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Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is ecology?

A

Is the study of the relationships of living things to their environment and to each other

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2
Q

Abiotic factors

A

The non living components in an environment (i.e., climate, water, rocks, temperature, etc.)

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3
Q

Biotic factors

A

The living components in an environment (i.e., animals, plants, micro organisms)

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4
Q

Ecosystem

A

An interacting system that consists of groups of organisms and their non living or physical environment
(Freshwater lake ecosystem - fish, micro organisms, plants, rocks, freshwater, lake bed)

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5
Q

Biome

A

Any large geographical region with a characteristic climate and topography ( physical features of a place or region)
WITHIN EACH BIOME THERE ARE ONE OR MORE ECOSYSTEMS

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6
Q

Ecotone

A

The transition between both ecosystems. This area contains organisms from both ecosystems

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7
Q

Artificial ecosystems

A

Is an ecosystem that is planned or maintained by humans

School yard. Local park. Farm. Managed forests

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8
Q

Natural ecosystems

A

The living community is free to interact with the physical and chemical environments. Have not been planned or maintained by humans

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9
Q

Biodiversity

A

Is the variation on f life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire earth biodiversity is often used as a measure of health and biological systems

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10
Q

Niches

A

Is a role of species in a community and can be defined as the conditions in which the species can survive species or the way of life that follows

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11
Q

Keystone species

A

Species that are more important to an ecosystem that one would expect based on their abundance
Remaining or adding keystone species to a community can result in enormous changes to the community through the effects they have on other species

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12
Q

Photosynthesis

A

Process that allows green plants to convert (change) light energy from the sun into sugar called glucose

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13
Q

Which living things use photosynthesis

A

Green plants

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14
Q

Photosynthesis, how is the energy changed

A

Light energy is changed into chemical energy

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15
Q

What substances are necessary for photosynthesis to take place

A

Carbon dioxide
Water
Sunlight

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16
Q

What is produced in photosynthesis

A

Sugar (food, glucose)

Oxygen

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17
Q

Photosynthesis as a word equation

A

Carbon dioxide + water + sunlight = sugar (food) + oxygen

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18
Q

Why is photosynthesis important

A
  1. It changes sun’s energy into food for plants

2. Produces oxygen for animals

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19
Q

Cellular respiration

A

A process that allows all living things to release energy from food

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20
Q

Cellular respiration, what living things use this process

A

Plants

Animals

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21
Q

Cellular respiration, how is the energy changed

A

Chemical energy from sugar is changed to energy that can be used for movement and growth

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22
Q

What substances are needed for cellular respiration

A

Sugar (food)

