Ecology Flashcards

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1
Q

Levels of ecological organization

A

Biosphere (largest), ecosystem, community, population, individual (smallest)

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2
Q

Population

A

ONE SPECIES in ONE AREA

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3
Q

Community

A

VARIOUS POPULATIONS in ONE AREA

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4
Q

Ecosystems

A

Community of biotic and abiotic things interacting with each other

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5
Q

Biosphere

A

EVERYTHING ON EARTH, ALLL THE ECOSYSTEMS

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6
Q

Food chain

A

Producer (autotroph)–>primary consumer (herbivore)–>2ndary consumer (omnivore/carnivore)–>tertiary consumer (carnivore)–>decomposer

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7
Q

Bio-magnification

A

Pollutants from the producer will be worse in the next level

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8
Q

Movement of Energy

A

UP THE PYRAMID Producer—>Decomposer, in the form of organic molecules/chemical energy, energy is lost to heat as it moves up

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9
Q

Scavengers

A

Feed on bodies of dead organisms

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10
Q

Parasites

A

Lives and feeds on host organisms

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11
Q

Energy pyramid

A

Shows the amount of energy available in an ecosystem at each feeding (TROPHIC) level DECREASES AS U GO UP

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12
Q

Biomass pyramid

A

Shows the relative mass of organisms (BIOMASS) at each feeding level DECREASES AS U GO UP

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13
Q

Pyramid of Numbers

A

Population size also tends to generally decease as you move up through the trophic levels

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14
Q

3 Levels of Biodiversity

A

The diversity of ECOSYSTEMS found of earth, species in a COMMUNITY, and diversity within a SPECIES

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15
Q

More diverse=

A

More stable

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16
Q

Negative human affects on biodiversity

A

Over harvesting, alien species introduction CANE FROGS, habitat fragmentation, pollution, habitat destruction

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17
Q

Biodiversity benefits for us

A

The richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries and economic development

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18
Q

Ecosystems help to…

A
Protect water source
Form soil
Store/recycle nutrients
Break down pollutants
Increase climate stability
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19
Q

Biological resources

A

Food
Medicine
Building materials like wood

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20
Q

Social benefits

A

Research+education

Recreation+tourism

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21
Q

Niche

A

Specific role of an organism in its environment, no 2 organisms can occupy the same niche at the same time

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22
Q

Habitat

A

Where in the community that organism lives

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23
Q

Mutualism

A

+/+ (lichens, flowers and insects)

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24
Q

Commensalism

A

+/0 (barnacles on a whale)

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25
Q

Parasitism

A

+/- (tapeworms, mistletoe, athletes foot)

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26
Q

Competition

A

Struggle for limited resources among organisms

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27
Q

Limiting factors

A

Limits pop size (space, light, temp, food, predators)

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28
Q

Carrying capacity

A

The largest pop of any species that an area can support at one time, determined by limiting factor (population size cycles up and down on carrying capacity line)

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28
Q

Population would go straight up…

A

If there are unlimited resources/no limiting factors NEVER HAPPENS IRL

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29
Q

Carbon and oxygen move by

A

Photosynthesis an respiration

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30
Q

Nitrogen cycle

A

Nitrogen: important part of ANIMO ACIDS needed to make PROTIENS

Decomposers: bacteria and fungi make nitrogen available to other organisms

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31
Q

Ecological succession

A

Process when an existing community is replaced by another

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32
Q

Primary succession

A

1ST group of communities that moves into the previous lifeless habitat (bare rock)

Rock-lichens-mosses-grasses-trees and shrubs-forest

33
Q

Pioneer organisms

A

Can live where no other organism can

Ex: lichens

34
Q

Pond succession

A

Pond-sedimentation-swamp-forest

35
Q

Secondary succession

A

A disturbance can wipe out everything except soil

36
Q

Climax community

A

Diverse and stable ecosystem that is the end result of succession
Ex: hard wood Forest

37
Q

Biome

A

Land region inhabited by certain types of organisms, especially plants
Ex: desert, grassland, forest
Order of biomes as latitude/altitude increase: tropical forest, deciduous, taiga, tundra, ice/snow

38
Q

Biomes

A

Tundra: cold, short growing season, topsoil thaws (lichens, mosses, shrubs)
Taiga: cold winter, longer growing season where ground thaws completely (coniferous trees, pines, firs)
Temperate deciduous forest: seasons, abundant rainfall (maple, hickory, flowers, etc)
Grasslands: can’t support trees, moderate rainfall, temperate-tropical
Desert: hot days, cold nights, little rainfall no grass (cactus, plants adapted to little water)
Tropical rain forest: constant, high temp., a lot of rainfall all the time, humid(large broad leaves trees)

39
Q

Importance of Marine Biomes

A

Gives us the most oxygen found in the air

Lots of photosynthesis goin on here

40
Q

Why is the human population a problem?

