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Ecology Flashcards

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Biology 101 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
Q

Why is cellular respiration important

A
  1. Releases energy from food

2. It produces carbon dioxide needed by green plants for photosynthesis

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26
Q

Producers

A

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

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27
Q

Consumers

A

Also known as heterotrophs, get their energy and nutrients by feeding directly or indirectly on producers.
2 main types:
1. Herbivores
2. Carnivores

28
Q

Decomposers

A

Organisms that feed on organic matter or detritus

29
Q

Food chain

A

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
Q

Food web

A

Interconnected food chains

31
Q

Pyramid of numbers

A

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
Q

Pyramid of biomass

A

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
Q

Pyramid of energy

A

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
Q

5 biomes of Canada

A

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
Q

Most abundant gas information the atmosphere

A

Nitrogen gas 78%

36
Q

Sustainable ecosystems

A

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
Q

Unsustainable ecosystems

A

Human activities can often changes the biotic creatures of an ecosystem. This can make a previously sustainable ecosystem unsustainable

38
Q

Community of interactions

A

Are relationships between biotic components of an ecosystem. The relationships may be form organisms of the same population or between different populations

38
Q

Types of community interactions

A 
Predation
- predator
- prey
Competition
Symbiosis 
- mutualism
- commensalism
- parasitism
40
Q

Predation

A

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
Q

Competition

A

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
Q

Lag phase

A

Initial slow growth in a population (resources are available)

42
Q

Symbiosis

A

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
Q

Growth phase

A

Population size increase rapidly as reproduction rate increases

44
Q

Carrying capacity

A

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
Q

Death phase

A

Population may decline slightly as resources decrease

46
Q

Steady state

A

A stable stat is reached when population is in equilibrium

48
Q

Biotic potential

A

The max number of offsprings a species can reproduce provided resources are unlimited

49
Q

Environmental resistance

A

Factors that work against biotic potential

50
Q

What do living hunts use their energy for

A

Movement, growth and reproduction

51
Q

Relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration

A

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
Q

Natural fixation and importance

A

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
Q

2 natural ways fixation can occur

A

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
Q

Litter

A

Upper layer and up of mostly of partially decomposed leaves and grass

55
Q

Topsoil

A

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
Q

Subsoil

A

Usually contains more stones, mixed with only small amounts of organic matter

57
Q

Bedrock

A

A layer of solid rock which marks the end of the soil

57
Q

Five consumers

A
  1. Carnivores (tiger)
  2. Omnivores (bear)
  3. Herbivores (deer)
  4. Detritivores (earthworm)
  5. Decomposers (bacteria)
59
Q

Components of soil

A 
Rocks (minerals)
Air
Water
Organic and biological components
Microorganisms
60
Q

Closed ecosystems

A

Organisms cannot enter or live freely (fish tank)

61
Q

Open ecosystems

A

Organisms are free to enter and leave (forest)

62
Q

Scavengers

A

Animal that feeds on already dead animals (not predation) and plant material

63
Q

Habitat

A

Natural home or environment of an organism

64
Q

Freshwater ecosystems

A

Salt concentration - below 1%
Nutrient level - oligotrophic (low)
- eutrophic (high)
Animals - fish, insects, amphibians, birds
Vegetation - aquatic plants/algae

65
Q

Marine ecosystems

A

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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