Ecology Exam (4) Flashcards
which inter-species interaction is beneficial to both organisms?
mutualism
______ is a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment?
Keystone species
______ are constraints that cap the size of a population
limiting factors
What are all the biotic and abiotic components in a particular area called?
An ecosystem
_____ is where the size of a population grows rapidly until it nears the carrying capacity
logistic growth
_____ is the succession where plants and animals recolonize a habitat after a major disturbance
secondary succession
____ is simply the number of species in a community
species richness
a group of same-species individuals in the same place at the same time
Population
Which ecology focuses on interactions between species?
Community ecology
______ are warm, fairly dry climates that primarily contain grasses with scattered trees.
savannas
Bees and flowers are an example of which interspecies interaction?
mutualism
Which level of ecology is concerned with energy flow and chemical cycling?
Ecosystem ecology
_____ are gaseous chemicals that capture and hold heat in the atmosphere.
greenhouse gases
___ species help hold their system together.
keystone
Trees growing taller for sunlight is an example of which interspecies interaction?
competition
______ occurs when the population size of each new generation is a multiple of the previous generation.
exponential growth
Changes in bodily function in response to change in the environment are considered what type of response?
Physiological
which inter-species interaction is harmful for plants? (still a form of predation)
herbivory
which inter-species interaction is beneficial to one organism and doesn’t affect the other?
commensalism
_____ is a philosophy/movement that seeks to maintain environmental quality
Environmentalism
______ have very low rainfall and can be hot or cold.
deserts
Populations vary in ___, ___, ___, and ___?
- density
- dispersion
- age structure
- survivorship curves
_____ and _____ flow through the biosphere.
energy and elements
____ is where aquatic and terrestrial biomes meet.
wetlands
What are 3 major examples of biogeochemical cycles?
- carbon cycle
- nitrogen cycle
- water cycle
____ is the process by which the mix of species and habitat changes over time
ecological succession
____ species typically thrive because of no natural predators?
invasive species
which inter-species interaction consists of an organism receiving nutrients from another organism?
parasitism
Which biome is found in the northernmost and southernmost parts of the world?
Polar ice
What is the most important abiotic factor in any environment?
Energy
_____ are the transition between freshwater rivers and the ocean.
estuaries
which inter-species interaction is mutually harmful?
competition
_____ are flowing bodies of freshwater.
rivers & streams
____ is the feeding relationships within a community.
trophic structure
Competition is a(n) ____ factor?
biotic
True or False: Coral reefs are found below the continental shelf?
False. Coral reefs are found ABOVE the continental shelf.
Sweating in response to heat is what type of categorical response?
Physiological response
Predation is a(n) ___ factor?
biotic
____ forests occur in wet, warm climates near the equator.
tropical forests
exponential growth is not sustainable because of _______.
limiting factors
Which succession occurs in an environment without previous life (aka, a barren habitat)?
primary succession
_______ biomes form where freshwater meets the ocean.
intermediate biomes
Levels of Ecology (Largest to Smallest)
Global, Ecosystem, Community, Population, and Organismal.
____ are species introduced to an environment that interrupt the natural competition.
invasive species
an individual living being
An organism
____ is the total amount of living material in an ecosystem.
biomass
What are the two types of limiting factors?
- density-DEPENDENT factors
- density-INDEPENDENT factors
The ___ zone includes water where light levels are too low for photosynthesis to take place.
Aphotic zone
The fields of ecology and evolutionary biology are ___?
intertwined
_____ is the maximum population size possible in a given environment.
carrying capacity
What is another name for the global ecosystem?
Biosphere
Temperature is a(n) ___ factor?
abiotic
which inter-species interaction is deadly for one organism and beneficial to another?
predation
What are the three types of dispersion patters?
- clumped dispersion
- uniform dispersion
- random dispersion
Burning fossil fuels releases ___ back into the atmosphere?
carbon
What are all of the populations within a particular area called?
A community
___ are organisms that break down non-living matter
decomposers
The ___ zone includes waters where light levels are high enough for photosynthesis.
Photic zone
_____ biomes are defined by their abiotic factors, primarily salinity
aquatic biomes
_____ is the match of a species to a specific environmental condition.
ecological niche
Competition, disease, and predation are all examples of which type of limiting factor?
density-dependent factors
_____ is how an organism uses resources in an environment
niche
Weather, pollutants, and natural disasters are all examples of which type of limiting factor?
density-independent factors
______ forests occur in regions of hot summers, cold winters, and relatively frequent rain.
temperate broadleaf forests
____ is the tendency of toxins to become concentrated as they pass through a food chain.
biological magnification
Getting into the water to deal with overheating is what type of categorical response?
Behavioral response
pH is a(n) ___ factor?
Abiotic
_____ biomes are found in coastal regions where ocean currents produce mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
chaparral
_______ are the way individuals are spaced within a habitat.
dispersion patterns
What are non-living components of an environment called?
Abiotic factors
What are the two ways environments can be powered?
Through chemical energy and solar energy.
Altitude is a(n) ___ factor?
Abiotic
Adaptations fall into what three broad categories?
- Physiological responses
- Anatomical responses
- Behavioral responses
Which gas has the highest greenhouse effect?
a) Carbon Dioxide
b) Water Vapor
c) Nitrous Oxide
d) Methane
d) methane.
What focuses on the ways organisms adapt to their environment through physiology and behaviour?
Organismal Ecology
As energy is passed from one trophic level to the next, most of it is lost as ____?
heat
Plants growing towards the Sun is an example of what type of categorical response?
Anatomical response
species diversity includes ___ and ____
species richness and relative abundance
______ are dominated by cone-bearing evergreens, characterized by cold winters and short, dry summers?
coniferous forests
Changes in the way one acts in response to changes in the environment are what type of response?
Behavioral
____ describe the transfer of organic material from one trophic level to the next
food chains/webs
___ are relationships between species, classified by how they affect each other.
inter-species interactions
Forest biomes vary by ____
latitude
_____ is the number of members of a species per unit of area/volume.
density
the accumulatio of ______ is the cause of global climate change
greenhouse gases
________ is the movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth’s crust.
biogeochemical cycle
____ are standing bodies of fresh water.
lakes & ponds
_____ is the measure of the rate at which solar energy is converted to biomass.
primary production
What are living components of an environment called?
Biotic factors
Biomes are largely dependent on ___ & ___.
temperature and rainfall
______ is a biome found in regions with cold winters, low rainfall, and periodic drought.
temperate grasslands
The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environments.
Ecology
Changes in body shape or structure in response to changes in the environment are what type of response?
Anatomical
_____ is the chance an individual will live to a particular age.
survivorship
Sucker fish attaching to sharks is an example of which interspecies interaction?
commensalism
Which biome is characterized by dryness, bitter-cold temperatures, high winds, and permafrost?
tundra
Which level of ecology studies interactions between Earth’s ecosystems, land, atmosphere, and oceans?
Global ecology
Rainfall is a(n) ____ factor?
abiotic
______ refers to the evenness of distribution of individuals among species in a community.
relative abundance
which interspecies interaction’s existence is still actively debated?
commensalism
______ zones are sandy or rocky habitat that is pounded by the surf.
intertidal zones
