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Ecology > Ecology Exam 3 > Flashcards

Ecology Exam 3 Flashcards

1
Q

The outcome of a predator-prey interaction depends on

A

reproductive rates of predator and prey, adaptive capacity of predators to respond to increase in prey density, carrying capacity of prey in absence of predation

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2
Q

kinds of predation on plants and their impact (+/-)

A

parasitism (-), defoliation (-), consumption of fruit/nuts (+/-)

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3
Q

parasitism always has a negative impact on ___

A

plant fitness

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4
Q

positive impacts of predation?

A

moderate grazing can promote grass growth, moderate fruit/nut eating spreads seeds

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5
Q

chemical defenses against predation

A

accumulate secondary compounds (terpenes, phenolics, resins, alkaloids, tannins) induced by scratching or biting from insects

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6
Q

mimicry defense

A

uncommon, mimic plants that are inedible, mimicry of crops by weeds

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7
Q

structural defense

A

least costly, tough leaves, spines, leaf hairs

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8
Q

predator satiation

A

timing of reproduction so predators can’t consume all seeds, masting

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9
Q

other example of defense shown by lithops

A

camouflage

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10
Q

chemical defense (animal)

A

warning odors, repellants, poisons

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11
Q

what is the skunks defense

A

produce smelly spray to repel predators, produced in two glands by the tail, long-lasting smell, has 2 other functions

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12
Q

what is the milkweed defense

A

cardenolide aglycones and cardiac glycosides cause illness in birds and other animals

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13
Q

mimicry in animals

A

Mimicry is a defense strategy that many animals use to
avoid predation by mimicking animals that have a bad taste,
obnoxious secretion, or painful bite or sting, usually have bright colors or bold markings

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14
Q

mullerian mimicry

A

two unrelated, dangerous species develop similar appearances as a shared protective device

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15
Q

batesian mimicry

A

a harmless animal mimics a dangerous animals to avoid predation

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16
Q

cryptic coloration defense

A

Animals can use patterns, shapes, postures, movements and

behaviors that make them less visible to predators

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17
Q

other forms of defense for animals

A

armor/weapons and behavioral (alarm call, distraction, groups, moment-of-truth defense)

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18
Q

predator satiation in animals

A

no need for costly defenses, produce more than predator can consume. cicada example

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19
Q

predator offense methods

A

ambush, trapping, pursuing

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20
Q

up/down side of ambush technique

A

low reward, low energy cost

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21
Q

up/down side of pursuit

A

time saving, high reward, very energy costly

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22
Q

coevolution

A

Reciprocal selection pressure on interacting populations, cycle of adaptation and counteradaptation

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23
Q

parasites

A

Organisms living on the tissue of their host, often reduce fitness of host but do not kill

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24
Q

parasitoids

A

Organisms living in their host and killing it, usually insects

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25
Q

ectoparasites

A

live on outside of host (ticks and fleas)

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26
Q

endoparasites

A

live on inside of host (bacteria, tapeworms)

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27
Q

macroparasites example

A

lungworms, cowbird in barn swallow nest

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28
Q

microparasites example

A

bacteria and viruses, nematode

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29
Q

two types of plant parasites

A

holoparasite, hemiparasite

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30
Q

what is a holoparasite

A

Lacks chlorophyll and are totally dependent on other

plants for everything

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31
Q

hemiparasite

A

Can photosynthesize. Do not have root system and

rely on other plants for water and nutrient supply

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32
Q

holoparasites example

A

Rafflesia arnoldii – the world’s largest flower in Indonesia

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33
Q

hemiparasite example

A

mistletoe

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34
Q

example of size effect of parasites

A

Swift reduction in density of American chestnut

in North Carolina

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35
Q

cellular defense reactions in response to parasites

A

Common in insect larvae as a defense against parasitoids.
Parasitoid eggs are encapsulated in a tough case and become
inviable.

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36
Q

immune responses to parasites in vertebrates

A

Development of immune systems. Phagocytes

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37
Q

Defensive displays or maneuvers to deter parasites.

A

Gypsy moth pupae can spin violently within their cocoons

so parasitoids can not lay eggs.

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38
Q

Grooming and preening behavior in response to parasites

A

Common in mammals & birds to remove ectoparasites.

