Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

My University Cards > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

0
Q

What is the law of minimum? Who suggested it

A

Justus Liebig The distribution of a species will be controlled by that environmental factor for which it has the narrowest range of tolerance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

What is the law of tolerance and who suggested it?

A

Find out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is population ecology?

A

population ecology includes understanding, explaining, and predicting species distributions. Why do species inhabit particular areas, and how are they prevented from establishing beyond their range limits? Such range questions have become popular in the last decade or so in response to concerns about climate change.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is interspecific competition?

A

individuals of different species compete for the same resource in an ecosystem (e.g. food or living space).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is amensalism?

A

when one species is destroyed or negatively affected and the other species is unaffected either way (not positively or negatively)

e.g. cattle trampling over grass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is intraspecific competition?

A

happens between individuals of the same species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is mutualism

A

both species benefit from their relationship but neither are dependant on the other

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is a + + relationship?

A

mutualism and symbiosis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what is a + - relationship?

A

predation, paratisism and herbivory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what is a + 0 relationship?

A

commensalism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is a - - relationship?

A

interspecific and intraspecific competition

competition,

Synnecrosis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is a 0 - relationship?

A

Ammensalism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is a 0 0 relationship

A

neutrality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are the three types of herbivory?

A

•1. Classic herbivory
–One animal eats parts of several plants e.g. cow & grass
•2. Predator type
–One animals eats and kills several plants e.g. birds & seeds
•3. Parasitic type
–One animal eats part of one plant e.g. aphids on a rose,
–Or fungal disease on plant.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

give an example of herbivoury that is + +

A

bees - the bees get nectar and the plants get cross pollenation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what are Granivores

A

eat seeds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what are Browsers

A

woody material

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what do browsers lack the enzymes to digest?

A

lack enzymes to digest cellulose even though their diet is high in cellulose (so they need to eat excessive amounts to get enough nutrition)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

in ruminants:

what processes occur in the rumen and reticulum?

A

Anaerobic bacteria and protozoa, fermentation vat, pH regulated

Regurgitated Cud Methane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

in ruminants:

what processes happen in the
•Omasum
•Abomasum (true stomach)

A

final digestion including micro organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

in plants what is the protein content greatest in? and why do herbivores give birth at this time of year

A

growth, leaves, buds, flowers etc. so herbivores give birth in spring to get the richest nutrients possible for better growth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what are the 4 types of plant defence and give examples

A

physical: spines (cactus)

chemical: Often secondary products of plant metabolism, Some act directly on herbivore
Some act indirectly eg by attracting organisms to protect the plant.

Masting: producing too many seeds so that animals (squirrels) can feed on them and a lot of seeds will still make it through and germinate becoming future trees

Symbiosis: ants live on the tree, tree gives then nooks for homes and ants protect tree from grazing herbivores by attacking their faces when trying to feed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what is commensalism

A

one organism benefits from the other without affecting it

e.g. clownfish live in stinging sea anemones and are protected by the stingers but dont give the anemone anything in return

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

give two examples of plant defence chemicals

A

•Cyanogenic Glycosides:- Toxins stored as inactive conjugates kept separate from activating hydrolases.- vacuole
•HCN released from cyanogenic glycosides present in more than 2,500 plant species.
•

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what is Azadirachin

A

a complex limonoid, most powerful deterrent to insect feeding.

Effective at 50 parts per billion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

what are the pros and cons of herbivoury over detrivory

A

–Pros
•Better quality
•More digestible than dead leaves
–Cons
•More poisons and defences
•Less plentiful
•Often only seasonably available

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Why is damage to natural populations of plants limited and extinctions rare?

A
  1. Animals will eat the easier targets
  2. Allows others to grow
  3. Population usually not limited by the number of seeds produced
  4. Prey switching
  5. Herbivores eaten
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what is Optimal range

A

species normally only functions best over a limited/specific part of the gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what is this

A

law of tolerance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

why do species not exist over the entire range of tolerance?

A

because of comepetition from other competitors -
•competition – other species may be better suited to conditions at a site and will therefore outcompete other species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Environmental gradient tolerance can..

A

set the potential range of a species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

competition can set the

A

observed range of the species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

what are the three images called?

what are the vertical and horizontal axis called

A

a. bioindicators
b. rare
c. ubiquitous
vertical: fitness/abundance
horizontal: environmental gradiant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

give some examples of temperature based abiotic factors

A

temperature:
•Important because of its effect on biological processes and the inability of most species to regulate body temperature.
•
•Rate of shell formation in corals increases with temperature and is supressed by low temperatures.

but plants are exceptionally susceptible as cells rupture if they freeze and must find alternative methods of storing water

other plants can survive freezing over ONE night (cactus)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

name these 4 types of estuaries

A

a. vertically mixed
b. slightly stratified
c. highly stratified
d. salt wedge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

why is salinity an important abiotic factor?