A

Human population is increasing exponentially
We are quickly using the earths finite resources
Population growth is outpacing food in some regions

41
Q

Nonrenewable resources

A

Cannot be replaced over time, coal, oil, natural gas, metals

42
Q

Response to Nonrenewable resources

A

Reduce, reuse, recycle

43
Q

The levels of biodiversity =

A

Stability of the ecosystem

44
Q

Humans have decreased biodiversity by

A

Direct harvesting, endangering, polluting, harming and introducing new invasive species( also other bad stuff we do)

45
Q

Poaching

A

Illegally catching/killing organisms

46
Q

Deforestation

A

Destruction of forests bc of human activity (burning, cutting, farming, building)

47
Q

Imported species =

A

INVASIVE

No natural predators

48
Q

Direct harvesting

A

The destruction or removal of species from their habitat(lead to endangerment and extinction)

49
Q

Imported species

A

AKA invasive, no natural predators and disturb food web

50
Q

Characteristics of invasive species

A

Fast growth, rapid repro, high dispersal ability(very adaptive), tolerance of a wide range of environ. conditions, ability to live off of a wide range of food types

51
Q

Industrialization

A

The development of an economy in which machines produce many of the products people use

52
Q

Tech increase human growth by…

A

Increasing food supply , improvements in health care, improved sanitation practices

53
Q

Rise of human pop cause increase of demand of

A

Energy, fossils and nuclear fuels, and water

54
Q

Negative effects of human growth on water

A
  • increase consumption

- waste from homes and factories are dumped in waterways->pollution

55
Q

Thermal pollution

A
  • water used in industries and power plants to cool machines, warm water released into river, warm water doesn’t have much O2 ,suffocation in species
56
Q

Fossil fuel

A

Formed from remains of organisms that lived millions of years ago

57
Q

Good ozone

A

Protects us from Uv Rays in stratosphere

58
Q

Bad ozone

A

AKA smog, respiratory irritant in the troposphere

59
Q

Ozone depletion

A

Destruction of ozone shield

60
Q

CFC

A

Used as coolants in fridges, air conditioner, aerosol cans and plastic products, causes OZONE DEPLETION

61
Q

Uv radiation leads to

A

Skin cancer, cataracts , reduction of crop yield, disruption of marine ecosystem

62
Q

Acid rain

A

Precipitation that has a low pH due to sulfur and nitrogen compound added by burning fossil fuels

63
Q

Negative effects of acid rain

A

Forest decline, leaching of metals form rock and soil , decay of limestone/marble, respiratory damage, acidification and destruction of aquatic ecosystems

64
Q

Global warming

A

GREENHOUSE GASES co2–>up temp (not to be confused with ozone depletion)

65
Q

Problems of fossil fuels

A

Nonrenewable , polluting , global warming , acid rain

66
Q

Solution

A

Use renewal and clean energy, conserve resources (carpool, etc)

67
Q

Hydroelectric power

A

Generations energy with water by moving turbines (dams)

68
Q

Tidal electrical generators

A

Limited only to places with a great diff btwn high and low tides

69
Q

Solar energy

A

U SHOULD KNOW THIS BY NOW

70
Q

How can solar energy be converted

A

Photovoltaic (PV Device) or “solar cells “ change into electricity

71
Q

Concentrations Solar Power Plants

A

using the heat from solar thermal collectors to heat a fluid which produces steam to power generator

72
Q

Wind turbine

A

Uses blade to collect the winds kinetic energy, blades turn drive shaft to turn and electric generator

73
Q

Geothermal energy

A

Heat from earths core , heat are continuously produced inside the Earth by slow decay of radioactive particles

74
Q

Biomass

A

Burned to release energy(wood, crops etc), also can become methane gas or transportation fuel like ethanol and biodiesel

75
Q

Nuclear energy

A

Produced from splitting of atoms Good by low levels of pollution but Bad bc it is large amounts of hazardous radioactive waste

76
Q

Soil depletion

A

Modern farming does not allow for normal recycling of materials (no nutrients left for bacteria to do their job)

77
Q

DDT

A

Toxic spray crops-rain brought to crops-move up food chain-fish eating birds produce fragile eggs- easily broken - next generation killed BIOMAGNIFICATION

78
Q

Biological magnification

A

Toxic chemical are at higher concentrations at higher concentrations in food chain

79
Q

Biological control

A

Using a living organism to control a pest pop, can include viruses, should be a native species(ladybugs are used to control aphid, bad-cane toads)

80
Q

Predator and prey relationship

A

PREY>PREDATOR keep in check