Ecology

Question 1

Population Density

Answer 1

Describes how many individuals are in a certain area

Question 2

Three Main Types of Dispersion Patterns

Answer 2

• Clumped: individuals live in packs that are spaced out from each other
• Uniform: individuals are evenly spaced out across a geographic area.
• Random: species are randomly distributed across a geographic area.

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

Collection of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area.

Question 4

Community

Answer 4

Collection of populations of species in a geographic area.

Question 5

Ecosystem

Answer 5

Consists of the individuals of the community and the environment in which it exists.

Question 6

Biotic Components

Answer 6

Living organisms of the ecosystem.

Question 7

Abiotic Components

Answer 7

Non-living players in an ecosystem, such as weather and nutrients.

Question 8

Biosphere

Answer 8

Entire life-containing area of a planet-all communities and ecosystems.

Question 9

Niche of an Organism

Answer 9

Consists of all the biotic and abiotic resources used by the organism.

Question 10

Biotic Potential

Answer 10

Maximum growth rate of a population given unlimited resources, unlimited space, and lack of competition or predators

Question 11

Carrying Capacity

Answer 11

Maximum number of individuals that a population can sustain in a given environment

Question 12

Limiting Factors

Answer 12

Factors that keep population size in check such as: predators, diseases, food supplies, and waste produced by organisms.

Question 13

Density-Dependent Factors

Answer 13

• Limiting factors that show up as the population approaches or passes the carrying capacity
• Examples: food supplies that run low, waste products that build up, population-crowding-related disease such as plague.

Question 14

Density-Independent Factors

Answer 14

Limiting factors that have nothing to do with population size like DISASTER.

Question 15

Exponential Population Growth

Answer 15

• The population grows at a rate that creates a J-shaped curve
• The population grows as if there are no limitations as to how large it can get.

Question 16

Logistic Population Growth

Answer 16

• The population grows at a rate that create an S-shaped curve
• Limiting factors are responsible for the S shape of the curve, putting a cap on the size to which the population can grow.

Question 17

K-selected Populations

Answer 17

• Populations of roughly constant size whose members have low reproductive rates
• The offspring produced require extensive postnatal care until they have sufficiently matured
• Humans are a K-selected species.

Question 18

R-selected Populations

Answer 18

• Populations that experience rapid growth of the J-curve variety
• Offspring produced are numerous, mature quite rapidly, are require little postnatal care.
• Also known as opportunistic populations and tend to show up when space in a region opens up due to environmental change.

Question 19

Three Types of Survivorship Curves

Answer 19

• Type I: individuals live a long life until an age is reached where the death rate increases rapidly
• Type II: individuals have a death rate that is roughly constant across all ages
• Type III: individuals have a steep downward curve for those of young age that flattens out as they get older.

Question 20

Commensalism

Answer 20

• Symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits while the other is unaffected.
• Example: cattle egrets feast on insects that are aroused into flight by cattle that are grazing.

Question 21

Mutualism

Answer 21

-Symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which both organism reap benefits from the interaction
Example: acacia trees and ants

Question 22

Parasitism

Answer 22

Symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which one organisms in which one organism benefits at the other’s expense
Example: tapeworms in an individual’s GI system.

Question 23

Aposematic Coloration

Answer 23

Warning coloration adopted by animals that possess a chemical defense mechanism.
Predators have grown cautious of animals with bright color patterns due to past encounters with such animals

Question 24

Batesian Mimicry

Answer 24

An animal that is harmless copies that appearance of an animal that is dangerous to trick predators
Example: a beetle whose colors resemble those of bees

Question 25

Cryptic Coloration

Answer 25

Those being hunted adopt a coloring scheme that allows them to bend in to the colors of the surrounding environment.

Question 26

Deceptive Markings

Answer 26

Patterns on animals that can cause a predator to think twice before attacking
Example: some butterflies have colored designs on their wings that resemble large eyes.

Question 27

Mullerian Mimicry

Answer 27

Two species that are aposematically colored as an indicator of their chemical defense mechanisms mimi each other’s color scheme in an effort to increase the speed with which their predators learn to avoid them

Question 28

Succession

Answer 28

Shift in the local composition of species in response to changes that occur over time.

Question 29

Climax Community

Answer 29

Final stable stage at the completion of a succession process

Question 30

Primary Succession

Answer 30

Succession that occurs in an area that is devoid of life and contains no soil.

Question 31

Pioneer Species

Answer 31

Species that is able to survive in resource-poor areas that takes hold of a barren area such as a new volcanic island
Adds nutrients and other improvements to a once uninhabited area until future species are able to take over

Question 32

Secondary succession

Answer 32

Succession that occurs in an area that once had stable life, but has since been disturbed by some major force such as a forest fire.

Question 33

Biomes

Answer 33

Various geographic areas of the Earth that serve as hosts for ecosystems.

Question 34

Desert Biome

Answer 34

The direst land biome
Experiences a wide range of temperature from day to night
Plants such as cacti have adjusted to desert life and flourish well there
Much of the wildlife is nocturnal
Shows the greatest fluctuation in daily temperatures.

Question 35

Savanna Biome

Answer 35

Savanna grasslands contain a spattering of trees
Found throughout South America, Australia, and Africa
Soil tends to be low in nutrients
Temperatures tend to be high
Many grazing species live in the biome

Question 36

Taiga Biome

Answer 36

Characterized by lengthy cold and wet winters
Has gymnosperms as the prominent plant life
Contains coniferous forests

Question 37

Temperate Deciduous and Forest Biome

Answer 37

Biome that is found in regions that experience cold winters where plant life is dormant, alternating with warm summers that provide enough moisture to keep large trees alive.

Question 38

Temperate Grassland Biome

Answer 38

Found in regions with cold winters

Soil of this biome is considered to be among the most fertile of all

Question 39

Tropical Forest Biome

Answer 39

Found all over the planet in South America, Africa, Australia and Asia
Near the equator, these biomes can be rainforests.

Question 40

Tundra Biome

Answer 40

Extremely cold winters during which the ground freezes completely
Upper layer of the ground thaws during the summer months
Plant life is short shrubs or grasses that can withstand difficult conditions

Question 41

Water Biome

Answer 41

Freshwater and marine bimes occupy the majority of the surface of the Earth.