Community Ecology Flashcards
A ______________ is all populations of all species living together in a given area
community
What does a community consisted of?
Plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms
Different species interact with each other in _________ ways
different
Interactions affect which species are present and their ___________
abundance
Interactions have __________ over long periods of time
evolved
habitat
place where an individual (or population) lives; “mailing address”
niche
full range of biotic and abiotic conditions under which a species can live and reproduce; “way of life”
different species have different _______
niches
species interact with each other in complex ways — both ________ & __________
directly and indirectly
What is amensalism?
one species harmed, no effect on other
What is an example of amensalism?
mammals grazing around water holes trample and kill plants
What is Commensalism?
one species benefits; no effect on second species
What is an example of Commensalism?
tree provides nesting sites and cover for birds
What is Mutualism?
both species benefit
What is an example of Mutualism?
pollination
Many mutualisms are highly __________
coevolved
What is an example obligate mutualism?
yuccas and yucca moths; each yucca species is pollinated by a single yucca moth species
What is species-specific or obligate mutualism?
sometimes each species is totally dependent on the other
What is Competition?
use of a limiting resource by two or more individuals
What is a resource? and a example
anything used by organisms that can lead to population growth, whose availability is reduced by use; e.g. food, space
What is a limited resource?
The supply is less than its demand
if a resource is limiting, two species may __________ for it
compete
What is this called “requirement for the same resource by two species.”
niche overlap
competition can occur between two individuals of the same species is called?
intraspecific competition
competition can occur between two individuals of the two different species is called?
interspecific competition
What is Competitive Exclusion?
when a species is excluded from a habitat because it cannot compete effectively
What is a predator?
animal which gets its food from other living organisms (prey)
The predator _________________ prey
may or may not kill
predator and prey populations often ______________ over time
fluctuate (or oscillate)
___________________ may contribute to prey population cycles. What another example?
other factors besides predators; Food Supply
Predation may be a _______________ the community (affects the identity and abundance of individual species)
powerful force that structures
Paine looked at marine communities containing many species of ________________________
invertebrates and Pisaster, a large predatory starfish
What is the classic example of predation?
experiment with purple sea star (Pisaster) by Robert Paine, 1966
Paine roped off _______________ & ____________ from some
experimental plots and removed all the Pisaster
What is the result from Robert Paine experiment?
mussels were superior competitors and crowded out the other species
In Paine experiment, ____________ without Pisaster: ___________ of invertebrates and algae disappeared!
community crashed; 28 species
Pisaster predation keeps _______________ other invertebrate species to flourish
mussel numbers down and allows
Pisaster is what’s now known as a ________________
keystone species
Removal of a keystone causes community_____________
species diversity to crash
Predator-prey __________ has also occurred over long periods of time
coevolution
prey species have _______________ against predation
evolved defenses
What is camouflage?
adaptation that allows organism to blend in with its surroundings
What is another word for camouflage?
crypsis or cryptic coloration
What is example of crypsis
gray treefrog blends in with tree bark very well
What is flash coloration?
The prey will flash brights colors at predator and it will confused the predator since the predator will look for the bright colors.
Another prey defense is ____________________________
startle displays and chemical defenses
What is an example of startle display?
Hognose snake: flattens head and neck and hisses loudly (but doesn’t bite!) If further harassed, gapes mouth, rolls over and plays dead
What is chemical defenses?
some species use toxic, distasteful, or foul-smelling chemicals as defense
What are examples of species that use chemical defenses?
Bombardier Beetle; lionfish; toads
What is warning coloration?
some toxic species have evolved bright patterns/colors that warn predators
What is warning coloration also called?
aposematic coloration
What species have aposematic coloration?
poison-dart frogs of new world tropics
What is mimicry?
a species evolves to resemble a toxic or inedible species
What species has a example of mimicry?
Viceroy butterfly is nontoxic; has evolved pattern very similar to monarch
Monarch butterfly has evolved __________ to prevent it from being eaten.
Warning coloration
What are the two types of mimicry?
Batesian mimicry and Müllerian mimicry
What is Batesian mimicry?
a palatable species mimics an unpalatable or noxious species
What is Müllerian mimicry?
two or more unpalatable species evolve similar appearance
What animals show Batesian mimicry?
scarlet kingsnake and coral snake
Mimicry is quite common in ___________________________.
tropical butterflies and moths
What is parasitism?
a parasite gets its food from another living organism (its host)
parasite lives ___________ or ______________ its host for part of its life cycle
in (endoparasite) or on (ectoparasite)
________ or ______________ host — usually to parasite’s advantage not to!
may or may not kill
parasites can be ________________________
(think animals)
microorganisms, worms, arthropods
What are some examples of parasites?
(Think aniamals)
ticks, fleas, lice, etc.
When a community is disturbed, there is often a ______________________________________ the area
predictable succession of species recolonizing
What are the 2 different types of succession?
primary and secondary
occurs in areas previously devoid of life, is what?
primary succession
occurs in disturbed areas that were previously inhabited, is what?
secondary succession
What is examples of areas that are devoid of life?
after glaciers retreat, or after new volcanic island forms
What is examples of areas that were previously inhabitable?
abandoned farm fields