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39
Q

abnormal growths in response to parasites

A

gall, plant galls on leaves

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40
Q

symbiosis

A

long-term, intimate relationship between two species

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41
Q

two types of symbiosis

A

obligate (cannot survive w/o each other), facultative (can lead separate lives)

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42
Q

mutualism

A

an association between species that benefits both

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43
Q

example of mutualism as symbiotic or not

A

Lichen fungi and lichen algae are only found together - symbiotic.
Plants and pollinators are only in contact when the pollinator is
feeding - not symbiotic

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44
Q

plants and mycorrhizae mutualism

A

very common and important, plants get minerals from absorptive power of fungi and fungi get photosynthates from plants

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45
Q

absorptive power of fungi

A

hyphae of fungi increase absorptive area of roots

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46
Q

ectomycorrhizae

A

fungi may remain outside of plants roots

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47
Q

endomycorrhizae

A

fungi may penetrate root

48
Q

plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria

A

important mutualism, presence of bacteria causes plant roots to nodulate, legumes

49
Q

fungi and algae in lichens (obligate mutualism)

A

many fungi are lichenized, each needs a particular species of algae but each algae species usually can form a lichen with several
different species of fungi… fungi gets photosynthates from algae and algae get minerals and dessication protection and dispersal from fungi

50
Q

what does the pollinator get in pollination mutualism

A

Food (nectar, pollen- high energy or high protein food)
Mating advantage - some bees get scent molecules
Nesting materials - some bees get wax for their nests

51
Q

what does the flowering plant get in pollinator mutualism

A

Efficiency of pollen transfer (compared to wind)
Mixing of pollen from many plants and prevention of
inbreeding

52
Q

diffuse systems (pollination mutualism)

A

Many flowers are visited by more that one species of

animals, all of which may act as pollinators. Common

53
Q

highly coevolved relationship (tight relationship)

A

orchids and pollinators, figs and wasps, yucca and yucca moth

54
Q

orchids and pollinators

A

many orchids are pollinated by a single species of insect, flowers of orchids are shaped so only corrrect insect can get to nectar and carry pollen

55
Q

figs and wasps

A

figs produce flowers in capsules and each figs species has its own species of wasps. female wasp lives all of its larval life in fig and only spends enough time out of one as an adult to disperse to the next fig, males never leave the fig in which they hatched, grew as larvae,
and pupated. Males fertilize females in same fig and die.

56
Q

yucca and yucca mouth

A

Each species of yucca is pollinated by a single specie of moth
which lives only on the species of yucca that it pollinates.

57
Q

defense mutualisms

A

One species gets food and/or shelter from another species.

Other partner gets protection from being eaten.

58
Q

ant-acacia system (defense mutualism)

A

bull thorn acacia provides a place for ants to live in base of thorn and food for ants in form of special extension of leaves called betsian bodies
ants are aggressive and attack almost anything that comes into contact with acacia plant

59
Q

ant and aphid mutualism (defense mutualism)

A

aphids provide honeydew for ants, ants act like ranchers and move aphids on plants to maximize honeydew production and shelter aphid eggs in nests during winter

60
Q

dispersal mutualisms - ant and pacific bleeding heart

A

bleeding heart provides oil rich appendages (elaiosomes) for ants, ants help disperse seeds
*also between ants and trilliums

61
Q

dispersal mutualisms - ant and fungus (obligate mutualism)

A

leaf cutter ants cut pieces of vegetation to take back to their nests, chew the plants to a mush for fungus to grow on, ants eat the fungus, fungus grows best at temp in center of nest.. ant removes competing fungi and bacteria.
when queens leave and start new nest they bring fungus with them and start new farm there

62
Q

what is a community?

A

Plant and animal populations interacting directly and

indirectly with each other

63
Q

what is a guild?

A

Groups of organisms that utilize resources in a similar manner.

64
Q

christen raunkiaer

A

classified plants based on perennating tissue location above the ground

65
Q

therophytes

A

annuals survive unfavorable periods as seeds. complete life cycle from seed to seed in one season
ex: winter wheat

66
Q

geo/cryptophytes

A

buds buried in the ground on a bulb or rhizome

ex: tulip

67
Q

hemicryptophytes

A

perennial shoots or bulbs close to the surface of the ground, often covered with litter
ex: iris

68
Q

chamaephytes

A

perennial shoots or bulbs on the surface of the ground to about 25 cm above surface
ex: creeping juniper

69
Q

phanerophytes

A

perennial buds carried well up in the air, above 25 cm (trees, shrubs, vines)

