Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

biology test 2 > Ecology and ecosystem > Flashcards

Ecology and ecosystem Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the definition of ecology?

A

the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

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

what is the definition of ecosystem?

A

a dynamic interacting system formed by the communities of plants and animals in any one area together with their non-living environment

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

what is the definition of equillibrium?

A

a dynamic state of an ecosystem where biodiversity remains roughly constant, despite changes in species numbers and occurence

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

What are abiotic components? provide example.

A

non- living factors in the environment that interact with an organism

E.g. degree of solar energy (heat and light),
amount of rainfall and humidity, chemical
concentrations (e.g. C or N in soil), temp.,
seasonality

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

What is the definition of food chain?

A

linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another

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

what is the definition of levels on foodchain?

A

producers (lowest)< primary consumers < higher level consumers

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

what is the definition of producers?

A

photosynthetic organism

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

what is the definition of primary consumers?

A

organisms that consume the producers eat plants

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

what is the definition of secondary consumers?

A

carnivores that eat the primary consumers

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

what is the definition of tertiary consumers?

A

carnivores that eat other carnivores

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

what is the definition of apex consumers?

A

organisms at the top of the food chain in an organism

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

what is the definition of consumers?

A

use organic substances for growth and reproduction
- obtain all nutrients from plants (can’t make their
own from inorganic materials)

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

what is the definition of decomposers?

A

feeds on dead plants/animals
- break down plants and animals into simpler components and return nutrients to the environment to be used by plants

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

what is the definition of food web?

A

more appropriate for describing ecosystems when one organism can occupy multiple trophic levels

examples
e.g. an omnivore (bear/
squirrel), which is both a
primary and secondary
consumer

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

what is the definition of species richness?

A

describes the number of species living in a habitat or other unit (varies across the globe)

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

what is the definition of foundation species?

A

have the greatest influence on communitys overall structure. Are often primary producers and abundant.

Examples:
E.g. kelp (brown algae) is foundation species
for kelp forests off coast of California
* E.g. corals of a coral reef

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

what is the definition of relative species abundance?

A

the number individuals in a species relative to the total number of individuals in all species within a system
- usually have the highest relative abundance of species

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

what is the definition of keystone species?

A

has great influence in maintaining the species richness, structure and biodiversity in an ecosystem

examples:
E.g. banded tetra fish in tropical streams
* supply nearly all of the phosphorus (necessary
mineral) to rest of community
* Feeds on terrestrial insects and then excretes
phosphorus into the aquatic ecosystem
* Ecosystem would drastically change if fish
didn’t do this

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

what is the definition of invasive species?

A

non-native organisms that, when introduced to an area out of its native range, alter the community they invade

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

what is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs?

A

AUTOTROPHS: harness light or chemical energy

HETEROTROPHS: acquire energy through the consumption and digestion of other living or previously living organisms

Use organic substances for growth and
reproduction
* Obtain all nutrients from plants (directly or
indirectly)
* Primary consumers: feed directly on plants (e.g.
insects)
* Secondary and tertiary consumers: feed on animals
* Decomposers like fungi and bacteria
* Feed on dead plants and animals
* Break down plants and animals into
simpler components and return nutrients
to the environment to be used by
autotrophs (plants)

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

what is the definition of photoautotrophs

A

use sunlight as an energy source

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

what is the definition of chemoautotrophs

A

use inorganic molecules as an energy source
- found in rare ecosystem where sunlight not available, such as dark caves or hydrothermal vents at ocean bottom
- some convert hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to glucose

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

what are three types of interactions

A

-abiotic and producers
- between trophic levels
- among trophic level

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

what is abiotic and producers?

A

biotic component interact with and can alter physical environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

what is between trophic levels?

A

organisms at different feeding levels (e.g predator and prey relationships)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

what is among trophic level?

A

between animals occupying same trophic levels (e.g. interspecific competition for same food)

27
Q

what is the definition of neutralism?

A

neither species is affected by the interaction
- hard to measure since hard to know that there is absolutely no affect on one of species

28
Q

what is the definition of competition?

A

each population adversely affects the other for struggle for food/ resources
- competition between species might limit each species population growth rate and size
- one species may drive other to extinction

example:
E.g. two Paramecium species who use the
same resources in the same habitat

29
Q

what is the definition of symbiotic relationship?

A

close, long term interactions between individuals of different species
- can be commensal, mutualistic or parasitic

30
Q

what is the definition of commensalism?

A

association in which one organism benefits and the other is not affected

Example: birds nesting in trees

31
Q

what is the definition of mutualism?

A

obligatory relationship between two species that benefits both

  • usually neither species can survive without the other

Examples: E.g. termites have protists in their gut
* Termites need protists to digest cellulose
* Protists need gut environment of termites for
protection and nutrition
E.g. lichen: a mutualistic relationship between
fungus and algae
* Algae produces food for both organisms
through photosynthesis
* Fungus protects algae from environment

32
Q

what is the definition of parasitism?

