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BIO > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is a population?

A

Group of organisms of same species in the same habitat

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2
Q

What is a habitat?

A

Part of ecosystem in which specific organism lives in

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3
Q

What is a community?

A

All the populations of different species in same area + same time

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4
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The community + all the non-living parts of the environment

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5
Q

What is a niche?

A

An organisms role in an ecosystem e.g. position in food web

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6
Q

What is the carrying capacity?

A

The maximum population size an ecosystem can support

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7
Q

What would occur if 2 species shared a niche?

A

They will go into competition and 1 will outcompete the other until there is only 1 in that niche

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8
Q

What will occur if the population goes over the carrying capacity?

A

The population will have an increased death rate because there not enough food to support or not enough space to support

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9
Q

What are abiotic factors

A

Non- living e.g. light intensity, temperature, soil pH, O2 concentration

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10
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Living e.g. number of plants, predators

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11
Q

How do abiotic factors affect population size?

A

The less harsh the factors e.g. enough light/water/right temperature = more range of species + larger population size

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12
Q

How does temperature affect population?

A

Each species optimum temperature for survival and if temperature is different= enzymes work less= less metabolic rate/denatured enzymes or energy used to maintain temperature = less growth= carrying capacity reduced

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13
Q

How does light affect population?

A

Increased intensity = rate of photosynthesis increased= more seeds produced= carrying capacity increased

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14
Q

How does pH affect population?

A

Each organism’s enzymes have an optimum pH so where pH is appropriate = larger population but different pH= smaller population

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15
Q

How does water and humidity affect population?

A

Scarce water= only organisms that are adapted
Humidity affects transpiration rate= only plants with adaptations survive in low humidity

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16
Q

How do biotic factors affect population size?

A

Competition and predation affect population size

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17
Q

Describe interspecific competition

A
  • Different species
  • Compete for space or food
  • Species better adapted to environment is more likely to succeed
18
Q

Describe intraspecific competition

A
  • Same species
  • Compete for resources and mate
  • Individual which is fitter and better courtship ritual + better fur/ feathers = more likely to get mate
19
Q

Describe the pattern between the predators and prey relationship

A

-Increase prey= more food for predators= more predators reproduction
-More predators = less prey as they get eaten= not enough food for predators = less predators
- will always be more prey > predators
- lag time from prey - predator population change

20
Q

Why do we sample?

A

As it is more time efficient and more accurate than counting individuals over a large area

21
Q

How can we ensure sample accurately represent the population?

A
  • Random sampling to eliminate bias
  • Large sample 30+ to make sure you accurately represent
22
Q

Describe sampling for slow or non-motile organisms

A

Using a quadrat
- UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION: Random sampling
UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION: Line transects

23
Q

Describe sampling of motile organisms

A

Using mark-release-recapture

24
Q

Explain the random sampling method

A
  • Line 2 tape measures at a right angle to create a gridded area
  • Use random number generator to generate 2 coordinates
  • 2 people will walk along coordinates and where they meet place quadrat
  • Collect percentage cover/frequency
  • Repeat (1-3) 30 times and calculate average
25
Q

What are the 2 types of line transect method

A
  • Usually rocky shores + along river path
  • BELT TRANSECT: quadrat along tape over every position
  • INTERRUPTED BELT TRANSECT: quadrat placed at equal intervals ( every 3m) along tape
26
Q

Explain the line transect method

A
  • Put tape measure at right angle to shore line
  • Place quadrat every 5m
  • Collect % cover/ frequency
  • Repeat by placing another 30 along area at right angles to the shore
27
Q

How do you work out local frequency?

A

Count how many squares out of 100 have part of species present

28
Q

How do you work out density?

A

Count how many organisms there are
Total area/area of quadrat * number of organisms

29
Q

How do you work out percentage cover

A

Figure out what proportion of the ground is occupied by species = how many FULL squares filled out of 100

30
Q

Advantages and disadvantage of local frequency

A

Advantages:
- Quick method for large area
- Good if individuals are hard to identify/ too many to count e.g. moss+grass
Disadvantages:
- Poor accuracy without considering overlap or large size of 1

31
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of calculating density of species

A

Advantages:
- More accurate if the individuals are easy to identify and not many to count e.g. flowers
- Used to estimate species richness
Disadvantages:
- Time consuming

32
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of percentage cover

A

Advantages:
- Quicker than calculating density
- Useful for individuals that are hard to identify/ too many to count e.g. moss/grass
Disadvantages:
- Subjective to your estimates = limits accuracy

33
Q

Describe sampling method for motile organisms

A
  • Initial sample of population from an area
  • The individuals are marked and released for a period of time that will allow random dispersing
  • A second sample is captured
  • Record the total and how many are a recapture from the 1st sample
  • Repeat more times for a more reliable estimation
34
Q

How do you calculate the estimated population from mark-release-recapture?

A

organisms in 1st sample * # organisms in 2nd sample/ # of recaptured organisms

35
Q

What considerations should you take when using a marker?

A
  • Weather resistant e.g. wash of with rain
  • Wear resistant e.g. rub off
  • Non-toxic
  • Must not cause effect to predation e.g. attract attention
  • Must not cause effect to repoduction
36
Q

What are some assumptions made when calculating using the M-R-R model?

A
  • No immigration/emigration
  • No births/deaths
  • Even distribution of animals
37
Q

What is succession?

A

The change in ecological community over time

38
Q

What are the steps for succession?

A

1) Bare rock
2) Pioneer species e.g. lichen
3) Secondary colonizers: Mosses and small plants
4) Tertiary colonizers: Flowering plants and small tress
5) Scrubland: Larger shrubs and trees
6) Climax community

39
Q

Describe primary succession

A

-Pioneer species that can adapt in severe abiotic climate colonize bare rock = decomposition = form of humus = less harsh area = mosses and seeds can grow
- Erosion of bare rock and decomposition of moss = thick soil forms = less hostile environment = more small plants can grow
- Causes a more complex food web to grow = more stable community = increased biodiversity
- Pattern continues to form less harsher conditions for next organisms and less suitable for previous = outcompete each other
- Dominating species = climax community

40
Q

Describe secondary succession

A

When a climax community is burnt down/ deforested/ succession disrupted = succession started again but NOT from bare rock = start from stage of soil

41
Q

How can we conserve using succession?

A

By maintaining early stages of succession and not allowing climax community to be reached = greater variety of habitats conserved = more biodiversity

41
Q

What is conservation?

A

Management of earths resources by humans by maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity so that maximum use can be made in the future

BIO (20 decks)

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