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Biology Honors > Ecology Unit Flashcards > Flashcards

Ecology Unit Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ecology

A

the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

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2
Q

what are some examples of biotic factors?

A

competition, predation, symbioses,

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3
Q

What are some examples of abiotic factors?

A

temperature, light, water, and nutrients

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4
Q

Species

A

A population or group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed with one another in nature to produce viable, fertile offspring,

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5
Q

Population

A

group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic are

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6
Q

community

A

All of the organisms of different populations that inhabit a particular area.

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7
Q

Ecosystem

A

All of the abiotic factors in addition to the community of species that exists in a certain area.

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8
Q

What are the two types of ecosystems?

A

aquatic and terrestrial

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9
Q

Biome

A

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and organisms and occupy the same broad geographic area

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10
Q

Biosphere

A

The global ecosystem-the sum of all of the planet’s ecosystems/all life AND where it lives.

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11
Q

Why are autotrophs so important?

A

they support all other organisms in the ecosystem

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12
Q

Where must heterotrophs gain their energy from?

A

other consumers or producers

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13
Q

what are the types of consumers?

A

primary, secondary, tertiary, and decomposers

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14
Q

What does saprophyte mean?

A

-phyte means plant sapro- means dead or decaying organic matter

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15
Q

Where do saprophytes get their nutrtion?

A

nutrients from non-living organic materials such as corpses, fallen plant material, and the wastes of living organisms, and convert them into inorganic forms.

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16
Q

detrivores

A

similar to decomposers they feed off of non-living organic matter (detritus).

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17
Q

food web

A

a model representing the feeding relationships within a mecosystems

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18
Q

Niche

A

the role or function of an organism or a species within an ecosystem

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19
Q

How do trophic levels seperate organisms?

A

based on their main source of nutrition

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20
Q

Pyramid of Numbers:

A

Measures population size in trophic levels

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21
Q

pyramid of biomass

A

measures the amount of dry organic matter in each trophic level

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22
Q

Where does the majority of energy begin in the biosphere and which direction does it flow?

A

-begins in the sun
-flows in one direction (up)

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23
Q

What is the main source of energy for the water cycle?

A

the sun!

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24
Q

Carbon/Oxygen Cycle

A

he relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the biosphere leads to most sources of release and storage of carbon

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25
Q

Atmospheric deposition

A

A process of converting nitrgoen into a useful form via chemical process that converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is absorbed by organisms.

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26
Q

Nitrogen fixation

A

process of converting nitrogen into compounds that plants can absorb and use (ammonia)

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27
Q

denitrification

A

process by which bacteria ( decomposers) convert nitrates ( ammonia derived ) into consumable nitrogen gas

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28
Q

Denitrification is a form of what?

A

nitrogen fixation via bacteria

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29
Q

Why is phosphorus important?

A

phosphorus is a major component of many important biomolecules such as nucleic acids, phospholipids, and ATP

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30
Q

Commensalism

A

ne partner benefits without significantly affecting the other.

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31
Q

Parasitism

A

one organism (the parasite) harms the host .

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32
Q

Parasitoidism

A

insects laying eggs on the larva of other insects.

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33
Q

mimicry

A

resemblance of one organism to another for defense purposes

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34
Q

camouflage

A

resemblance of an organism to its environment for defense purposes

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35
Q

Habitat

A

n ecological area inhabited by a particular species of organisms

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36
Q

Competitive Exclusion Principle

A

two organims with similar needs for the same limiting resources cannot occupy the same niche.

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37
Q

Carrying Capacity

A

the biotic and abiotic factors of an ecological system determine the number of individuals from a population which the ecosystem can maintain and support

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38
Q

What happens if a population uses resources faster than they can be replaced?

A

the carrying capacity is reduced, and so is the population

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39
Q

Interspecific Competition:

A

competition between members of opposing species occupying similar niches

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40
Q

Intraspecific

A

competition between members of the same species occupying the same niche

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41
Q

What are some population density-dependent factors?

A

Population Size
Predation
Parasitism
Disease
Stress
Competition

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42
Q

What type of desnity factor is population size?

A

density-dependent

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43
Q

What type of density factor is predation?

A

density dependent

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44
Q

What type of desnity factor is parasitism?

A

density dependent

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45
Q

why type of density factor is disease

A

dependent

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46
Q

what type of density factor is stress? what about competition?

