ecology exam 2 Flashcards
definition of biological evolution
descent with modification
founder of taxonomy and binomial nomenclature, groupings off overall similarity
Carolus Linnaeus
Linnean system of classification
King Philip Came Over For Good Soup
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species
Paleontology and geology showed proof of what
evolution over time (and extinction)
Lamarck’s Theory of evolution
adaptations towards perfection passed down to young based on use and disuse
what is natural selection
individuals in a population are phenotypically variable, which influences how well they acquire resources and therefore their reproductive success
what is the extinct species that’s fossils show the transition from older species to what is found today
transitional forms
similar characteristics due to relatedness
homologies
same structure, common ancestry, occasionally different function
structural homology
structures arise from the same embryonic structures and are morphologically similar
developmental homologies
similarity resulting from convergent evolution
analogies
features present on organism from ancestors but now serve no purpose
vestigial structure
desired traits are selected for purposefully by an outside force
artificial selection
schedule of organism’s growth, development, reproduction, and survival
life history
number of female offspring produced by each female
fecundity
number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences
parity
time and energy given to an offspring by its parents
parental investment
life span of an organism
longevity
long time to sexual maturity, long life span, low number of offspring, high parental investment
slow life history (K species)
short time to sexual maturity, short life span, high number of offspring, little parental investment
fast life history (r species)
reproduction in which offspring inherit DNA from two parents
sexual reproduction
reproduction mechanism in which offspring inherit DNA from a single parent
asexual reproduction
form of asexual reproduction where individual is produced from nonsexual tissues of a parent
vegetative reproduction
form of asexual reproduction where an embryo is produced without fertilization
parthenogenesis
costs of sexual reproduction
sexual organs require considerable energy
mating behaviors require time and energy
benefits of sexual reproduction
purging mutations
coping with environmental variation
possibly useful variations produced in offspring
sexual selection allows hosts to evolve at a rate that counters the rapid evolution of parasites
red queen hypothesis
individuals possess male and female reproductive functions at the same time
simultaneous hermaphrodites
individuals that possess male or female reproductive function and then switch to the other
sequential hermaphrodites
when sex is determined largely by environment (phenotypic plasticity where the phenotype is sex)
environmental sex determination
when the rarer phenotype in a population is favored by natural selection
frequency dependent selection
individuals mate with multiple partners, no social bonds formed
promiscuity
one individual forms a long-term social bond with multiple partners
polygamy
male mates with more than one female (w social bonds)
polygyny
female mates with more than one male (w social bonds)
polyandry
social bond between male and female persists through period necessary to rear offspring
monogamy
when an individual that has a social bond with a mate also breeds with other individuals
extra pair copulation
when one partner prevents the other from participating in extra pair copulation
mate gaurding
difference in phenotype between males and females of the same species
sexual dimorphism
selection for preference of a sexual trait and selection for that trait continue to reinforce each other
runaway sexual selection
the greater the handicap an individual carries, the greater its ability must be to offset that trait
the handicap principle
pattern of density and spacing of individuals in a population
spatial structure
range of abiotic conditions a species can live in
fundamental niche
range of abiotic and biotic conditions a species can live in
realized niche
measure of total area covered by a population
geographic range
limits to range
physical barriers
climate
altitude
food
water
competitors
process of determining the suitable habitat conditions for a species
ecological niche modeling
range of ecological conditions that are predicted to be suitable for a species
ecological envelope
number of individuals per unit area or volume
population density
spacing of individuals with respect to one another within geographic range of a population
dispersion
individuals aggregate in groups
clustered dispersion
when each individual maintains a uniform distance from neighbors
spaced dispersion
when positions of individuals is independent of other individuals
random dispersion
movement of individuals from one area to another
dispersal
surveys define the boundaries of an area or volume and then count all of the individuals in the space
area and volume based surveys
surveys that count the number of individuals observed as one moves along a line
line transect surveys
average distance an individual moves from where it was born to where it reproduces
lifetime dispersal distance
absence of a population from suitable habitat because of barriers to dispersal
dispersal limitation
types of barriers
physiological
ecological
behavioral
common physiological barriers
land-water
salinity
temp
ecological barriers
predation
competition
behavioral barriers
ability to select suitable habitat
ex birds unable to fly long distances won’t cross open areas
favorable habitat connecting larger ones
corridors
blocks or slows passage of organisms
filters
severe barrier that permits rare dispersals
sweepstake routes
when individuals distribute themselves among different habitats in a way that allows them to have the same per capita benefit
ideal free distribution
when a large population is broken up into smaller groups that live in isolate patches
subpopulations
model describes a scenario in which there are patches of suitable habitat embedded within a matrix of unsuitable habitat; all suitable patches are assumed to be of equal quality
basic metapopulation model
population model accounts for the fact that not all patches of suitable habitat are of equal quality
source-sink metapopulation model
subpopulations that serve as a source of dispersers within a metapopulation
source subpopulation
in low quality habitats, subpopulations that rely on outside dispersers to maintain the subpopulation within a metapopulation
sink subpopulation
population model takes into account quality of suitable patches, as well as the quality of the surrounding matrix (most realistic)
landscape metapopulation model
why might natural selection not produce a “perfectly engineered” trait
lack of necessary genetic variation
constraints due to history
trade offs
things had to evolve from somewhere, resulting in some less efficient ways of functioning, but getting the job done nonetheless
jury rigged design
study of birth rates, death rates, immigration, emigration, which determine size and structure of populations through time
demography
two factors that influence population dynamics
environmental stress
changes in environmental conditions
factors affecting population
size
density
dispersion
age distribution
inherent reproductive capacity
biotic potential
rate at which a population would grow if it had unlimited resources
intrinsic rate of increase
first portion of an exponential or logistical growth curve
lag phase
any factor in environment that limits carrying capacity
environmental resistence
4 main limiting factors
raw material availability
energy availability
waste accumulation and disposal
organism interaction
minimum number of individuals needed to support a breeding population
minimum viable population
when the rate of population growth increases as population density increases
positive density dependence
controlled by density dependent factors
k strategists
controlled by density independent factors
r strategists
tables that contain class-specific survival and fecundity data
life tables
life table that follows a group of individuals born at the same time from birth to death of the last individual
cohort life table
life table that quantifies the survival and fecundity of all individuals in a population during a single time interval
static life table
