Ecology and Ecosystems Flashcards
It is a community including their physical environment, it consists of all populations inhabiting an area
Ecosystem
It is a sequence of organisms through which energy moves in an ecosystem
Food Chain
It traces the food through the trophic levels of a community when organisms feed on one another
Chains
Levels of the Food Chain:
Primary Producers
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers
Quarternary Consumers
Food chains that are interconnected and is considered as more realistic
Food Web
It is a group of organisms based on utilized form of energy
Trophic Level
It acquires nutrition from inorganic materials
ex: Green Plants that undergo photosynthesis
Producers (Autotrophs)
It gets energy through eating other organisms
Consumers (Heterotrophs)
It eats producers
Herbivores (Primary Consumers)
It eats Herbivores
Some Carnivores (Secondary Consumers)
It eats carnivores that ate the herbivores
Carnivores (Tertiary Consumers)
They get nourished through large chunk of dead and decaying organic matter
Scavengers
They break down dead organisms and feces
Decomposers
It is determined whether the habitat is suitable or not for an animal
Abiotic Factors
Examples of Abiotic Factors:
Availability of Oxygen
Inorganic Ions
Light
Temperature
Wind Velocity
Moisture
Geology and Soils
It includes interactions that happen among individuals of the same species as well as interactions between different species
Biotic Factors
It is a group of individuals of the same species that dwell on a given area
Population
It occurs among members of the same species, it involves utilization of the same resources, often intense because the resources is nearly identical
Intraspecific Competition
Examples of Intraspecifc Competition:
Republic Lizards
Distichus - Insolitus
It is all the characteristics of a population, it can be influenced by members of other species
Interspecific Interactions
Competition for resources that exists among members of different species
Interspecific Competition
Only cutting and usually not killing the plant by a herbivore
Herbivory
Predator is killing and eating the prey
Predation
Example of a Herbivorous Marine Mammal:
Manatee
It is a coordinated evolution of ecologically related species, happens between Interactions, Competition, Predation
Coevolution
It is a continuing and intimate associations between two different species
Symbiosis
Organism lives in or on a host (can be multiple)
Parasitism
Example of Parasitism:
Shark and Remoras
Leeches and Humans
Dogs and Fleas
One member of the relationship benefits while other is neither benefited or harmed
Commensalism
Example of Commensalism:
Cattle egrets and African Buffalo
Whales and Barnacles
Both members of the relationship benefits
Mutualism
Example of Mutualism:
Acacia Trees and Ants
Bees and Flowers
It is the mean to avoid detection of animals, can either be visual, chemical, auditory
Crypsis
Examples of Crypsis:
Mantids
Phasmids
Ambush Bugs
Species resembles one or sometimes more other species, this provides protection
Mimicry
Examples of Mimicry:
Mimic Octopus
Coral Snakes
Snapping Turtles
Cleaner Fish
Examples of Interspecific Competition:
Woodpeckers and Squirrels
Lions and Cheetahs
Antelopes and Gazelles
Examples of Herbivory:
Cows
Horse
Goats
Koala
Pandas
Examples of Predation:
Lions and Wildebeest
Dolphins and Fish
Orcas and Seals
Coyotes and Rabbits
Examples of Coevolution:
Predator and Prey
Mutualism (Bees and Flowers)
It is a Ecological Problem, it is the cause of all ecological problems, similar to other animals it grows exponentially
Human Population Growth
It is the desired standard of living and equal distribution of resources among all population, attainment of which results to stability of population
Carrying Capacity
It consists of different living organisms found in a particular ecosystem
Biodiversity
It is considered a main threat of which is habitat destruction
Biodiversity Loss
It encourages algal growth in lakes, rivers, and oceans, it is due to fertilizer use and agricultural run-off
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling
It is caused by build up of greenhouse gases mainly CO2 coming from burning of Fossil Fuels
Climate Change
Increase of Dissolved CO2 in water and forms carbonic acid
Ocean Acidification
Urban sprawl leads to dependence on automobiles, inflated costs of public transportation
Land Use
Serves as irrigation, for industry and household use
Freshwater Use
It is caused by the use of chlorofluorocarbons in aerosol cans, air conditioners, and refrigerators
Ozone Depletion
It is found in the stratosphere that filters UVB radiation coming from the sun, protects us from skin cancer and cataracts
Ozone (O3)
It is a basic unit and Functional Unit of ecology
Ecosystem
What are the Five Major Ecosystems:
Forest
Tundra
Savanna
Grassland
Dessert
Major Ecosystem covered with trees
Forest
Major Ecosystem between arctic ice and snow
Tundra
Major Ecosystem that has hot days and cold nights
Savanna
Major Ecosystem that looks like a swamp and contains tall trees
Grassland
Major Ecosystem that has no trees and no water
Desert
Examples of Forest:
Luzon Montane Rainforests
Luzon Tropical Pine Forests
Palawan Rainforests
Mindoro Rainforests
Greater Negros-Panay Rainforests
Examples of Tundra:
Arctic tundra
Alpine tundra
Antarctic tundra
Examples of Savanna:
Serengeti Plains of Tanzania
Acacia Plains of East Africa
The savannas of Venezuela
Australian Savanna
Examples of Grasslands:
Eurasian steppes
North American prairies
Argentine pampas
Examples of Desert:
The Atacama Desert
Namib Desert
Sahara Desert
What are the four structures inside a forest:
Plants
Animals
Microbial’s
Abiotic
Major Functions of the Ecosystem:
Food chain / Food web - Transfer of Nutrients
Biogeochemical Cycles
What are the two types of biogeochemical cycles:
Perfect Biogeochemical Cycle (Gaseous Cycle)
Imperfect Biogeochemical Cycle (Sedimentary Cycle)
Food Chain Structure:
First - Above
Last - Below
Soil (Abiotic)
Grass (Producer)
Primary/Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Decomposer
Soil
Perfect Biological Cycles:
O2 - C2
Animal
CO2
Plants
Air
Animal
Perfect Biological Cycles:
N2
N2
Soil
Ammonia
Nodules
Plants
Legumes examples of Plants that produces N2 fixing bacteria:
Nut
Peanut
Monggo
Green Beans
These are found in the root of the plants
Nodules
Perfect Biological Cycles:
Water Cycle
Sea
Evaporation (Clouds)
Evaporation
Rain
Filtration
Conduction
Transpiration
Sedimentary / Imperfect Biogeochemical Cycle:
Sulfur and Phosphorus:
Rock / Soil
Plants
Animals
Rock / Soil
It is the process of planting the same plant in the same field
Monoculture
Man made activities that can alter Biogeochemical Cycles
Deforestation
Use of Chemical Fertilizer
No Legume Plants
Water Usage
It is the massive growth of algae due to chemical fertilizers
the more the algae the lesser the oxygen
Algae dies and water pollution increases
Eutrophication