70
Q

epiphytes

A

plants growing on other plants, roots up in the air

71
Q

helophyte

A

bulbs/roots in water soil

ex: water lily

72
Q

hydrophyte

A

actually grows on water.. no connection to soil below

ex: water hyacinth

73
Q

halophyte

A

plants that can tolerate high salinity

ex: salt bush

74
Q

species diversity

A

distribution of species within a community

75
Q

diversity index

A

simpson index of diversity: Hd
shannon index of diversity: Hs
brillouin index of diversity: Hb

76
Q

4 effects of population interactions on community structures

A

competition, predation, parasitism and mutualism

77
Q

competition examples

A

zebra mussels, multiflora rose

78
Q

predation examples

A

wild pigs with dingoes (without dingoes, more young pigs survive)

79
Q

parasitism examples

A

dutch elm disease caused by fungus and spread by beetles

80
Q

mutualism example

A

seeds of dodo tree can’t germinate without passing through dodo bird

81
Q

communities are classified based on

A

the most predominant species (deciduous forests: maple, oak, shagbark hickory) or how they get their energy

82
Q

autotrophic community

A

a community consisting of photosynthetic plants

83
Q

heterotrophic community

A

A community consisting of

heterotrophic organisms

84
Q

what is zonation

A

spatial variation in community structure

85
Q

what is succession

A

temporal variation in community structure

86
Q

early successional species

A

dominant species in early stages of succession, high growth rates, small in size, high degree of dispersal, high rates of population growth

87
Q

late successional species

A

dominant species in late stages on succession, lower growth rates, larger in size, lower degree of dispersal, lower pop growth rates

88
Q

early successional species example

A

populus tremuloides (pioneer species)

89
Q

late successional species example

A

sugar maple

90
Q

primary, secondary succession

A

development of early to late successional species in an area.. primary = beach, secondary = burned area

91
Q

climax community

A

stable end community of succession, equilibrium with biotic and abiotic environment

92
Q

climax community example

A

tropical forests in panama

93
Q

three special successions

A

cyclic replacement, autosuccession, hydrosere

94
Q

cyclic replacement

A

sequence of seral stages is interrupted by imposition of disturbance, community never arrives at climax

95
Q

autosuccession

A

self-replacing nature of the vegetation

96
Q

hydrosere

A

succession in wet habitats

97
Q

four premises for community dynamics

A

The fundamental niche of a species is the primary constraint on its distribution and abundance
species vary in their fundamental niches
environmental conditions change in time and space
fundamental niche is modified by species interactions

98
Q

cattail experiment at MSU

A

two species of cattails grown at varying water depths both together and separate. shows realized niche of both and their different needs

99
Q

autogenic environmental change

A

Changes in environmental conditions brought about by

the organisms themselves, ex: change in light thru succession/growth

100
Q

allogenic environmental change

A

Changes in environmental conditions that are purely abiotic, ex: temperature, soil properties, precipitation
can affect zonation and succession

101
Q

succession and species diversity

A

succession can facilitate emergence of new species. local disturbances to environment can disrupt speciation

102
Q

herbivores: direct effect

A

herbivores are selective. Favors the organisms herbivores don’t like
affect succession: predate on early succession species, hasten succession but predate on late succession species, slow succession

103
Q

what is the ecosystem

A

all the organisms and their environment

104
Q

energy

A

the ability to do work (in Joules)

105
Q

first law of thermodynamics

A

total amount of E in the universe stays constant, E can’t be created or destroyed but can be transformed

106
Q

second law of thermodynamics

A

spontaneous direction of energy flow is from high-quality to low-quality forms, with energy conversion often loss of waste energy as heat

107
Q

primary production

A

production of biomass by photosynthetic autotrophs

108
Q

gross primary production

A

all the energy is assimilated in photosynthesis

109
Q

net primary production

A

energy that remains after respiration (R)

110
Q

net primary production is dependent on

A

environmental factors like precipitation and temperature

111
Q

swr, rwr, lwr

A

shoot weight ratio, root weight ratio, leaf weight ratio

112
Q

R/S tends to be high when

A

nutrients are limited

113
Q

R/S tends to be low when

A

light is limited

114
Q

plants translocate carbs and nutrients to roots and stems before

A

senescence

115
Q

secondary production

A

production by heterotrophs, it depends on the quantity, quality and availability of NPP as a source of energy

116
Q

assimilation efficiency (A/I)

A

ratio of assimilation to consumption, it measures efficiency of the consumer at extracting energy from the food it consumes

117
Q

average A/I for homeotherms and poikilotherms

A

70% homeo, 40% poikilo

Ecology (3 decks)

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