A

One organism feeds off another
- one species is harmed and the other benefits
- parasite weakens but does not immediately kill the organism it preys on
- host usually kept alive until parasite completes reproductive cycle

examples:
E.g. Tapeworm: spread to humans through
undercooked pork, fish, or beef
* Can live inside human intestines for years, eating
host’s food
* Can grow up to 50 feet long
E.g. malaria protist (Plasmodium falciparum)
* lives inside human liver and red blood cells
* Needs to travel between hosts to complete life
cycle
* Reproduces asexually in human host and
sexually in gut of blood-feeding mosquitos

33
Q

what is the definition of protocooperation?

A

both organism benefit from the interaction, but the relationship is not obligator

34
Q

what is the definition of amensalism?

A

association in which one organism is inhibited and the other is not affected

example: red tide: fresh water algae
(phytoplankton) accumulate and sometimes
produce natural toxins which harm fish, birds,
and marine mammals

35
Q

what is the definition of predation?

A

individuals of one species consume and kill individuals of another
- one organism benefits and the other does not
- population sizes of each species are not constant, but vary in cycles

36
Q

what is the definition of mechanical defense?

A

presence of armor in animals of thorns in plants
- discourages predation and herbivory by discouraging physical contact

37
Q

what is the definition of chemical defense?

A

some plants produce secondary compounds which serve no function except to be toxic to animals
- discourages consumption by animals

38
Q

what is the definition of warning colouration?

A

some animals have bright colouration to advertise that they are poisonous and discourage predatory attack
- only works for predators that use eyesight to locate prey
- predators eat one toxic prey item, then learn to avoid similarly-coloured prey

39
Q

what is the definition of mimicry

A

a harmless species imitates the warning coloration of a harmful species
- some prey species have evolved mechanisms to mimic warning coloration to avoid being eaten even though they are not toxic
* Sometimes multiple species
share the same warning
coloration, but all of them
have defenses
* Using the same signal better
alerts predators
* E.g. variety of toxic butterflies
have similar colouration

40
Q

what is the definition of ecological niche?

A

functional position of an organism in its environment
- where an organism lives in an environment and what it does there
- role organism plays in an ecosystem
- sum total of the adaptations of an organism
* E.g. aye-aye (lemur in Madagascar)
* Lemurs fill many different niches on the island by
evolving some unique adaptations
* Aye-aye evolved features to help it locate and
extract insect larvae from tree branches
* Fills woodpecker niche in its environment
* fills niche due to morphological (body)
adaptations

41
Q

what is competitive exclusion principle?

A

two species cannot occupy the same niche in a habitat
- based on competition between species
- different species cannot coexist in a community if they are competing for all the same resources
- resources are limited, so if species are competing for the same resource, the one that is most sucessful will drive the other to extinction
- traits that lessen dependence on shared resource will be selected for -species differentiation will reduce competition

E.g. two protozoan Paramecium species
* Both thrive when grown separately in laboratory
* When placed together in same test tube, P.
aurelia outcompetes P. caudatum for food
* P. caudatum dies out

42
Q

what is community dynamics?

A

communities change in structure and composition over time
- changes caused by environmental disturbances like volcanoes, earthqueakes, storms, fires and climate change

43
Q

what is the definition of succession?

A

sequential appearance and disappearance of species in a community over time after a severe disturbance

44
Q

what is the definition of primary succession?

A

newly exposed/formed rock is colonized by living organisms

  • E.g. new land is formed following volcanic
    eruptions in Hawaii
  • As lava cools, new land is formed instead of
    ocean
  • Natural forces break down rock enough for first
    hardy species to grow
45
Q

what is the definition of pioneer species?

A

the first species to colonize new land

  • E.g. lichens and some plants on volcanic soil
  • Help break down mineral-rich lava into soil
    where less hardy species can grow
  • Grass, trees, shrubs will eventually replace
    pioneer species
46
Q

what is the definition of secondary succession?

A

ecosystem changes in response to environmental disturbances

  • E.g. a fire destroys a forest
  • Fire burns most vegetation, but nutrients return
    to the ground as ash
  • Community is dramatically altered, but rich soil
    allows rapid recolonization
47
Q

what is different world vegetation zones?

A
  • species adapted to live in different ecozones of world
  • necessary due to difference in temperature, rainfall, altitude and vegetation in different world region
48
Q

what is the definition of tropics?

A

+/- 23 degrees from the equator
Sun is directly overhead; constant warm
temperatures through year
* Wet and dry seasons; not fall/winter/etc.
* Usually very humid
* Days and nights each last about 12 hrs throughout
year

madgascar, costa rica, brazil

49
Q

what is the definition of temperate

A

+/- 50 degree from the tropics of cancer and capricorn

Ontario, arizona, france, china

50
Q

what is the definition of frigid?

A

+/- 66 degrees from equator also called polar region

northern canada, greenland, anartical, finland

51
Q

What is the definition of biome

A

a group of natural communites that are broadly similar in plants, animals and climate

Can be terrestrial or aquatic
* Determined by temperature, rainfall, and altitude
* abiotic forces determine the major vegetation
types in a given area

52
Q

what are the 8 terrestial biome?