A

dependent

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47
Q

What are examples of an density-independent factor?

A

Natural Disasters
Climate Changes

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48
Q

natality

A

Birth Rate

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49
Q

invasive species

A

human introduced(non-native) organism that has negative impacts on an ecological system due to a lack of density dependent limiting factors.

50
Q

Edge Effect

A

changes to the abiotic and biotic factors at the boundary of two habitats.

51
Q

Biomagnification

A

Retained substances which become more concentrated with each link in the food chain.

52
Q

Biodiversity

A

the relative concentration of species in a given area

53
Q

r-selected organisms

A

Found in highly variable ecological systems in which population densities fluctuate and there exists little competition.

54
Q

What are some examples of r-selected organisms?

A

-rodents, insects,

55
Q

What are some characteristics of r-selected organisms?

A

-Short life span
-Small size
-fast population growth rate (reproduce at once and make a lot of offspring)
-variable and unpredicted mortality-

55
Q

Do r-selected organisms often reach their carrying capacity? Why?

A

-No, because they have variable and unpredicted mortality, short life spans, and weak competitive ability

56
Q

K selected organisms?

A

Found at densities at or near the carrying capacity of an ecological system.

57
Q

What are some examples of k-selected organisms?

A

-Large mammals such as humans and elephants

58
Q

What are some characteristics of k-selected orrganisms?

A

-large size
-long life span
-reproduce later and life and with fewer offspring, which leads to a slower population growth rate.
-

59
Q

Why are k-selected organisms found at or near carrying capacity?

A
  • they have strong competitive abilities, and a more constant population since their mortality is predictable ( less fluctuations)
60
Q

natality:

A

the number of offspring produced in a certain period of time

61
Q

Mortality

A

the number of individuals that die off in a certain period of time

62
Q

Immigration

A

Individuals of one species entering a non-native ecological system over a period of time

63
Q

Emigration

A

Individuals of one species leaving their native ecological system over a period of time

64
Q

Ecological extinction

A

he loss of a species niche within an ecosystem

65
Q

biological extinction

A

the complete loss of a species from the biosphere.

66
Q

how can earth’s systems ( biogeochemical cycles) impact global change?

A

Both the causes and effects of global change may involve all Earth systems.

67
Q

Food web

A

Food Web: ALL the feeding relationships within an ecosystem.

68
Q

Food chain

A

a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as ONE organism eats another

69
Q

What is the difference between a food web and a food chain?

A

A food web summarizes ALL the feeding relationships within an ecosystem, while a food chain focus on a linear (ONE WAY) relationship between a few organisms:

70
Q

Why is photosynthesis included in the water cycle?

A

because water is a reactant, or input, of photosynthesis.

71
Q

How many organisms must a food chain consist of?

A

2+

72
Q

TRUE OR FALSE: The water cycle encompasses every interaction water has as it cycles through earth’s spheres, whether they impact the cycle or not

A

TRUE

73
Q

How do limiting factors relate to population size in logistic growth?

A

The effects of limiting factors increase as the population increases, which leads it to stabilize at carrying capacity.

74
Q

Why is the amazon rainforest unique among rainforest biomes?

A

It produces it’s own rainfall

75
Q

What element(s) from agricultural fertilizers and industrial pollution are responsible for the proliferation of algae in dead zones?

A

nitrogen and carbon

76
Q

What is the purpose of an ecological pyramid?

A

highlight the nutritional relationships within an ecological system

77
Q

trophic level

A

producers and consumers are separated on the ecological pyramid based on their main source of nutrition

78
Q

Energy(productivity) Pyramid:

A

the multiplicative loss of energy in an ecological system as it passes from trophic level to trophic level

79
Q

What is the function of an energy pyramid?

A

Measures net productivity available to organisms in that trophic level

80
Q

What leads to precipitation in the hydrologic cycle?

A

Evaporation and transpiration lead to precipitation in a cycle

81
Q

Why is nitrogen important?

A

an essential component of nucleic acids and proteins

82
Q

denitrification

A

process by which bacteria ( decomposers) convert nitrates (converted from ammonia) into consumable nitrogen gas

83
Q

microbiomes

A

-Microbial communities ( the microorganisms in a particular environment)

84
Q

What are the biogeochemical cycles?

A

carbon/oxygen cycle, phosphorus cycle, water cycle, and nitrogen cycle

85
Q

What is a biogeochemical cycle?

A

he movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth’s crust

86
Q

Why is phosphorus important?

A

major component of many important biomolecules

87
Q

Exponential Growth-J curve:

A

predicts unlimited population increase under conditions of unlimited resource

88
Q

What is the lag phase and what type of growth is it used in?

A

population growth begins slowly with a small population
-exponential growth

89
Q

what is the Log Phase and what type of growth is it used in?

A

Population growth is exponential as conditions are ideal and maximum growth rate can be achieved.
-exponential growth

90
Q

Iron Law

A

Populations will increase exponentially because they tend to overproduce while resources will increase linearly, leading to a point of crisis.

91
Q

What is the point of crisis in the iron law?

A
  • When the population of a species reaches the maximum capacity of the available resources ( the j-curve of the population intersects the linear curve of resources)
    -this leads to depletion of resources and population crash?
92
Q

how do natural resources available in an ecosystem increase?

A

linearly

93
Q

Logistic growth-s-curve

A

Growth pattern that occurs after exponential growth where the population growth slows and stops, leading to a steady population at carrying capacity, due to density-dependent limiting factors

94
Q

What kind of populations experienceslogistic growth

A

healthy ones!

95
Q

what kind of populations experience exponential growth

A

unsustainable/unhealthy ones, often invasive species.
-leads to a population crash

96
Q

What causes carrying capacity?

A

Competition and other limiting factors create a carrying capacity for a population within an ecological system

96
Q

How often do populations reach their biotic potential?

A

rarely

97
Q

Predator Prey Curve

A

The populations of predator and prey are interdependent of each other

98
Q

What does a predator prey curve look like?

A

-as one curve increases, the other decreases, and vice versa

99
Q

What happens to the carrying capacity if a population uses resources faster than they can be produced?

A

the carrying capacity of the area will be reduced and the population will crash.

100
Q

Cellular respiration

A

the process by which cells derive energy from glucose. The chemical reaction for cellular respiration produces carbon dioxide, water, and energy (ATP) as outputs.

101
Q

transpiration

A

the process by which plants give off water vapor through the stomata in their leaves

102
Q

Interdependence

A

THe survival of a species is dependent on other living organisms and nonliving components.

103
Q

Form determines function

A

most if not all of the shape, size, and structure of the organism aids the organism in survival in some way

104
Q

Where is the theme of form determines function often seen?

A

mutualism and coevolution

104
Q

Homeostasis

A

any self-regulating process by which an organism tends to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are best for its survival

105
Q

How does the movement of matter compare to the movement of energy?

A

Energy flows in one direction, while matter cycles.

106
Q

Levels of organization

A

structures in nature, frequently identified by part-whole relationships, with things at higher levels being composed of things at the next lower leve

107
Q

coninuity and change

A

how genetic information is carried forward and changes

108
Q

Unity within diversity

A

the idea that all living organisms, despite their vast diversity, share certain fundamental characteristics that point to a common ancestry.

109
Q

evolution by means of natural selection

A

“survival of the fittest”-Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success.

110
Q

what are the Characteristics of Life

A

Living things are based on a universal genetic code.
Living things grow and develop.
Living things respond to their environment.
Living things reproduce.
Living things maintain a stable internal environment.
Living things obtain and use energy.
Living things are made up of cells.
Taken as a group, living things evolve.

111
Q

What are the phases of logistic growth?

A

1-population growth increases/log phase
2-population growth decreases
3-growth stops as it reaches carrying capacity

112
Q

population density

A

the concentration of individuals of a particular species within a certain area

113
Q

Geographic range

A

the places that a certain species occupies

114
Q

What directly affects the size and distribution of plant populations?

A

herbivory

115
Q

What is most likely to occur if an organism’s ecosystem is outside its tolerance range?

A

It will fail to reproduce

116
Q

tolerance

A

ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under suboptimal circumstances

117
Q

What are the three methods of ecological study?

A

observation, modeling, and experimentation

118
Q

What are the differences between detritivores and decomposers+ examples

A

Decomposers feed by breaking down organic matter, while detritivores chew or grind detritus (dead organisms and wastes) and the decomposers inside them.
-earthworm is a detritivore, bacteria is a decomposer

Biology Honors (4 decks)

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