Ecology Flashcards
2 types of competition
competitive exclusion: inferior individual is removed from community
resource partitioning: several species divide up existing resource by specializing and differentiating niches
2 types of mimicry
Batesian: non harmful species mimics harmful species
Müllerian: harmful species mimic each other
succession
change in species structure of a community over time
2 types of succession
primary: first colonization of new land
secondary: recolonization after a disturbance
What is the organism called that is first to succeed/recolonize an area?
pioneer organism: quickly fills empty niche
benefits of biodiveristy
increase stability (increased ability to adapt), useful for making products, ecosystem services
2 ways to measure biodiversity
species richness (number of species) and species diversity (richness + abundance)
3 types of population dispersal
clumped, random, uniform
2 types of population growth
logistical (“lag”): limited growth
exponential (“log”): potential growth if no constraints
growth pattern (four steps)
lag –> log –> stationary –> death
carrying capacity
the maximum size of population that is sustainable
important population LAW
Leibig’s Law of the Minimum, states that only one constrained resource can limit population growth
Three survivorship curves
Curve I: few offspring, high survival
Curve II: moderate offspring, moderate survival
Curve III: lots of offspring, low survival
Population density formula
D = n/A, n = number of species, A = area
Carbon Cycle Basics
CO2 in atmosphere, producers turn CO2 into C6H12O6 through photosynthesis, consumers turn C6H12O6 into CO2 through cellular respiration, factories add CO2 to atmosphere