A

•Important in both terrestrial and aquatic environments – high and low concentrations control the affect osmotic resistance and impact water uptake or loss.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

what percentage of protoplasm is water and why is it an important abiotic factor?

A

Protoplasm is 85-90% water and without available moisture there can be no life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

what does water affect?

A

distribution and abundance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

what depth does ir (infraed) and UV (ultraviolet) penetrate

A

2 metres depth

green and blue light penetrate deepest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Primary production confined to

A

euphotic zone

(photosynthesis and most animal life)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

light still penetrates into

A

dysphotic zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

no light reaches the

A

aphotic zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

what is compensation depth

A

The point at which gains from Photosynthesis in plants equals losses due to respiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

label these zones

A

A: net productivity

B: gross productivity

C:compensation depth

D: respiration rate

E: bottom of euphotic zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

label the levels in this marine habitat

A

a. supratidal zone
b. littorina or upper intertidal zone (highest tide falls here)
c. middle intertidal zone
d. lower intertidal zone (lowest tide falls here)
e. subtidal zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

What is endosymbiosis

A

when one animal lives within anothers body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

what is ecotsymbiosis?

A

lives on the body surface of the host, including internal surfaces such as the lining of the digestive tube and the ducts of glands.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

what is Synnecrosis

A

interaction is so mutually detrimental that it results in death, as in the case of some parasitic relationships

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

what is the most common type of interspecific competition

A

neutralism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

what is a ubiquitous species?

A

found everywhere therefore it has a large environmental gradient

50
Q

what does the red and green line show?

A

red line: fundamental niche, full range of environmental conditions and resources an organism can possibly occupy and use, especially when limiting factors are absent in its habitat.

green line: realised niche (the niche in which it can survive)

51
Q

why does net productivity lower near the water surface

A

too much light because plants are adapted for certain amounts of photosynthesis hence lower abundance

52
Q

what is the biosphere?

A

thin layer around the earth which contains life

it contains the hydrosphere and atmosphere in which most species live

top of lithosphere and consists of ecosystems

53
Q

which part of this is the fundamental niche?

which part is the realised niche?

where do other species fit that are more adapted to other parts of the environment?

A

Hutchinson created this concept

blue arrow: entire box is the fundamental niche

orange arrow: middle of the box where RG3 passes through is the realised niche

green arrow: the edges of the box are where competing species that are more adapted to that area than the niche species in the middle of the box

54
Q

label the red area and the blue area

A

red: fundamental niche
blue: realised niche

55
Q

what is batisian mimicry

A

A type of mimicry in which a harmless or palatable species resembles a dangerous or poisonous species

56
Q

what is asymmetric competition?

A

•Benefit to one species and a cost to the other.
+/- relationship

direct competition between two entities that are not necessarily utilizing the same type of food etc resources or approach in order to achieve a similar result.

57
Q

what is the Tens Rule?

A

establishment in a new area is difficult, most species that are potentially invasive do not suceed, only 10% of species that arrive in a new area will establish and only 10% of those will become a problem species.

58
Q

what is autecology

A

study of a single species

59
Q

what is synecology?

A

study of a group of species

60
Q

what is an ecological engineer?

A

beavers and humans

a species that modifies its habitat to make it more suited to their needs

e.g. beavers build dams, humans build houses

61
Q

what is Gauses Principle?

A

it can be broken under certain conditions

no two species can coexist indefinately in the same ecological niche with limiting resources

competitive interaction means that the resource (food,space etc) becomes limited and one species outcompetes the other

62
Q

what is a keystone species?

A

A species that has an exceptionally great impact on the other species in its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

e.g. a species that eats both competing species so their populations stay low and dont get to the point where they are competing for food/habitat space (e.g. lion eating zebras and antelope)

63
Q

what was Gauses experiment?

A

he demonstrated that Paramecium aurealia outcompeted paramecium caudatum

64
Q

what habitats are two dimensional?

what are three dimensional?

A

tundra and deserts

rainforests

65
Q

what are ecological equivalents?

what do they demonstrate?

A

e.g. penguin and Auk, they looks similar but have evolved individually due to similar environments

•Demonstrates that energetic relationships have an important influence on niches and the species that occupy them.

66
Q

what is convergent evolution?

A

convergent evolution is the process whereby organisms not closely related (not monophyletic), independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

67
Q

what are the methods of dispersal?

A

diffusion: gradual movement of a population across hospitable terrain over several generations

Jump dispersal: movement of individuals across large distances followed by establishments to form a new population

secular dispersal: diffusion taking place in evolutionar timescales - natural selection causes migrants to diverge from the ancestral type

68
Q

what is Reids Paradox?

