A4.2 ecology and conservation (tamar booklet) Flashcards
species
group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offsprings
population
group of organisms of same species living in an area at the same time and interbreeding
communities
group of populations living and interbreeding with each other
ecosystems
open system in which both energy and matter can enter and exit
niche
the functional position and role of an organism within its environment.
what does the competitive exclusion principle state
2 species cant exist simultaneously if they live in same place
binomial name
first part genus
second part species
difference between an ecosystem and a biome
biomes are large geographically defined regions with similar climate, vegetation etc. while ecosystems are localized communities of living organisms and their ineraction within specific areas
biome eg. rainforest, desert, savannah
ecosystem, specific swamp or pond
biotic and abiotic factors of dessert
biotic; cacti, scropias, kangaroo rats, desert shrubs
abiotic, extreme temperatures, sandy, high levels sunlight, strong wind
biotic and abiotic factors of ocean
biotic; algae, fish, coral reefs, dolphins, sharks
abiotic; salinity, dissolved gases, high depth
biotic and abiotic factors of rainforest
biotic; canopy trees, monkeys, snakes, decomposers
abiotic; humidity, rainfall ,soil composition
main forms of nitrogen in nitrogen cycle
nitrogen gas
found dissolved in organisms
ammonium
nitrate
nitrite
oxides of nitrogen
order of nitrogen cycle
nitrogen fixation by bacteria converting atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia, ammonification where organic matter decomposes into ammonium, nitrification where bacteria convert ammonium into nitrite and then nitrate, assimilation where marine organisms take up nitrate for growth, and finally, denitrification by bacteria returning nitrate back to nitrogen gas under anaerobic conditions
ecosystem diversity
range of different ecosystems or habitat within a particular area
species diversity
number of species and their abundance in a specific area
genetic diversity
variation of genes between individuals within a species
overharvesting/ overhunting
to harvest or hunt something excessively, at harmful degree
decrease population of a species, affect the food web
habitat destruction for deforstation or urbanisation
clearing forests and habitat loss, decrease biodiversity for building cities which can furtherly produce more pollution =, increases temperature
invasive species
animals or plants from another region of the world dont belong in a new enviornment they have been introduced to due to human acitvity, can effect food web and decrease biodiversity
pollution
introduction substance into envrionemtn, negatively impact human health, and envirnemtn , acid rain, water/ soil pollution, lack of biodiversity
global climate change
long term shift to weather patterns and temperautre affects extinction of species
disease
result of exposure to unhealthy enviornmental factors, these can be natural occuring or not, causes extinction and lack of biodiversty
why is a large biodiversity important
medical reasearch eg. penicillin, used to make drugs, keeps humans helathy in first place eg. trees abrosb harmful substances soil provides microbes needed to grow food
cause for biodiversity loss
land use change, overexploitation, pollution, climate change
insitu conservation
conservation of ecosystems or species in their natural habitats
advatanges- protects entire ecosystems preserve natural processes allow species to adapt naturally
disadvantages- endangered species habitat may be fragmented, genetiv diversity may decrease, threats to species may persist
exsitu conservation
preservation of species in artificial environemnt
advantages- allows for greater control of conditions eg. climate, diet and can improve breeding success
disadvantages- genetic diversity deterioration, inbreeding depression, adaptations to captivity
what is the rationale behind focusing on certain species when conserving
some species play key roles in ecosystems and are at greater risk of extinction or hep raise awarness and support for conservation due to their beauty or emmotional appeal
abiotic factor
physical and chemical features of the enviornmetn that have an effect on a population of organisms
biotic factors
biological features of the environment that have an effect on a popultion of organisms
ecosystem
community of living organisms and the biotic factors that affect them
producer
green plants and some bacteria that make their own food
consumers
heterotrophs which obtain nourishments by feeding on othe rorganisms
trophic level
position an organism occupies in a food chain
community
all the populations that live in a particular place at the same time
population
all the organisms of the same species living together in a particular habitat
habitat
the place within an ecosystem where a population lives
niche
the role an organism has in including where it lives and what it eats
gross productivity
the total energy fixed during photosynthesis
autotroph
an organism producing its own food from simple inorganic materials eg. by photosynthesis
interspecific competition
individuals of more than one species attempt to make use of the same scarce resources
food web
the complex interactions between food chains in an ecosystem
pioneer
plant species found in the early stage of succession
food chain
linked series of living organisms each of which is the food for the next level showing energy flow though the ecosystem
climax comunity
the end stage in a succession
biomass
the dry mass of organisms
succession
the changes that occur in an ecosystem over time
