Community Ecology Flashcards
All species within a given area are going to _ in many different ways
Interact
Whenever the resources are scarce, you will see _ happen for those resources
Competition
Intraspecific Competition
Competition within the same species
Interspecific Competition
Competition between different species
Competitive Exclusion
When one species out-competes another species for the same resources and eliminates the losing species
Species Coexistence
Each species finds a mutual existence for their resources
Fundamental Niche
The entire ecological capacity of an organism
Realized Niche
What an organism actually fulfills due to competition
Resource Partitioning
When two competing organisms adapt to share resources in different ways
Character Displacement
When the competing species ultimately evolves to match their realized niche; can be led by resource partitioning
Predation
When one species hunts, captures, and kills another species
Some critters have adapted to evade predators:
Cryptic Coloration
Warning Coloration
Mimicry
Parasitism
Where one organism will harm another organism without killing it
Herbivory
Where an animal feeds on plants; probably the most common type of exploitation; most plants can withstand the eating, but some have adapted very unique ways of defending themselves
Mutualism
Where two species will benefit from each others’ existence; some are borderline parasitism, but most often the association results in symbiosis, a peaceful existence
Other Interactions
Amensalism: One organism is harmed and the other is unaffected
Commensalism: One organism is benefited and the other is unaffected
Community
A group of different species all living in the same environment at the same time
Energy is transferred through _, or a feeding hierarchy
Trophic Levels
Producers
Self-feeding autotrophs; use photosynthesis to generate energy; get the most energy percentage from use; ex.: grass, phytoplankton, trees
Consumers
All feeding organisms; primary consumers are grazing herbivores (and insects); secondary consumers feed primarily on primary consumers; tertiary consumers feed on them all
Detrivores/Decomposers
Comsume nonliving matter; recycle nutrients for uptake for primary producers; ex.: fungus, earthworms, bacteria, crawfish, molds
We call the movement or tracking of feeding relationships a _
Food Web
Keystone Species
Some species have such an important role in the ecosystem that if they were removed, the ecosystem would fall apart
A community that stay the same in response to a disturbance shows _
Resistance
A community that changes during a disturbance but afterwards returns to its original state shows _
Resilience
Primary Succession
A return to an ecosystem where everything was wiped out; the first organism to return and recolonize is called a pioneer species
Secondary Succession
A return to an ecosystem where most everything was wiped out, but some organism survived; the previous species will act as building blocks for the new community
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Characterized by broad-leafed deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall and remain dormant in the winter; occupy a mid-latitudinal range from Europe to China
Temperate Grassland
Typically little rainfall with very little trees; also can be called a steppe or prairie, these grasslands, once widespread, now are mostly converted for agriculture; animals typical of grassland are bison, antelope, and quail
Temperate Rainforest
Characterized by heavy rainfall, but with a more midline latitude; the pacific northwest is a great example of a temperate rainforest; tree species are abundant, and, therefore, so are logging industries
Tropical Rainforest
Also characterized by heavy rainfall; will have year round warm weather as compared to a temperate rainforest; one of the most biologically diverse areas on the globe
Tropical Dry Forest
Characterized by two distinct seasons: wet and not; stays warm year round, but will only have rain for half of the year; India and Africa are both good examples of tropical dry forests
Savanna
Also warm year round and characterized by two distinct rainfall seasons; however, a savanna is a grassland without large trees
Desert
Driest biome on earth; characterized by very little rainfall, (usually less than 9 inches per year); contrary to popular belief, deserts don’t have to be hot; deserts in high elevations tend to be quite cool
Tundra
Not quite as dry as a desert, but still does not receive very much rainfall; characterized by short days and very cold temperatures; found in very high altitudes, close to the poles; parts of Alaska and Russia are tundra
Boreal Forest/Taiga
Characterized by cool temperatures and moderate rainfall; has many evergreen tree species and unique animal communities; there is a strong seasonal variation in day length, driving animals to find the majority of their energy in just a few months
Chaparral
Highly seasonal area; mostly characterized by small, shrubby plants, dry, hot day temperatures, and cool, moist nights; wine grapes are grown in the few chaparral areas across the globe
Mountainous Regions
Self-explanatory
Unvegetated Regions
Where nothing grows; most of Greenland
Regardless of where they are in the world, most biomes fall along a _ and _ gradient
Latitude; altitude
