Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
Study of organisms and their interactions with the environment
4 Levels of Ecological Study
Organismal Ecology
Population Ecology
Community Ecology
Ecosystem Ecology
Organismal Ecology
study of individual organisms
Population Ecology
study of a group of individual organisms of the same species
Community Ecology
study of all the species that inhabit a particular area
Ecosystem Ecology
study of community interactions with abiotic factors
Conservation
protection, management and renewal of natural resources
What makes up an ECOSYSTEM?
Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors
living parts
(animals, plants, simple life)
Abiotic Factors
nonliving parts
Climate (weather-precipitation/temperature)
Geology (soils, rocks)
Light (latitude)
Wind (altitude)
COMPETITION
Organisms compete for these vital biotic and abiotic resources
NICHE
Organism’s role in the environment
CARRYING CAPACITY
of organisms a habitat or ecosystem can support is limited
Biomes
Major life zones characterized by vegetation type (in terrestrial biomes) or by the physical environment (in aquatic biomes)
Biome categories
-Aquatic
-Terrestrial
Aquatic biomes
Freshwater (Lakes/Ponds)
Marine
Rivers/Streams
Estuary
Wetland/Swamps/Vernal Pools
Terrestrial
Tundra (coldest)
Taiga
Temperate Deciduous Forest (ours!)
Temperate Grassland
Savanna
Chaparral
Desert
Tropical Forest (most diverse)
Distinguishing Features of an
Aquatic Biome
Freshwater vs Saltwater vs Brackish Water
Standing water or Flowing water
Depth of water
Permanent or Temporary water
CLIMAX COMMUNITY
Relatively Stable Community
-Greatest species diversity
What causes change?
Organisms
(particularly humans)
Climatic Changes
(global warming, ice ages)
Natural Disasters
(hurricanes, ice storms)
SUCCESSION
Sequence of changes within a community that eventually reach some stability
What are the steps of SUCCESSION?
- Primary Succession
- Secondary Succession
- Climax Community
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
beginning of succession in an area where there is no existing community
Pioneer Community
first groups of organisms to occupy an area
(hardy and live off of minerals)
SECONDARY SUCCESSION
Succession on top of a change in the primary succession area
Fundamental Concept of Ecology
Living organisms interact with and are dependent on their environment and each other
Resulting in…
A flow of Energy
Cycling of materials (matter) essential for life
Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction…
Energy starts from the Sun
Energy used for life processes
Therefore, Energy is lost very quickly!
Energy Pyramid (Trophic Levels)
-First Level
(Producers)
-Second Level
(Primary Consumers – Herbivores)
-Third Level
(Secondary Consumers – Carnivores/Omnivores)
-90 percent loss between levels
Food chains
Illustrative representations of predator-prey relationships
Predator
biotic factor that limit population sizes by killing or eating other organisms
Prey
organisms killed by predators for food
Components of a food chain
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
Producers
source of energy for almost all living things (autotrophs)
ex. Plants and algae
Consumers
must eat producers to obtain food
Herbivores: heterotrophs that survive on plant tissue
Carnivores: heterotrophs that eat other animals
Omnivores: heterotrophs that eats both plant and animal
Decomposers
organisms that consume the wastes and dead bodies of all the other consumers and producers
Scavengers
consumers that eat dead organisms, nature’s “cleanup crew”
Parasites
organisms that attach to other live organisms, ex. ticks
Bioaccumulation
increase in concentration of a pollutant from the environment to the first organism in a food chain
Biomagnification
increase in concentration of a pollutant from one link in a food chain to another
PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenols)
Impairs reproduction
PAH’s (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons)
Carcinogenic
Heavy Metals (lead, mercury, copper, cadmium)
May affect nervous and reproductive systems
Selenium
Reproductive failures and Death
Native Species
a population of organism that evolved in a specific area
Introduced Species
Human introduction of a
non-native organism into a particular ecosystem
The Tens Rule
Statistical prediction that on average 1 in 10 introduced species becomes an established pest
Introduced Species that becomes a pest
Invasive Species
Our Natural Ecosystem affects humans by
Maintaining atmospheric quality
Generating soil
Control of the water cycle
Nutrient recycling
Waste recycling
Ways humans Impact Ecosystems
Population Growth
Consumption
Air and Water Pollution
Deforestation
Direct Harvesting
Industrialization
Biodiversity
Concept that there is large amounts of variation amongst living things in an ecosystem, leading to STABILITY!!
Renewable sources:
given sufficient time those natural resources that can be replaced (example - trees)
Nonrenewable sources:
resources, such as fossil fuels and minerals, that cannot be replaced
Solutions to our problem of limited natural resources
Reduce waste
Control population growth
Reduce consumption
Use renewable energy sources
Development of new technologies
Climate Change can be changes in
Global Temperatures
Greenhouse Gases
Sea Levels
Ocean Chemistry
Weather Patterns
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!
Natural Causes of Climate Change
Changes in the Earth’s Orbit
Changes in the Sun’s Intensity
Volcanic Eruptions
Natural causes of climate change lead to…
-Ice ages
-Dinosaur extinctions
Greenhouse Gases
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Recent changes in climate are
anthropogenic =
HUMAN CAUSED!
Likely Consequences to non-living systems as a result of
Climate Change:
Global Warming
Greater Climate Variability
Increased Storm Frequency
Sea Level Change
Ice Melting
What will climate change do to humans?
Health Changes:
-influence the frequency/ transmission of infectious disease
-alter heat- and cold-related mortality and morbidity
Agriculture Changes:
-crop distributions will change
-hotter and drier conditions increasing the potential for agriculture / forestry
What will climate change do to non-humans?
Species Extinction/Biodiversity loss because…
Loss of Habitat
Ocean Acidification/ warming
Reduced Food Sources
Coral Bleaching
Oceans absorb ~25% of CO2 emissions
Increased CO2 leads to ocean acidification