A

-tropical forest
-boreal forest
- savanna
- tundra
-desert
-chapparal

53
Q

what are the two aquatic biomes

A
  • marines
  • freshwater
54
Q

what is the difference of species diversity and species richness?

A

SPECIES DIVERSITY: high number of species and high relative abundance

SPECIES RICHNESS: number of species

55
Q

tropical rainforest

A

-vegetation is characterized by plants with spreading roots and broad leaves that fall off throughout the year
- constant daily amount of sunlight (11-12 hrs/day) provides more solar radiation and a longer period of time for plant growth
- high net primary productivity because the annual temperatures and precipitation values support rapid plant growth
* have a dry season of 3-5 months
* forests shed leaves during dry season
* loss of leaves allows sunlight to reach forest
floor and growth of thick ground-level brush,
which is absent in tropical rainforests

56
Q

How to avoid competition?

A

animals adapted to live in different ecological niches of same TRF environment

57
Q

Boreal forest

A
  • found between 50-60 latitude
  • predominant vegetation is evergreen coniferous trees
  • retain needle-shaped leaves year-round
  • Long, cold winters lead to predominance of
    cold-tolerant, cone-bearing plants
  • cold, dry winters and short, cool, wet
    summers
  • Soil is acidic
  • Precipitation usually occurs as snow
  • Less species diversity than in tropical forest
    and temperate forest
  • Evergreen trees grow faster than deciduous
    trees in the boreal forest
  • Slow-growing, long-lived trees
  • E.g. Canada, Russia, Alaska, Northern Europe
58
Q

Temperate forest

A
  • most common biome in eastern North
    America, Western Europe, Eastern Asia, Chile,
    and New Zealand
  • Temperatures range -30C to 30C and drop
    below freezing on an annual basis
  • defined growing seasons during spring,
    summer, and fall
  • Deciduous trees are the dominant plant with
    fewer evergreen conifers
  • Deciduous trees lose leaves in fall and remain
    leafless in winter; new leaves appear in spring
    as temperature increases
  • Constant rainfall through year
  • Far less species diversity and richness than
    tropical forests
  • Soil rich in organic and inorganic nutrients
59
Q

Temperate grassland

A
  • Hot summer and cold winters
  • Specific growing seasons for plants: spring,
    summer, and fall
  • Mostly grasses with few trees
  • Dense vegetation and fertile soil
  • E.g. North America and Eurasia
60
Q

Terrestial biome

A
  • Very dry summers with most plants dormant
  • Majority of rain falls in winter
  • Mostly shrubs grow
  • Periodic fires
  • Plants germinate after
    fire: ash helps them grow
  • E.g. California, Australia
  • Savanna: Grasslands with scattered trees
  • Much lower species richness than tropical
    forests
  • Hot, tropical areas with an extensive dry
    season
  • Lots of fires
  • Fire is important source of disturbance in this
    biome
  • plants evolved well-developed root systems
    that allow them to quickly re-sprout after a
    fire
  • E.g. Africa, South America, Australia
  • Desert: Very low precipitation levels
  • Unpredictable rainfall levels annually with
    little monthly variation
  • low species diversity due to low and
    unpredictable precipitation
  • E.g. Sahara desert (Africa), Gobi (Asia)
  • Tropical deserts have high of 60C during day
    and low of 0C at night
  • Temperature cools so much due to lack of
    water vapour in air
  • desert species are uniquely adapted to harsh
    environment
  • E.g. Seeds can lie dormant for long times
    between rains
  • E.g. animals are nocturnal and hide
    underground during high daytime
    temperatures
  • E.g. plants are annuals (live only for 1 season)
    that grow quickly and reproduce when rainfall
    occurs, then they die
61
Q

Tundra

A

Located throughout Arctic regions of
northern hemisphere
* E.g. Canada, Alaska, Russia, Greenland, Europe
* Plants have short growing season of 50-60
days, but 24h of daylight during this time, so
plant growth is rapid
* Little species diversity
* Plants low to ground
* Permafrost: soil remains in a perennially
frozen state
* Soil melts a little in summer, but permafrost
prevents roots from penetrating far into the
soil

62
Q

Marine biome

A

continuous body of salt water
* Oceans may be thought of as different zones
based on water depth, distance from
shoreline, and light penetrance
* E.g. ocean, estuary (coastal – fresh and salt
water mix), coral reef
* Most common biome on earth’s surface
* Covers 75% of earth
* 3 basic types: shallow ocean, deep ocean water,
deep ocean bottom
* Deep ocean bottom:
* ecosystems exist even
at depths where light is
unable to penetrate
through the water
* Least biodiversity
within marine biome

63
Q

Freshwater biome

A

water is fresh – lacks salt
* Part of a terrestrial landscape
* E.g. lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, wetlands
* Freshwater ecosystems are least common
biomes - cover only 1.8% of Earth
* Freshwater systems are diverse
* support many different animals, plants, fungi,
protists and prokaryotes

biology test 2 (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions