that indicates the health of the community and ecosystem around them
describe restoration ecology
returning ecological communities to pre-industrialized state
what does a meandering shape do?
slows down water and creates extra fish habitats.
flooding allows for extra growth and channel is shallow
