Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

AP Bio > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Community ecology

A

studies the interaction of populations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

population

A

group of living things living in a given area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Ecological niche

A

species’ ecological role within a community

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

ecological niche examples of components

A

habitat (living place), use of resources, (temp, food acquisition, etc) overall lifestyle, (mating season, when active (day v night))
each species has its own niche within a given area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Fundamental niche

A

ideal niche– the niche that an organism occupies in the

absence of competing species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

realized niche

A

modified niche that an organism occupies when competitors are present so there is
no niche overlap

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

realized niche–if two species need the same resource,…

A

…they need to learn how to coexist by subdividing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Limiting resource-

A

environmental resource that may

restrict ecological niche of species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

limiting resource examples

A

temp extremes, precipitation amounts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

When does competition occur?

A

when two or more individuals attempt to use the same essential resource, such as food, water, living space, sunlight

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

competition among individuals of same species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Interspecific competition

A

competition between different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Competitive exclusion principle

A

one species excludes another from its niche as a result of

interspecific competition. if one’s better, the other species will die out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Resource partitioning

A

two different species may be able to coexist if their niche differs from one another in slightly different ways

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Character displacement

A

when two similar species living in the same area start to

diverge from one another in certain traits–start to evolve to act differently, helps them survive together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Character displacement–darwin’s finches

A

When G. fuliginosa and G. fortis live separately, each has an
intermediate sized beak
When the two species live together on the same island, G. fuliginosa has a smaller beak (to crack smaller seeds) and G. fortis has a larger beak (to crack larger seeds).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Predation

A

consumption of one species, the prey, by another species, the predator

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Coevolution

A

interdependent evolution of two interacting species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How is chemical protection achieved for prey through appearance?

A

aposematic coloration.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is another name for aposematic coloration?

A

warning

coloration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Warning coloration

A

Being one of a select group that can tolerate a plant’s toxin, eating it, (thereby avoiding competition,) and accumulating the toxin in their tissues. Their coloring signals to predators that they are poisonous.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are some defensive adaptations to avoid predators

?

A

Mechanical defenses, group living, cryptic coloration, batesian mimicry, mullerian mimicry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Mechanical defenses

A

shells of turtles, porcupine quills, presence of spines,

thorns, wax in plants help discourage herbivores

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

herbivores

A

eat plants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Why would animals live in groups?
easily spot predators
26
Cryptic coloration
colors or markings that help prey blend into surroundings
27
What kind of coloration does a poison dart frog display?
aposematic
28
What kind of coloration does a canyon tree frog display?
cryptic coloration
29
Batesian mimicry
non-poisonous species resembles a poisonous species; evolved in order to avoid predation
30
How does a hawkmoth larva make use of batesian mimicry?
Impersonates green parrot snake
31
Mullerian mimicry
different species, all of which are poisonous, resemble | one another. Predators therefore easily learn a single aposematic coloration
32
Example of mullerian mimicry
cuckoo bee and yellow jacket
33
Symbiosis
intimate relationship or association between members of | two or more species
34
What does symbiosis usually involve?
one species living on or in another species
35
Mutualism
- symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit
36
nitrogen-fixing bacteria of legumes
bacteria supply the plants with | usable nitrogen, and legumes supply bacteria with energy rich organic molecules--it changes atmospheric to usable
37
Zooxanthellae
symbiotic algae live inside cells of coral, where they photosynthesize- provide animal with carbon and nitrogen compounds, and oxygen. When algae is found in coral, coral grows faster. Corals also provide algae with waste products like ammonia
38
Mycorrhizae
associations between fungi and roots of plants- Fungus helps with absorption of materials, plant provides fungus with organic materials produced by photosynthesis
39
Commensalism-
type of symbiosis in which | one species benefits and the other is not harmed or helped
40
Ex of Commensalism
host tree and epiphytes, which are smaller plants (orchids, ferns) that attach to the branches of the tree. Tree enables epiphyte to obtain adequate light, water, and minerals (washed out of tree’s leaves by rainfall). Host tree is neither harmed nor helped
41
Parasitism
symbiotic relationship in which one member, the parasite, benefits, and the other member, the host, is harmed
42
ex of parasites
flukes, tapeworms, hookworms
43
Keystone species
species that have an important role in maintaining the | community even though they may not be very abundant
44
What happens if a keystone species disappears
If keystone species disappears from a community, other species might become either more common or they may disappear
45
where are fig trees keystone
fig tree produces a continuous crop of fruits (even in winter), so they are a keystone species in tropical rainforests
46
why are gray wolves keystone
top predators such as gray wolf- when population of wolves decline, herbivores increased, which decrease vegetation population
47
Succession
the process of community development over time, which involves species in one stage being replaced by different species (generally plants, once they stabilize, animals follow)
48
beginning of succession
pioneer species
49
pioneer species
the first to colonize a | newly exposed habitat
50
pioneer species characteristics (r-selected?)
usually r-selected, reproduce fast, not too many resources needed, Can tolerate harsh conditions such as rocky substrate and nutrient-deficient soils
51
What replaces pioneer species?
Pioneer species are replaced by stable K-selected species | Ex- grasses, herbs, shrubs, or trees This slows down the rate of succession
52
final successional stage of constant species composition
climax community
53
kinds of succession
primary + secondary
54
primary succession
change in types of species over time in a habitat that | was not previously inhabited by organisms--bare rock surfaces, volcanic lava, 100s-1000s of years
55
protists
microscopic mostly unicellular simple organisms
56
succession on rock--first step
Begins with establishment of lichens- helps erode rock into soil
57
lichens
symbiotic relationship between algae and fungus
58
what happens as the soil builds up during succession on rock
bacteria, protists, mosses, and other fungi appear, then insects, then other r-selected species such as weeds and grasses, then Replaced by K- selected species-
59
Secondary succession
quicker, change in types of species that takes place after some disturbance removes the existing vegetation- soil is already present
60
Secondary succession example
Ex- habitats damaged by fires or floods, Succession on abandoned cropland
61
Succession on abandoned cropland
r- selected species already in soil germinate, Trees follow, type depends on specific region

AP Bio (35 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions