Ecology

Question 1

evolution

Answer 1

when a species gradually changes over generations and become better adapted to new conditions.

Question 2

How did Darwin come to hypothesize about evolution?

Answer 2

by observing organisms on the Galapagos, like finches

Question 3

adaptation

Answer 3

behavioral or physical characteristics that allows an organism to survive and/or reproduce in its environment

Question 4

camouflage

Answer 4

a trait that makes it very hard to see an animal in its natural habitat

• camouflaged animals have the best chance to survive
• result of genetic diversity, mutation, or inherited

Question 5

Name the 5 main types of camouflage

Answer 5

1. Concealing coloration
2. Disruptive coloration
3. Disguises
4. Counter shading
5. Mimicry

Question 6

concealing coloration

Answer 6

using coloration to hide against a background of the same color
ex. many arctic animals have white fur to blend with snow

Question 7

disruptive coloration

Answer 7

breaks up the solid outline of an animal with spots, stripes, or other patterns so that the animal doesn’t stick out against the background
ex. Sumatran tiger stripes help hiding in tall grasses

Question 8

disguises

Answer 8

when animals or parts of their bodies resemble objects in their environment
ex. Walking stick

Question 9

counter shading

Answer 9

When the coloration of the upper parts of an animal is darker than its undersides. This causes the effect of sunlight to be counteracted.
ex. whale blends with ocean floor

Question 10

mimicry

Answer 10

an animal copies, or mimics, a color or form of something else
ex. Viceroy vs. Monarch butterfly

Question 11

natural selection

Answer 11

individuals whose unique characteristics are best suited for the environment tend to survive and produce offspring

Question 12

niche (4)

Answer 12

role of an organism in its habitat, or how it makes a living
INCLUDES:
-type of food organism eats
-how it obtains this food
-which other organisms use this organism as food
-when and how the organism reproduces and the physical conditions it requires to survive

Question 13

adapting…

Answer 13

increases ability to survive; environmental change drives adaptations

Question 14

Some behavior cycles are related to ________

Answer 14

seasons

Question 15

hibernation

Answer 15

a state of greatly reduced body activity that occurs during the winter when the food is scarce

Question 16

What happens to the body during hibernation?

Answer 16

• all of the body processes, like breathing and heartbeat, slow down
• –the slowdown reduces the animal’s need for food
• bodies use stored fat to meet nutritional needs

Question 17

migration

Answer 17

the regular, seasonal journey of an animal from one place to another and back again

Question 18

Where do animals usually migrate to?

Answer 18

areas that provide a lot of food or a good environment for reproduction (REPRODUCTIVE MIGRATION)

Question 19

Most migrations are related to the ______ _______ and take place ______ a year, in the _______ and in the ____.

Answer 19

…changing seasons…twice…spring…fall

Question 20

What have scientists discovered on how migrating animals find their way?

Answer 20

animals use sight, taste, and other senses, including some that humans do not have

Question 21

competition

Answer 21

–if two species occupy the same niche, one of the species will eventually die off, as a result of COMPETITION:
the struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resource
→limited amounts of food, water, and shelter
→adaptations reduce competition

Question 22

predation

Answer 22

an interaction in which one organism kills another for food (PREDATOR kills PREY)
→if there are many predators, there may be a decrease in population of their prey, which decreases population of predators when there is not enough food

Question 23

predator adaptations

Answer 23

help to catch and kill prey

ex. cheetahs run fast for a short amount of time; sundew bulbs; speed, sensitive hearing, poisonous, large eyes

Question 24

prey adaptations

Answer 24

help avoid becoming prey

ex. alertness and speed of antelope

Question 25

Name 3 defense strategies

Answer 25

1. protective covering
2. false coloring
3. warning coloring

Question 26

protective covering

Answer 26

shell

ex. when threatened, the pangolin protects itself by rolling into a scaly ball

Question 27

false coloring

Answer 27

pattern on an organism that makes it look dangerous
ex. large false eyespots on moth wings scare predators away and make them think that they are they eyes of a large mammal

Question 28

warning coloring

Answer 28

bright colors signals to predators that it is poisonous

Question 29

symbiosis

Answer 29

a close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species

Question 30

mutualism

Answer 30

a relationship in which both species benefit

Question 31

commensalism

Answer 31

a relationship in which one species benefits and the other remains unaffected

Question 32

parasitism

Answer 32

involves one organism living on or inside another organism and harming it
-PARASITE benefits; lives in HOST

Question 33

What are three factors that affect the process of natural selection?

Answer 33

Variation, overproduction, and competition

Question 34

Ectotherm

Answer 34

an animal whose body doesn’t produce much internal heat. Its body temperature changes depending on the temperature of its environment.
-“coldblooded”

Question 35

Endotherm

Answer 35

an animal whose body regulates its own temperature by controlling the internal heat it produces. Its body temperature does not change much, even when the temperature of the environment changes.