Ecology Flashcards
The zone in water where light penetrates; all aquatic photosynthesis occurs here
photic zone
the zone in water that has almost no light penetration; only animals and other heterotrophs exist here
aphotic zone
Abiotic and biotic factors are responsible for limiting the __ __ of species
geographic distribution
all the biotic and abiotic resources in the environment used by an organism
niche
When an organism occupies a niche certain resources are __ or certain qualities of the environment are ___ or ____. No two species can occupy the same niche ___ because they compete for __ and __ at the same time of the year
consumed, changed, exploited, indefinitely, food, mate
____ describes how individuals in a population are distributed. It may be __, ___ or ___
dispersion, clumped, uniform, random
__ ___ is the description of the abundance of individuals of each age, and changes based on the _ ___
age structure, reproductive rate
_ ___ describe how the mortality of individuals in a species varies during their lifetimes. Type I is where most individuals survive to _ ___ but mortality quickly increases in __ __. ___ are an example. Type II is when the probability of survival is __ and ___ of age. An example is ___. Type III is when most individuals die __ with few surviving to _ ___ and beyond. ___ are an example and this type is typical of species that produce __ ___ ___.
survivorship curves, middle age, old age, humans, constant, independent, hydras, young, reproductive age, oysters, free swimming larvae
__ ___ is the maximum growth rate of a population under ideal conditions. It is affected by age at __ ___, the __ ___, the ___ of reproduction, the reproductive lifetime, and the ___ of offspring that reach maturity
biotic potential, reproductive maturity, clutch size, frequency, survivorship
The maximum number of individuals of a population that can be sustained by a habitat
carrying capacity
elements that prevent a population from reaching its full biotic potential
limiting factors
__ ____ limiting factors are ones that become more intense as the population density increases. This includes competition for ___, the spread of ____, __, ___ and toxic effects of __ ___.
density dependent, resources, disease, parasites, predation, waste products.
__ ____ limiting factors are ones where the effect’s intensity occurs independently of the density of the population. Examples include -_ ___ or big __ changes
density independent, natural disasters, temperature
when the reproductive rate is at its maximum
intrinsic rate
occurs whenever the reproductive rate is greater than zero, creating a J-shaped curve
exponential growth
Occurs when limiting factors restrict the size of the population to the carrying capacity of the habitat; s-shaped curve
logistic growth
When the population size fluctuates in response to varying effects of limiting factors
population cycle
In a ______ ___ the members have low reproductive rates with longer maturation times, and their size is roughly constant at ____. The population levels out at the __ __ and thus growth curves are ___. Competition among individuals tend to be stronger and there is a limitation imposed by ____. Because of strong __ __ most organisms survive.
K-selected population, K, carrying capacity, sigmoidal, resources, parental care
___ ___ species have rapid exponential population growth. They have numerous offspring that are ____ and have fast ____ so that little parental care is needed. They are generally found in __ ___ environments affected by density independent factors. They are also characterized by ___ ____ that quickly invade a habitat and reproduce. These species have ____ growth curves. The population densities are well below the __ __ so there is little competition.
R-selected population, small, maturation, rapidly changing, opportunistic species, exponential, carrying capacity
Human population growth has been ___ since about 1000 years ago. This is enabled by increase in __ __, reduction in ___ and human ___, and habitat ___ because of advancements. The rate is still increasing but it is ___ ___
exponential, food supply, disease, waste, expansion, slowing down
Bacterial growth has four phases plotted as the logarithm of ___ ___ vs ___. The first phase, the __ __ is when bacteria are adapting to growth conditions. Individual bacteria are ___ but are not yet able to divide. The second phase, the __ ___, is the exponential growth of the population as it _____ every time period. The third phase, the __ ___, is when the growth rate equals the __ ___ due to growth limiting factors. The fourth phase, the __ ___ is when bacteria die
number of bacteria, time, lag phase, maturing, log phase, doubles, stationary phase, death rate, death phase
the aggregate land and water area necessary to produce all the resources to sustain an individual / group and absorb all their wastes
ecological footprint
describes the total number of different species present
species richness
the amount of individuals of each species
relative abundance
The __ __ ___ measures the species diversity. The ____ the value the more diverse the community. Higher diversity communities are often more resistant to ___ __
shannon diversity index, higher, invasive species
Species richness generally declines along a __ ___ from the tropics to the poles due to the fact that the tropics are ___ and its ___. In terrestrial communities, ___ and ___ correlate with diversity and can be measured via ____, of the evaporation of water from soil and plants. Species richness also increases when the ___ of ____ increases. Species richness also depends on the ___ __ and from the __. Equilibrium is reached when new immigrations are balanced by ____.
latitudinal gradient, older, climate, sunlight, precipitation, evapotranspiration, diversity, habitats, extinctions
says that when two species compete for exactly the same resources one is likely to be more successful; no two species can sustain coexistence if they occupy. the same niche
competitive exclusion principle / Gause’s principle
When two species occupy the same niche but pursue slightly different resources, minimizing competition
resource partitioning
Occurs where unique differences among species diverge even more when they coexist near each other due to certain traits allowing for more success in obtaining resources in their partitions
character displacement / niche shift
the are that a species could potentially survive in in the absence of competing species is the __ __, while the __ ___ is the actually area that it lives in due to factors such as competitors.
fundamental niches, realized niches
A __ ___ is one that kills and eats another animal. A ____ spends most of its life living off a host and obtaining nourishment by feeding off the host’s tissues. The host usually does not die until the parasite has completed at least one __ __. A ____ is an insect that lays its eggs on the host. After the eggs hatch the larvae obtain nourishment by consuming the host’s ___. The host eventually dies, but not until the larvae complete development and begin ___.
true predator, parasite, life cycle, parasitoid, tissue, pupation
____ are animals that eat grass and ___ are animals that eat leaves. They only eat part of the plant and thus ___ it
grazers, browsers, weaken
when one organism benefits while the other is unaffected
commensalism
when both organisms benefit in their association
mutualism
when species have positive effects on the survival and reproduction of another species without necessarily living in direct intimate contact for symbiosis
facilitation
protist and fungi that decomposed dead organic matter
saprophytism
organisms that consume dead animals directly
scavengers
competition between members of the same species is ___ __ and is influenced by ___ and _____ forces. ____ ___ is between members of different species and is ultimately ___ for both since they are competing against each other for resources
intraspecific interactions, disruptive, cohesive, interspecific competition, negative
___ ___ occurs directly between individuals via aggression, etc. Other individuals are directly prevented from __ ___ themselves on the habitat to prevent the sharing of mutual resources. This can be done via ____, which is the production of biochemicals by an organism to influence the growth / survival / ___ of other organisms
interference competition, establishing themselves, allelopathy, reproduction
Competition that occurs indirectly through the depletion of a common resource
exploitation competition
competition that occurs between two species preyed on by the same predator
apparent competition
freshwater fish live in a _____ environment which causes an ___ intake of water. Thus the fish seldom drink and excrete _ ___. Saltwater fish live in ___ environments are are constantly drinking and excreting __ across their gills
hypo-osmotic, excess, dilute urine, hyper-osmotic, salt
Arthropods secrete solid __ ___ ___ to conserve water
uric acid crystals
Plants possess ___ __ on the leaf surface and stomata. Stomata are on the _____ leaf surfaces only. The leaves are shed in the ___. Desert plants have extensive __ ___, ____ __ and extra thick ___ and few stomata.
waxy cuticles, lower, winter, root systems, fleshy stems, spiny leaves, cuticles
Cold blooded or _____ organisms make up the ___ of plants and animals. This means their body temperature is close to that of their ___ so their ____ is radically affected by the environmental temperature.
poikilothermic, majority, environment, metabolism
Warm blooded or ____ organisms make use of the heat produced by ___. Physical adaptations like __, __ and ____ minimize heat loss. ___ and __ are warm blooded
homeothermic, respiration, hair, fat, feathers, mammals, birds
toxic chemicals produced in plants that discourage herbivores from consuming them
secondary compounds
any colour, pattern, shape, or behaviour that enables an animal to blend in with its surroundings
camouflage / cryptic colouration
a conspicuous pattern or colouration of animals that warns predators that they sting, bite, taste, bad are poisonous, etc.
aposematic colouration
The change in composition of species, organisms and vegetation over time
ecological succession
As succession progresses, the _____ and total ___ increase. A final successional stage of constant species composition or a ____ ___, is attained and unchanged until destroyed by some __ ___ or ___. Succession has a factor of ___ that makes it hard to predict. Sometimes, a stable climax community is never achieved due to frequent ___ like fires
diversity, biomass, climax community, catastrophic event, blowout, randomness, disturbances
Resident species can change a habitat which can alter succession by altering the ___ that make the habitat ____. Some examples are __ ___, soil ___, __ __, ___ availability, ___ and ____ species.
conditions, favorable, substrate texture, pH, water potential, light, crowding, pioneer
As soil, water and light changes, ___ species will be replaced by stable ___ species which live longer, so their environmental effects ___ __ the rate of succession and reach ___ where it remains for hundreds of years
r-selected, k-selected, slow down, climax
__ __ occurs on substrates that have never previously supported living things such as __ __, ___ __ or rock left behind by __ __. One of the essential prowesses for primary succession is __ ___
primary succession, volcanic islands, lava flows, retreating glaciers, soil building
___ ___ begins in habitats where communities were entirely or partially destroyed by damaging events like __, ___, __ ___, overgrazing, ___ clearing, etc. They begin on substrates that already bear ___
secondary succession, fires, floods, insect devastation, forest, soil
the species that is the most abundant / has the highest biomass
dominant species
species that are not usually abundant but exert a strong control on their community structure through their pivotal ecological role
keystone species
foundation species that dramatically alter their physical environment
ecosystem engineers
Primary producers are ___ that convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy. These include ___, __ __, _____ and ___ bacteria. Their efficiency from sunlight is only about ___% of the energy available to them
autotrophs, plants, photosynthetic protists, cyanobacteria, chemosynthetic, 1
Primary consumers are ___. They have long __ __ with greater __ __ so there is more time for digestion. ____ ___ in the digestive tract breaks down the ____ which the herbivore itself cannot digest.
herbivores, digestive tracts, surface area, symbiotic bacteria, cellulose
Secondary and _______ consumers are mostly ___
tertiary, carnivores
_____ are consumers that obtain energy by consuming detritus. This is nonliving ___ ___. It can be the remains of dead organisms but also can be ___, __ __ or ___. Smallest detritivores are decomposers like __ and __. Others are ___, ___ , ____ and ____.
detritivores, organic material, feces, fallen leaves, wood, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, earthworms, insects, scavengers
__ ___ describes the proportion of energy represented at one trophic level that is ___ to the next. One average, an efficiency of ____ is transferred to the next and ___ of it is lost to ____ and to ___ when they die. The ____ level is the least stable and most sensitive to the ___ ___ from the lower levels
ecological efficiency, transferred, 10%, 90%, metabolism, detritivores, tertiary, population fluctuations
percentage of energy stored in assimilated food that is not used for respiration or excreted as feces
product efficiency
The greater the number of ____ in a community food web, the more ____ the community is
pathways, stable
major storage locations for essential elements
reservoirs
the process through which elements are incorporated by terrestrial plants and animals
assimilation
The process by which the element returns to the environment
release
In the ____ or water cycle, the reservoirs are the ___, ___, ___ and ___. ____, wind and precipitation moves water from the ocean to ___. Assimilation is done by plants absorbing water from the ___ and by plants drinking and eating other organisms. Release is done when plants __ and when animals and plants decompose
hydrologic, oceans, air, groundwater, glaciers, evaporation, land, soil, transpire
In the carbon cycle, the reservoirs are ___ __, __ __, peat, and durable __ ___ like cellulose. Assimilation is done by plants when they use ___ in photosynthesis and by animals when they consume ____. Release of CO2 occurs through ___, ___ and when organic material is ____.
atmospheric CO2, fossil fuels, organic matter, CO2, plants, respiration, decomposition, burned
Nitrogen is required for the manufacture of __ __ and _ ___. The reservoirs are ____, and soil. Assimilation occurs when plants absorb nitrogen as either ___ or ___ and when animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants and animals
amino acids, nucleic acids, N2, NO3, NH4+
When N2 is converted into NH4+ through bacteria in soil, or by lightning and converted into nitrogen oxides
nitrogen fixation
When NH4+ is converted to NO2 then to NO3 by bacteria
nitrification
Release of nitrogen is done by ___ __ which convert ___ into ___ ___. ____ ___ also release nitrogen by converting organic compounds back to ammonium through ____. Animals release nitrogen by excreting ____, ___ or __ ___ and through decay since nitrogen in the form of ammonia is released from ___ ___
denitrifying bacteria, NO3, N2, detritivorous bacteria, ammonification, ammonium, urea, uric acid, dead tissues
Phosphorous is required for ___ and all nucleic acids. The reservoirs for phosphorous are ___ and __ __ because ___ transfers phosphorous to the water and soil. Assimilation occurs when plants absorb ____ ___ from the soil and when animals obtain __ __ when they eat. Release of phosphorous occurs when plants and animals ____ and when animals excrete phosphorous in waste products
ATP, rocks, ocean sediments, erosion, inorganic phosphate, decompose
Tropical rainforests have a high but ___ temperature and ____. There is heavy ____, and the biome is filled with tall trees with ___ at the tops that allow ___ light to enter. This is the most __ biome. ____ are found here, which are plants that grow commensally on other plants. like vines
stable, humidity, rainfall, branches, little, diverse, epiphytes
Savannas are tropical ___ with ___ trees. They have high temperatures but little ____. In the African savanna are ___ which are large-hooved plant eating mammals like giraffes. Savannas are also subject to seasonal __ and ___. They cover many tropical and subtropical parts of ___ and ___.
grasslands, scattered, rainfall, ungulates, droughts, fires, Africa, Australia
Temperate grasslands receive ___ water with ___ seasonal occurrences of rainfall. They are subject to ___ temperatures than savannas. Grassland soils are among the most ___ in the world and seasonal ___, __ and large mammals grazing can be seen here
less, uneven, lower, fertile, fires, droughts
Temperate decidous forests have warm summers, cold winters and ___ precipitation. Large decidous trees ___ __ during winter and the soil is ___ due to it. There is vertical _____ in this biome where different types of plants and animals live depending on the layer of the forest.__ _____ hibernate through cold winters
moderate, shed leaves, rich, stratification, principal mammals
temperate coniferous forests are __ and sometimes ___. Vegetation has evolved adaptations to conserve water such as __ ___.
cold, dry, needle leaves
deserts are hot and dry and has the most extreme __ __ of hot days and cold nights. The growth of annual plants is limited to a short period following rare ___. Plants and animals adapt to conserve as much water as possible such as __ __ or __ ___
temperature fluctuations, rain, urinating infrequently, cacti spines
Taigas are south of ___, and are coniferous forests filled with trees like __, __ and ___. They have very long, cold ___ and low ___ in the form of heavy _____. This is the ___ terrestrial biome
tundra, spruce, fir, pine, winters, precipitation, snow, largest
Tundras have cold winters where the ground ____. The top layer thaws during summer to support minimal vegetation such as ___ ___, low growing ___, ___, but no trees. The deeper soil or ____ remains permanently frozen. There is very little ___ and it cannot penetrate the frozen ground. They have short growing ___
freezes, moss lichen, shrubs, grasses, permafrost, rainfall, seasons
Chaparrals are along the __ ___ and are characterized by ___ winters, dry summers and scattered vegetation comprising dense __ __. California ___ happen here
california coastline, wet, spiny shrubs, fires
The polar region is ___ with no ___ or terrestrial animals
frozen vegetation
Freshwater biomes like ___, ___, ___ and ____ are hypotonic to organisms and the biome is affected by climate and ___ variations
ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, weather