A

extremes of dispersal lead to species reaching new areas quickly

69
Q

name some dispersal barriers

A

waterfalls (fish cannot swim up them and difficult for terrestrial animals to cross)

70
Q

what is ideal despotic distribution?

A

density of animals can be highest in the most unsuitable habitats

71
Q

what is K in population ecology?

A

K = Capacity

72
Q

what are the two types of life table?

A

stage specific: often used where clear stages are identifiable in the life cycle e.g. cub, sub adult, adult or egg, crawler, insta, 2nd insta, 3rd insta, 4th insta, adult

or

age specific: this is most common, these are better for longer lived species where you identify the ages of individuals

73
Q

what does dx mean in population ecology?

how do you calculate it?

A

dx = number that are dying

nx - nx+1 = dx

number alive = nx and number alive in the next age class = nx+1

so number alive - number alive in the next age class + 1 = number dying

so is there were 1000 in age class 0-1 and 801 in age class 1-2 1000-801=199 dying

74
Q

what is community ecology?

A

multiple populations interacting with each other e.g. prey and predators

75
Q

name the organisational levels in ecology

A

highest to lowest (complexity)

biosphere

ecosystem

community

population

organism

lowest to highest (predictability)

biosphere

ecosystem

community

population

organism

76
Q

what is population ecology

A

concerned with species abundance in nature, the growth/declines of populations

77
Q

what is ecosystems ecology?

A

concerned with the flow of energy and nutrients through communities and the effect it has

78
Q

what is the n - dimensional hyper volume?

A

it relies on law of tolerance

species tend not to exist over the entire range of environmental tolerance because another species will find that low tolerance to be their optimum range and will outcompete the first species

79
Q

who wrote the essay n principle of evolution?

A

Thomas malthus, he Claimed: population was increasing faster than food production. He feared eventual global starvation.

80
Q

label this graph

A

point of crisis and carrying capacity

red arrow: population crisis ( too many animals not enough food

green arrow: carrying capacity: just enough food to maintain animal numbers

81
Q

what does k selection mean

A

K-selection referred to selection for competitive ability in crowded populations

82
Q

what does r selection mean?

A

r-selection meant selection for high population growth in un-crowded populations

83
Q

what is the exponential growth equation

A

dN

—— = r N

dt

so dn / dt = r N

change in number = dn, change in time = dt, rmax = rate of increase N = population size

84
Q

logistic equation of population growth

A

dN (K – N)

—— = r N ———

dt K

n= population

k = carrying capacity

dN = change in number, dT = change in time

85
Q

what is a sigmoid growth curve?

A

stabilised by availiable resources

86
Q

what is exponential growth?

A

the rate of change increases over time

87
Q

which line on the graph is for which equation?

which part of the line is r dominated and which is k dominated

A

•The exponential growth equation (dN/dt = rN) assumes that the population growth rate (r) is constant.•Not realistic over long periods of time.•We assume instead that r declines as N increases.

88
Q

what are the characteristics of an r selected species

A

•The potential for a species to multiply rapidly – producing large numbers of progeny - early in their life cycle – may be advantageous.
•
•Particularly in environments that are short-lived.
•
•Allows organisms to colonize new habitats quickly, and exploit new resources.
•
•Characteristic of organisms that invade disturbed land – e.g. many annual plants

many and small reproduction e.g. rats

89
Q

what are the characteristics of a k selected species?

A

•Their populations are usually crowded.
•
•Those that win in a struggle for existence do so because they have grown faster (rather than reproducing).
•
•Or have spent more of their resources in aggression or some other activity that has favoured them in competition with others.

Or few large progeny

90
Q

which graph is k selected and which is r selected

A

type 1 = K selected

type 2 = mixed

type 3= r selected

91
Q

which lines on this graph are r and k selected?

A

type 1 = k selected species = green arrow

type 2 = mixed = red arrow

type 3 = r selected = blue arrow

92
Q

what type of environment do r selected species live in?

A

unstable

•Density independent control of population size

93
Q

what type of environment do k selected species live in?

A

•Characteristic of stable environments
•
•Density dependent interactions
•
•Control of population size

94
Q

how do you work out mortality rate?

A

qx = dx / nx

so qx = mortality rate, dx = number dyiing, nx= number alive

95
Q

could intraspecific competition decrease the size of the overlap?

A

no! intraspecific competition will be working against it and increasing the overlap

96
Q

where is the zone of overlap/character displacement

A
97
Q

what is character displacement?

A

An outcome of competition in which two species living in the same area have evolved differences in morphology or other characteristicsthat lessen competition for food resources.

98
Q

what are the following two types of competition?

A

exploitation competition:

•Occurs when individuals use the same limiting resource or resources, thus depleting the amount available to others. Exploitation competition may cause the exclusion of one species but doesnt always result in extinction.

Interferance competition:

Occurs when individuals interfere with the foraging, survival or reproduction of others, or directly prevent their physical establishment in a portion of the habitat.

99
Q

who was Thomas Park

A

• showed that via interference competition the Confused Flour Beetle and the Red Flour Beetle could not coexist in simple environments.
•
•One species always excluded the other.
•
•Unless there was a refuge.

100
Q

what are the Lotka – Volterra Competition Equations

A
101
Q

what is the equation for potential mortality factor?

A

•K = logNt - logNt+1

Nt = density of population before the mortality factor

Nt+1 = the density of the population after the mortality factor

102
Q

what is a metapopulation?

A

series of small separate populations that mutually affect one another.

103
Q

what are key factors?

A

Mortalities that move populations away form equilibrium (or mean levels)

104
Q

what are density dependent factors?

A

•Factors that return populations for equilibrium are called density dependent

105
Q

how do you calculate distance moved

A

Dn√(〖log〗_e R_(0 ) )

–Where D average dispersal distance
–n = number of generations
–R0 = net reproductive rate

106
Q

•When we plot the predicted number of species on the planet using species area curve we get less species that are predicted to exist…why?

A

•It is because barriers allow secular dispersal and speciation to occur, allowing a wider range of species to exist. The more that humans break the barriers down, the more species will disappear.

107
Q

what is ideal despotic distribution

A

•density of animals can be highest in the most unsuitable habitats.

108
Q

what is mutualism sometimes known as?

what is symbiosis sometimes known as

A

facultive (non obligatory) relationship

obligatory but can sometimes be faculative

109
Q

what is a reservoir host?

A

•Reservoir hosts are vertebrates that host an infection while it is not infecting humans.•Reservoir hosts are used by the disease as a source of maintenance.
•
•A single reservoir host maybe be re-infected several times.

110
Q

what is brood parasitism

A

cuckoos

a species which uses a host species to raise their eggs

111
Q

what is kleptoparasitism

A

•Kleptoparasitism (literally, parasitism by theft) is a form of feeding where the parasite steals food that the host has caught, killed, or otherwise prepared.
•
•The kleptoparasite gains either by obtaining prey that it could not obtain itself, or by saving the time and effort required to obtain the prey.

e.g. birds harassing gulls for fish theyd just caught till they dropped it

112
Q

how do you find the frequency when recording using quadrats?

A

•(P/N) x 100 (%)

p = number of quadrat sections with species present

N = total number of quadrats

so species present / total number of squares x 100 = frequency (in percentage)

113
Q

how do you calculate cover percentage when recording in the field?

A

(A/N) x 100 = % Cover

Pin frames - count number of pins (A)

touching a species out of total number (N) of pins

114
Q

how do you calculate the average number alive during the age class?

A

age class = LX

LX = ((nx + nx+1) / 2)

so its just a mean of the number alive

so LX = ((number alive + number alive in next population) / 2)

115
Q

how do you calculate tx?

A

tx = stage that is required to calculate the life expectancy/ sum of the average number alive in age class

116
Q

why is life expectancy lower in the first year

A

in the first year animals dont know the habitat too well, accidents and predators etc, so life expectancy goes up in the next year as they get to know the area and then it slowly declines again in further years as normal

117
Q

how do you calculate the fercundity?

A

fercundity = female offspring = mx

fx / nx = mx

fx = total young, nx = number alive, mx = fercundity

so total young / number alive = fercundity

118
Q

how do you calculate pattern of fercundity?

A

LX x mx = pattern of fercundity

so LX = average number alive during the age class

mx = fercundity

119
Q

how do you work out total fercundity?

A

Ro= net reproductive rate

ix x mx = Ro

120
Q

how do you calculate population growth?

A

Nt+1 = Ro x Nt

Nt+1 = population size at the next generation

at an Ro of 1 the population is stable so every 1 female lion produces 1 female offspring

at an Ro of 2 the population doubles so every 1 female lion produces 2 female offspring

mainly useful for populations that breed once a year

121
Q

how do you calculate population growth for species that reproduce more than once per year?

A

dN / dT = rN =(b-d)N

N = population, r = growth rate, b = birth rate, d= death rate, dn = change in number, dt = change in time

e.g.

so r = 0.1 + N = 100

dn/dt = 0.1 x 1000 = 100

so 100 individuals are added to the population per time interval

122
Q

how do you calculate carrying capacity?

A

dN / dT = rN (K - N) / K)

dN/ dt = rate of population change, rN is the percaptia growth rate, N = population size, K = carrying capacity

so is K is 1000, N = 500+ r = 0.1

dn/dt = r x N ((k-N) / k))

dn/dt=0.1x(500(1000-500) /1000))

dn/dt=0.1 x (500 x 0.5)

dn/dt = 25

My University Cards (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions