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Bio 152 > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Scale of Ecology

A 
organismal
population
community
ecosystems
landscapes
global/macro
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2
Q

Reasons for distribution of biodiversity

A

climate created by tilt of earth and wind cells

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3
Q

Coriolis effect

A

creates major trade winds and oceanic current

result of equator moving faster than the poles.

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4
Q

Effects of earth’s tilt

A

seasons
create wet and dry seasons
changes wind patterns which changes ocean currents

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5
Q

effect of mountains on climate

A

wayward side is wet because of moist air coming off water and cooling as it goes up mountain
air on leeward side is very dry, creates deserts

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6
Q

define microclimate and give two examples

A

local zone where climate differs from surrounding area

  1. In winter, under snow. Stable temperature, some plants grow and animals around to eat them-called subnivium ecosystem
  2. Koala bears live in eucalyptus trees because they are cooler than the surrounding environment.
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7
Q

Effects of global climate change on species’ range

A
  1. extinction
    * *golden toad in costa rica killed by tropical fungus that thrives in warmer climate**
  2. exterpation: loss of some populations not whole species because species cannot survive at certain temperatures/climates.
  3. expanded range: species have moved towards poles and up mountains.
  4. No-analog communities: populations that previously were not in contact are now because of shifting ranges.
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8
Q

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

A

production of organic compounds from atmospheric or oceanic CO2 by autotrophs.
amount of new biomass added to in a given period of time. tropical rainforests most productive

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9
Q

Biodiversity

A

species richness/number of species

variation of living world from genetic diversity to diversity of species in an ecosystem/biome

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10
Q

tropical rain forest

A

located at equator
+B
+NPP

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11
Q

Desert

A

North and south of tropics
+B
-NPP
dry

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12
Q

Savannah

A

ecotone between rain forest and deserts

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13
Q

grasslands

A

center of large landmasses
subject to large climate swings because not stabilized by any body of water
rest by fires
inhabited by large mammals because need large digestive systems to digest grasses.
mid B and NPP

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14
Q

chapparel

A 
on coasts otherwise would be desert because located north/south of tropical rainforests
warm and moist because of ocean currents
hot and dry seasons
moderate NPP
-B 
fire adapted species
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15
Q

northern coniferous forests

A

north america, europe and asia
short growing season
+NPP few species able to live there are large and can fix a lot of CO2
-B b/c few species adapted to live there

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16
Q

temperate deciduous forests

A

located on coasts primarily because of ocean currents that bring warm moist air
long growing season
lots of temperature variation and high precipitation year round
+NPP
moderate B

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17
Q

tundra

A

at extreme latitudes
cold dry short growing season (if any)
-NPP and -B

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18
Q

Anthromes

A

human-created biomes
NPP decreases towards dense settlements
native species also decline in that direction but ornamental/non-native species increase
Biodiveristy may increase because of imports

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19
Q

ocean pelagic zone

A

low NPP (carbon sink)
-B
huge expanse but not full of life of productivity

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20
Q

abyssal zone

A 
hydrothermal vents
\+B
average NPP
located around plate edges
have chemocynthetic bacteria that use sulfur for nutrients
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21
Q

coral reefs and kelp forests

A

shallow marine biome along equator
+B and +NPP
very small biome but highly productive
created because of ocean currents

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22
Q

estuaries/salt marshes/mangrove forests

A

-B and +NPP because of tidals swings. organisms fed by nutrients coming from water but need to be adapted to water and air exposure

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23
Q

lentic systems

A

still terestrial waters

lakes and wetlands

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24
Q

oligotrophic

A

-B and -NPP
deep water, cold, clear water
light cannot reach ottom in most places
lake superior

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25
Q

eutrophic

A

+B and +NPP
shallow warm nutrient rich murky water
lake medota
light penatrates to bottom stimulating growth

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26
Q

wetlands

A

extreme eutrophic lake
water covers part of year and has water rich soils and water loving soils
+B and +NPP because so shallow
marshes, swamps, bogs

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27
Q

lotic systems zones

A

running water systems

  1. headwaters=-B and -NPP. high course particulate matter, cold, narrow, oligotrophic
  2. mid-regions: water slows and warms, course particulates broken down, primary producers, +B and +NPP
  3. lower regions: low course particulate count, cloudy water, moderate B and NPP
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28
Q

Latitudinal Diversity Gradient (LDG)

A

increase in species diversity going from poles to tropics

120 hypotheses exist

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29
Q

Biome productivity/energy hypothesis

A

amount of energy in biome drives diversity

but NPP and B are not directly related (deserts)

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30
Q

Biome size/area hypothesis

A

bigger land masses have more species, more productivity

but largest land biome is desert yes +B but -NPP

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31
Q

climate stability and predictability of biome

A

tropics do not vary much in temperature or precipitation

but still flawed in some way

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32
Q

age of biome

A

biomes destroyed by glaciers and must restart

tropics ancient so have lots of species but flawed in a way we don’t need to know apparently

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33
Q

Grographic area/mid-domain effect

A

null hypothesis

random chance

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34
Q

Animal Behavior

A

combined with animal physiology leads to all levels of ecological science
gives insight into mechanisms behind population and community ecology

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35
Q

Behavioral ecology

A

study of othology (animal behavior) focusing on ecological and evolutionary implications of animal behavior

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36
Q

Innate behavior

A

developmentally fixed.

shared by all members regardless of individual preference and environmental differences

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37
Q

learned behavior

A

modified based on previous experiences

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38
Q

mixed behavior

A

bahavior is innate but skill is learned

example: birdsong

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39
Q

Fixed Action Pattern (FAP)

A

innate behavior that is indivisible and runs to completion regardless
ex: when brood parasites lay eggs in different nest, other bird still feeds chicks because that is what the innate behavior is even though the chick is clearly not its own

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40
Q

Movement-Taxis

A

innate response to directional stimulus/gradient
not a tropism because animal has mobility
example: trout always face upstream so they don’t get swept away

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41
Q

Movement-kinesis

A

innate response to non-directional stimulus

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42
Q

orthokinesis

A

speed of movement is dependent upon intensity of stimulus

example: prey runs faster when predators around

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43
Q

Klinokinesis

A

sinuosity of movement is proportional to stimulus intensity
example: baby turtles usually follow straight path towards ocean when they hatch. Light makes them vear off course–worse at higher intensities of light

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44
Q

Signals and communication

A

signals: stimulus transmitted from one organism to another
comm: transmission and reception of signals
example: one bee finds a food source and relates it to others with dance that tells direction and distance from hive

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45
Q

thermocline

A

layers of lake
Summer: warm on top, denser cold on bottom
Fall: turnover b/c top cooling
Winter: top frozen then cold then warm at bottom
Spring: turnover as top melts and warms

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46
Q

Imprinting

A

phase sensitive learning

rapid and independent of consequences

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47
Q

Filial Imprinting

A

babies learn from parents.

can be taken advantage of like to teach birds to migrate

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48
Q

Spatial learning

A

there is strong selective pressure to estimable memory that reflects spatial distribution of resources
ex: wasps use landmarks to memorize location of nest

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49
Q

Path integration (ded reckoning)

A

animals can continuously compute location from past trajectory and efficiently return to starting location
useful in featureless landscapes

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50
Q

cognitive map

A

internal representation of lanscape

held in brain and allows for visualization of map to make useful path

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51
Q

Associative learning

A

association of stimulus with another

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52
Q

classical conditioning

A

arbitrary stimulus associated with a particular outcome

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53
Q

operant conditioning

A

animal first learns to associate a behavior with a reward or punishment and then tends to repeat or avoid behavior
“trial and error” learning

54
Q

cognitive learning

A

knowing that involves awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgement

55
Q

social learning

A

examples:
1. prarie dogs have different calls for different situations. animals from other populations can still recognize signs.
2. Birdsong: birds partner with tutors to learn how to call well

56
Q

Factors effecting biome distribution besides geography and climate

A
  1. soil type
  2. available nutrients
  3. space
  4. seed source
  5. competition
57
Q

though wisconsin is fully in temperate zone, why is vegetation different in north than in south?

A

In north it is colder so there is more water (less evaporation and transpiration)
differences in soil, elevation, and proximity to streams also effects vegetation

58
Q

Foraging ecology

A

food obtaining behavior including diet and activities used to search, recognize, capture, and consume food

59
Q

Optimal foraging

A

animal is able to obtain best food resource with least amount of costs

60
Q

Reproductive ecology

A

behavior leading to the creation of offspring, including all activities that animals use to seek, identify, and compete for a mate

61
Q

Infanticide

A

killing of infants by mature adult of same species
Benefits: ensures murderer’s genes are passed on
affects how mother bears feed and how females mate (with lots of men for paternal confusion)

62
Q

Interspecific foraging risks

A

behavior of prey affected by presence of predators

63
Q

ghosts of predators past hypothesis

A

animals that were prey previously retain evasive behavior in absence of predator
relatively hard-wired traits

64
Q

how foragers avoid predators

A

camouflage
change activities like activity period or avoid kill zones
be dispersed or be densely packed

65
Q

How foragers avoid death once found

A

be fast
taste bad and show that
increase handling time with hard outsides

66
Q

Predator Functional Responses types

A

Type I: kill rate is proportional to prey density (spider web eventually reaches capacity regardless of how high the fly population gets)
II: kill rate is limited at high prey density because of handling time (professor eating snickers is slowed down by wrappers)
III: kill rate is limited at very low prey density (absence of search image), accelerated at moderate density and slowed at high density

67
Q

Predator Functional Responses definition

A

behavioral response to predator based on abundance of prey

number of prey eaten per predator relative to amount of prey on landscape is how it is graphed

68
Q

Monogamy

A

evolved because of limited resources and a need for both parents to rear and search for food.
example: Wandering Albatros
90% all birds monogamous because females too spread/free for a male to control many.

69
Q

Cuckolding

A

in monogamy female mates with other males and her single partner still raises the offspring
may lead to decrease in parental investment in rearing

70
Q

Resource defense polygyny

A

male defends resource to attract as many mates as possible

red winged black bird set up a territory and aggressively protect it

71
Q

mate gaurding polygyny

A

resources is not defensible to males compete for the opportunity to mate by actively guarding females
porcupines: females spread over wide area so males travel around and mate when females in heat then stay until she is out of it then move on to next female

72
Q

Lek polygyny

A

resources are not defensible so males compete by attracting attention with dances, songs
example: sage grouse

73
Q

sperm competition

A

by means of repeated copulation, mating plugs, and others, male is able to ensure his sperm is successful in fertilizing

74
Q

cooperative polyandry

A

several males defend a female territory

75
Q

resource defense polyandry

A

females defend territories that contain smaller areas of groups of males

76
Q

benefits of polyandry

A 
sperm replenishment (a man is always available)
material benefits
genetic benefits (females have options to chose fittest)
female convenience (does not need to look for a mate)
77
Q

promiscuity

A

individuals are not territorial so there is lots of overlap and things mate through random encounter
example: two-toed sloth

78
Q

Operational Sex Ratio

A

ratio of females:males
explains mating system
polygyny: more females than males
monogamy: equal ratio

79
Q

Sexual size dimorphism

A

male size:female size
polygyny: males larger
monogamy: equal size
females and males may have totally different diets due to differences in size

80
Q

population definition

A

group of organisms of same species occupying same space at a particular time

81
Q

Dispersion

A

use quadrants to determine type

null hypothesis: dispersion is random

82
Q

Poisson dispersions

A

random: mean=variance
clumped: meanvariance

83
Q

Indicies

A

index of density is any measurable correlation of density. usually a count statistic that is obtained in the field like number of nests then just need to convert that to number of individuals.
can be biased based on ease of seeing things and whatever

84
Q

Mark-recapture equation/Lincoln-Peterson Equation

A

(marked and recaptured, r) ===(total captured first time, m)
———————————– ———————————
(total captured 2nd time, c) (population size, N)

85
Q

Mark recapture issues

A

if animals cage shy after being captures first time, r is small and N will be too large
if animals cage happy after capture, r r is large and N is falsely small

86
Q

Assumptions of Lincoln Peterson equation

A
  1. equal probability of capturing and recapturing all animals
  2. complete mixture of population after release
  3. closed population (no immigration, emigration, birth, death)
87
Q

Exponential Population growth equation and uses

A

dN/dt=rN r=rate of growth and N=starting population

  1. when invading/colonizing new place
  2. rebounding from massive crash
  3. when a new adaptation develops to cope
  4. at start of bounded population
88
Q

Density Dependence

A

decline in population growth rate as population increases because of competition for resources and space

89
Q

Carry capacity invovlement

A

k/2=time of greatest increase in population growth

90
Q

assumptions of exponential growth model

A

constant birth and death rate
no immigration or emigration
no time lags
there are enough resources and space for all organisms to survive as the population grows

91
Q

Positive Density Dependence/Allee Effect

A

population growth rate is low when population size is small because of low reproductive success/survival

  • can’t find each other to mate
  • so on dN/dt to pop. size graph, before fast increase, a dip.
    example: ferrets
92
Q

assumptions of logistic growth

A

constant birth and death rate
no immigration, emigration
no lag time
environment is constant except for crowding effect (reason for carrying capacity)
effect of crowding is felt by all, equally
does not consider unpredictable variation in weather, etc

93
Q

deterministic growth models

A

outcome determined only by inputs.

nothing is left to chance or changing conditions

94
Q

stochastic models

A

account for less predictable changes in and uncertainty around growth rates that alter population factors
example: chaparrals burn down ~1/decade

95
Q

Environmental stochasticity

A

annual changes in population because of weather, food supply, etc

96
Q

Catastrophic stocasticity

A

fire, flood, droughts that occur occasionally and impact the majority of the population

97
Q

Demographic stocasticity

A

natural and unpredictable fluctuations in birth and death rate and sex ratios

98
Q

patterns of mortality

A

Type III: death of most in early years. Few live to old age
II: likelihood of death equal for all age groups
I: majority live to old age then die quickly
does not consider differences in male and female survival

99
Q

Hypotheses for differences in male and female mortality timelines

A

H1: chromosomal

  1. reproductive/dispersal
  2. intraspecific competition
100
Q

metapopulation

A

assemblage of local populations connected by emigration and immigration. matrixes (areas of passage only)

101
Q

Classic metapopulations

A

b, d, i, e vary between local populations

dispersal can repopulate dying or extinct local populations

102
Q

source-sink metapopulations

A

one big population with greater birth than death rate (source) disperses out to inferior habitats where death is greater than birth rates (sink)

103
Q

patchy metapopulations

A

variable b d i e. emigration and immigration are so high that demographic differences between local populations are insignificant and populations are not independent of each other

104
Q

Island metapopulations

A

immigration and emigration are functionally zero so subpopulations are independent and dispersal is not sufficient to repopulation dying or extinct populations.

105
Q

Island biogeography

A

number of species on an island reflects balance between rate of new-species colonization and rate of existent-population extinction

106
Q

Exploitation competition

A

using up a resource

example: the more prairie dogs on a landscape the less weight gained by cattle

107
Q

Interference competition

A

behavioral interactions that keep other from gaining access

example: interspecific killing NOT for food.

108
Q

preemptive competition

A

individuals use space that is then unavailable to others

109
Q

Gause’s Competition Exclusion Principle

A

two species that have the same niche one will go extinct

110
Q

Fundamental niche

A

niche occupied in absence of predators

111
Q

realized niche

A

niche occupied in presence of predator

112
Q

Niche separation

A

species should be under selection to evolve to use different niches with lower overlap BUT overlap still exists because efficient use of resources drives organisms to stay close.

113
Q

Types of predation

A
  1. herbivory
  2. insect parasitoids
  3. parasites
  4. cannibalism
  5. classic predation
114
Q

herbivory

A

eating plants
monophagy (one plant)
polyphagy (lots of plants)
rare in birds because lots of digestive parts needed

115
Q

insect parasitoids

A

insects that lay eggs on or near host that then consumes the larvae.
somewhat specialized at least
always kill the host
example: wasps

116
Q

cannibalism

A

consuming conspecies.

rare because of disease transfer and eating own species bad for population size

117
Q

Why care about predation

A

mechanism of natural selection
determines cost-benefit balance in sexual selection (guppies)
life history breeding (age of breeding, nesting strategies)
anti-predation adaptations

118
Q

Character release

A

when animal is in environment without competitors it is able to occupy a broader niche.

119
Q

Character displacement

A

a species that previously had no competitors gets a competitor and it develops a more restricted characteristic because of niche partitioning.

120
Q

Difference between phenotypic plasticity and character displacement

A

phenotype changes because of changing environmental conditions. It does not change the genotype of the species. Character displacement is a result of natural selection/evolution

121
Q

keystone predator

A

removes some of the more competitive species from an ecosystem freeing up niche space for more species.
areas with keystone predators have greater species richness

122
Q

first law of thermodynamics applied to ecology

A

energy amount constant. plants convert solar energy to chemical. some lost as heat.

123
Q

second law

A

in energy transfer if no energy enters or leaves system, potential energy will always be less than at the start because of heat loss

124
Q

Why are predators larger than prey?

A

In aquatics, predators must engulf prey or else it could get swept down stream.
On land, do not need to be as large because they have the ground to hold dead animal.
Advantageous to be smaller than prey for some because of stealth and speed.

125
Q

Aquatic food chains vs terrestrial ones

A

aquatic can have up to 7 transfers because of more efficient transfer of energy. Terrestrial only 4 at most

126
Q

Trophic cascade

A

reciprocal predator-prey effect that alters abundance, biomass, productivity of a trophic level across more than one link in a food web.
Example: sea otter/kelp forest population decreasing because great whale population reduction.

127
Q

Global cycles

A

nitrogen carbon oxygen sulfur

because gases

128
Q

local cycles

A

Phorphorus, potassium, calcium

because to heavy to travel as gas go by dust

129
Q

water cycle

A

in dynamic equilibrium

input=outputs

130
Q

carbon cycle

A

out of balance

outputs>inputs because of fossil fuel burning

131
Q

ocean acidification

A

result of excess carbon dioxide forming HCO3-. Increases H+ concentration
shells dissolve

Bio 152 (3 decks)

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