Marine biomes cover __ of the world’s surface and provide most of the earth’s __ and ___. These include ___, ___ zones, continental shelves / ____ zones, ___ __ and open or ____ oceans. Marine biomes have a relatively constant temperature because of water’s high __ ___ and volume. The amount of nutrient materials and dissolved ___ are also relatively constant
3/4. food oxygen, estuaries, intertidal, littoral, coral reefs, pelagic, heat capacity, salts
the lowest layer of a body of water, including the sediment surface and sub-surface layers
benthic zone
The water that is neither close to shore nor close to the very bottom
pelagic zone
The surface layer of water and the only photic zone; nearly all primary production of the ocean occurs here
epiplagic zone
an aphotic zone with minimal oxygen
mesoplagic zone
aphotic zone that is pitch black with no plant life; most organisms consume detritus coming from above
bathypelagic
aphotic zone that is cold and high pressure, and most species have no eyes
abyssopelagic
aphotic zone where most life exists in hydrothermal vents
hadopelagic
The benthic zone can be __ or ___ depending on the depth and there are pelagic and benthic zones in both __ and ___ biomes
aphotic, photic, marine, freshwater
In the winter and summer, lakes are stratified by ___. The upper layer is heated more by the ____ and because warmer water is less ___, it floats at the top. The water and cold water is unable to mix in the ___. Oxygen concentration __ with depth and the bottom layer is high in ____. In autumn and spring, the warm oxygenated water layer cools and ___. to the bottom, pushing up the old bottom layer and so nutrients from the bottom go to the top. This is called ___
temperature, sun, dense, summer, decreases, nutrients, sinks, turnover
The burning of ___ ___, ___, factory emissions, etc. increases ___ in the atmosphere, causing more heat to be trapped and increasing the __ __. The global temperatures rise and raises the __ __ by melting ___. It also decreases ___ __ by affected weather patterns. Greenhouse gasses include __, ___, __ and ___ which all cause heat to build up in the lower atmospheres
fossil fuels, deforestation, CO2, greenhouse effect, sea level, ice, agricultural output, CO2, ozone, methane, CFCs
____ absorbs UV radiation, preventing excess UV from reaching the earth ____ enter the upper atmosphere and break down ozone. Normally it quickly reforms as it is split by ___.
O3, chloroflurocarbons, sunlight
The burning of fossil fuels also releases ___ and -__ into the air. When these compounds react with water vapor, ___ ___ and ____ ___ is created which rains down on earth and can kill plants and animals
SO2, NO2, sulfuric acid, nitric acid
Desertification is the ___ of grasslands that transforms the grasslands into ___. __ ___ decreases, or habitats available to native species are lost
overgrazing, deserts, agricultural output
The clear cutting of forests or ___ causes ___, ___ and changes in weather patterns. It also increases ____ and destroys ___ in the soil
deforestation, erosion, flooding, CO2, nutrients
process of nutrient enrichment in lakes which causes subsequent increases in biomass of algae and phytoplankton that deplete oxygen
eutrophication
As one organism eats the other, toxins become more concentrated at each higher trophic level in a process called __ ____. Toxins include ___, ___, ___ and ____
biomagnification, antibiotics, hormones, carcinogens, teratogens
Using organisms to detoxify a polluted ecosystem
bioremediation
using organisms to add essential materials to a degraded ecosystem
biological augmentation
a small area with numerous endemic species and a large number of endangered and threatened species
biological hotpot
When a small population size leads to inbreeding and genetic drift has a significant effect
extinction vortex
Human activities lead to increases of ___ in the oceans. They can increases ____ or boundaries between ecosystem which reduce biodiversity overall and create ___ that favor edge adapted species. This leads to ____,
acidity, edges, imbalances, fragmentation
small habitat clumps / strips that are important for connecting isolated patches and conserving biodiversity
movement corridors
Suggests that low to moderate levels of disturbances actually increase species diversity while high levels of disturbances reduce diversity
intermediate disturbance hypothesis
the translocation of a species to a favorable habitat beyond its native range to protect it from human caused threats
assisted migration
areas of dry land that form downwind of a high mountain
rain shadows