Oxygen

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23
Q

What substances are produced from cellular respiration

A

Carbon dioxide
Water
Energy

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24
Q

Cellular respiration as a word equation

A

Sugar (food) + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + energy

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25
Why is cellular respiration important
1. Releases energy from food | 2. It produces carbon dioxide needed by green plants for photosynthesis
26
Producers
Also known as autotroph, are organisms that can manufacture the organic compounds they use as sources of energy and nutrients. Most producers are green plants and can manufacture their food through photosynthesis Trophic level 1 Lichen, diatom, grass
27
Consumers
Also known as heterotrophs, get their energy and nutrients by feeding directly or indirectly on producers. 2 main types: 1. Herbivores 2. Carnivores
28
Decomposers
Organisms that feed on organic matter or detritus
29
Food chain
Linear sequence of who eats whom Show how muck transfers occur as energy moves through an ecosystem, but they do not show the number of organisms involved in each trophic level
30
Food web
Interconnected food chains
31
Pyramid of numbers
Based on the number of organisms at each trophic level Of limited values for investigating the pathway of energy through an ecosystem, and it does not reveal the mass of food at each level
32
Pyramid of biomass
Based on the total mass of organisms at each trophic level Shows the quantity of food obtained Also limited model because it does not consider the energy contributed by each organism in an ecosystem
33
Pyramid of energy
Based on the amount of food energy at each trophic level Since organisms consume other organisms for energy, an energy pyramid best represents the relationship between the levels
34
5 biomes of Canada
TUNDRA Abiotic: cold desert and low temperatures Biotic: rapid flowering plants, misses and lichens BOREAL FOREST abiotic: rainfall and warm summers Biotic: seed eying birds, squirrels, snowshoe hares THE DECIDUOUS FOREST Abiotic: fertile soil Biotic: deciduous trees and flowering plants GRASSLAND Abiotic: rich/fertile soil Biotic: grasshoppers, bison, voles and mice MOUNTAIN FOREST Abiotic: temperature varies with elevation, cool summers, windy conditions Biotic: large coniferous trees
35
Most abundant gas information the atmosphere
Nitrogen gas 78%
36
Sustainable ecosystems
Can be maintained for a long period of time through natural processes, even when faced with a certain “pressure” such as fire or human disruption
37
Unsustainable ecosystems
Human activities can often changes the biotic creatures of an ecosystem. This can make a previously sustainable ecosystem unsustainable
38
Community of interactions
Are relationships between biotic components of an ecosystem. The relationships may be form organisms of the same population or between different populations
38
Types of community interactions
``` Predation - predator - prey Competition Symbiosis - mutualism - commensalism - parasitism ```
40
Predation
A relationship in which one organism hunts and eats another living thing Predator: organism that hunts and captures another for food Prey: organism that is eaten by the predator Ex. Owl and mice Orca and seals Wolves and deer
41
Competition
Occurs when 2 living things have similar habitats and niches and this compete for the same resources such as water, food, shelter, mate Ex. Hawk and owl compete for mice Deer and elk compete for grass Seals and mad compete for fish
41
Lag phase
Initial slow growth in a population (resources are available)
42
Symbiosis
Relationship in which 2 organisms live together in close association Mutualism: both organisms benefit Ex. Plants and nitrogen fixing bacteria Honeybees and yellowing flower plants Commensalism: one organism benefits and the other is not affected Ex. Caribou and Arctic Fox (exposes food for the caribou hiding in the snow) Sharks and Remora (stays on shark and eats scraps too small for shark) Orchids which grow on Trees (orchids get access to water and sunlight Parasitism: one organism benefits and the other is harmed Dutch Elm Disease and Elm Tree (fungus that lives on the tree and weakens it) Tapeworm and Dogs (internal parasite that eats the lining of the dog’s intestine) Fleas and Dogs (external parasite that feeds off Dog’s skin causing irritation and disease)
43
Growth phase
Population size increase rapidly as reproduction rate increases
44
Carrying capacity
Maximum number of organisms that the environment can support (population may remain at a steady state if equilibrium is reached or it may decrease slightly
45
Death phase
Population may decline slightly as resources decrease
46
Steady state
A stable stat is reached when population is in equilibrium
48
Biotic potential
The max number of offsprings a species can reproduce provided resources are unlimited
49
Environmental resistance
Factors that work against biotic potential
50
What do living hunts use their energy for
Movement, growth and reproduction
51
Relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration take place in most ecosystems. Each process makes the materials that the other needs. Both processes must work together to sustain life on earth
52
Natural fixation and importance
Changing the atmosphere nitrogen to nitrates Nitrogen is needed... To make proteins To make DNA 79% of the Earth’s atom sphere is nitrogen gas (N2) Living organisms cannot use N NEED TO CHANGE IT TO NO3 (nitrate)
53
2 natural ways fixation can occur
Lightning (small amounts) Bacteria Some bacteria fix nitrogen and are found that in soil or lumps (nodules) in legumes (soybeans, clover, peas and alfalfa) Bacteria provides plants with a built in supply of l nitrates Plants provides nitrate fixing bacteria with sugar (energy) Access nitrates fixed by bacteria moves into soil
54
Litter
Upper layer and up of mostly of partially decomposed leaves and grass
55
Topsoil
Made up of small particles of rock mixed with decaying plant and animal matter (humus) Usually contains a rich supply between f mineral and nutrients requires for good plant growth
56
Subsoil
Usually contains more stones, mixed with only small amounts of organic matter
57
Bedrock
A layer of solid rock which marks the end of the soil
57
Five consumers
1. Carnivores (tiger) 2. Omnivores (bear) 3. Herbivores (deer) 4. Detritivores (earthworm) 5. Decomposers (bacteria)
59
Components of soil
``` Rocks (minerals) Air Water Organic and biological components Microorganisms ```
60
Closed ecosystems
Organisms cannot enter or live freely (fish tank)
61
Open ecosystems
Organisms are free to enter and leave (forest)
62
Scavengers
Animal that feeds on already dead animals (not predation) and plant material
63
Habitat
Natural home or environment of an organism
64
Freshwater ecosystems
Salt concentration - below 1% Nutrient level - oligotrophic (low) - eutrophic (high) Animals - fish, insects, amphibians, birds Vegetation - aquatic plants/algae
65
Marine ecosystems
Salt concentration - about 3% Nutrient level - open ocean (poor/unable to support organisms) - partially enclosed (high) Animals - partially enclosed: shellfish, clams Vegetation - specialized tree species

Science (13 decks)

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