net productivity
the energy available for the next trophic level after respiration
heterotroph
an organism obtaining food by feeding on complex organic matter ie. consumer
respiration
the process whereby cells release energy from organic molecules
intraspecific competition
individuals of the same species attempt to make use of the same scarce resources
sere
the name given to each stage in a succession
what a sapotroph example
a fungus that feeds by secretion of digestive enzymes onto its food and absorption of digested material
a dung beetle that feeds on the faeces of other animals
detritivore
an anemone that uses the stinging cells in its tentacles to paralyes its prey which is passed to an internal gastric cavity though a singles opening
carnivore, heterotroph
a single celled eukarayote that obtains organic molecules by photosynthesis and ingestion if other single celled organisms
mixotroph
hummingbirds eat flower nectar and small insects to which nutritional group do they belong
heterotrophs
mixotrophs
both auto and heterotrophs
what are fundamental and realized ncihes
fundamental=all potential conditions species could live in
realized= actual conditions species lives in
symbiosis
the close relationship amongst 2 differnet organisms or living things belonging to different species. interaction between 2 different species
commensalism
type of symbiotic relationship, 1 species beenfits whilst other is unaffects eg by receivng shelter or water or transport
3 examples of commensalism
-golden jackals following tigers to et remains tiger left behind
-remora fish and shark, fish sticks to shrk to swim longer distances fish also feeds on sharks remains
-hyena and lions, hyena eats remains lions left behind
mutualism
symbiotic relationships where both roganisms benefit
3 examples of mututalism
-legumes have root nodules that provide home for nitrogen fixing bacteria= rhiobia
-orchids and funghi, funghi produce nutrientns for germinaition of seeds, orchid provides carbs for funghus
-corals and algae, algae photosynthesize providing cabrs to coral, coral rpovides shelter anr emains of organic matter
parasitism
relationship where parasite benefits at expense of its host
parasite lives in or on host
3 examples of parasitism
-isopod (parasite0 in fish, becomes a parasitic tongue, isopod consumes tongue of fish and eventually fish dies
-tapeworms eats nutrients, blood supplies etc. in humans or pets
-lice, feeds on human blood found in human hair
predator prey
biological interaction one organism (predator) feeds on another (prey)
hunting process
3 examples of predtor prey
-lion and gazella
-turtle and algae
-lion and bufallo
sink
where carbon dioxide is absobed back to atmoshpere
source
when carbon dioxide is released into atmosphere
describe carbon cycle
-co2 absorbed by autrotophd by photosynthesis, (respiration and bruning of these autotrophs bring co2 back to atmosphere)
-feeding of autotrophs by heterotrophs, where their respiration bring co2 back to atmosphere
-death excretion and decomposition of hetero and autotrops by decomposers turn matter into coal which when burnt brings co2 back to atmosphere
-when partical decomposition of autotrophs happens peat is produced, when burnt bring co2 back to atmosphere’-co2 dissolves into ocean where autrotrophs also use co2 via photosynthesis but reales it back via respiration
-feeding by heterotrophs, death excretion and decompositionby decompsoers of auto and heterotrophs
-fossilizarion and sedmintation of this matter produces natural gas and oil when burnt release co2
which elvel of ecological complexity invole biotic factor onl not abiotic
only a community
not an ecosystem or population
carrying capacity
maximum number of species that can be supported by a given enviornment
example of a negative feedbakc population size
predation reutrning prey population to its carrying capactiy
which statisticl ethod can show interaction and correlation between two species
chi squared test
alien species
a species that is introduced into an area by human acitivty
what do pyramids of energy and biomass look like
always a pyramid
what processes occur in an ecosystem
inorganic nutrients are recyled
chemical energy is stored in carbon compounds
chemoautrtrophic nutrition
oxidation reactions as the energy source
what restricts length of a food chain
energy losses between trophic levels
secondary production
it is the accumulation of carbon compounds in biomass by heterotrophs
which process results in largest energy loss
respiration
formula for xˆ2 in a chi squared test
sum of (O-E)ˆ2/E
O=values that have been collected by investigator
E= expected value calculated from obsevred (average from observed values)
chi square
statistical test that analyses the association between species by the presence or absence of species in a certain area
how do you calculate degree of freedom
number of variables/ categorys in the independant varibales - 1
after calculating xˆ2 and d.f what should you do in chi square
you must use the xˆ2 table go to the row stated by your calculated d.f and then see value in 0.05 column
if value is smaler than calculate xˆ2 agree with Ha
ese agree with Ho
state group for whcihh detritus is a energy source
detritovores
descirbe by what means detritus could be added or removed from ecosystem
consumption added by predation
what are consequences of lack of decomposer activity and accumulation of detritus
corrupted energy flow as nutrients arent recycled in soil
what are material that have results from a lack of decomposer activity
oil and natural gas, from buried remains of marine polankton
coal and peat- from plant origin but peat from partically decomposed mateiral
