Ecology Chapter 5 Flashcards
Fundamental Niche
abiotic conditions only where the species could potentially live
realized niche
abiotic and biotic, where the species actually is
masting
when trees produce a huge number of seeds
impacts of environmental variation
each species has a range of environmental tolerances that determine potential geographical distribution
acclimatization
individuals change their physiology behavior or morphology to reduce stress
KEY- happens in individuals and is not genetic its ‘plastic’
adaptation
populations that change genetically over time
adaptation vs acclimation
people living at higher altitudes adapt to the lower oxygen concentration in the air
people traveling to higher altitudes go through safety stops so their blood can acclimate.
ways of adapting to environmental variation
avoidance and tolerance
avoidance
avoiding environmental extremes
tolerance
survive environmental extremes
conduction
transfer of energy from warmer to cooler molecules
convection
heat energy is carried by moving water or air
latent heat energy
water absorbs heat as it changes state from liquid to gas (evaporation)
ectotherms
primarily regulate body temperature through energy exchange with external environment
endotherms
relying primarily on heat generation internally -humans
heterothermy
different regions of body subject to endo or ecto. (fish, insects etc)
Advantages of endotherms (internal)
not as dependent on environment to be able to keep body temperature close to optimum
disadvantages of endotherms
huge energy cost - use feathers, fur, pelts etc to keep eat in
Bergman’s rule
animals get bigger at higher altitudes ex moose size
Allen’s Rule
as you move north vertebrates in colder climates have shorter appendages ex. jack rabbits vs arctic hare or cape fox vs arctic fox
torpor
short term state or dormancy -triggered by immediate cues
large scale seasonal movement
migration - avoidance technique
