Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Ecology

A

Scientific study of interactions between organisms and the environment.

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2
Q

Population

A

A group of individuals of the same species living in an area

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3
Q

Population Ecology

A

Analyzes factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time.

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4
Q

Community

A

A group of populations of different species in an area

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5
Q

Community Ecology

A

Examines how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community structure and organization.

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6
Q

Ecosystem

A

The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact.

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7
Q

Ecosystem Ecology

A

Energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment.

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8
Q

Landscape (sea scape)

A

A mosaic of connected ecosystems

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9
Q

Climate

A

The long term prevailing weather conditions in a given area

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10
Q

Dispersal

A

The movement of individuals or gametes away from their area of origin or from centers of high population density

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11
Q

Dispersion

A

The pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of the population

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12
Q

Clumped Dispersion

A

Species together in patterns (starfish)

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13
Q

Uniform Dispersion

A

Evenly spaced species (penguins)

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14
Q

Random Dispersion

A

Unpredicted spacing. Position is independent from other individuals (dandelions)

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15
Q

Demography

A

Study of vital statistics of populations and how they change over time

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16
Q

Life table

A

Summarizes the survival and reproduction rates of individuals in specific age groups within a population

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17
Q

Cohort

A

Group of individuals of the same age from birth until all individuals are dead

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18
Q

Survival Curve

A

A plot of the proportion or numbers in a cohort still alive at each age

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19
Q

Type 1 curve

A

Flat at the start reflecting low death rate during early and middle life and then drops steeply as death rates among older age groups increases (ex: humans/elephants)

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20
Q

Type 3 curve

A

Drops at the start reflecting high death rates in young but flattens as death rates decline for the few that survive the early period (ex fishes)

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21
Q

Type 2 curve

A

Constant death rate over the organisms life span (ex: rodents / lizards)

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22
Q

Semelparity

A

One shot pattern of big-bang reproduction(salmon)

23
Q

Iteroperity

A

Repeated reproduction

24
Q

K selection

A

Offspring enters a world near carrying capacity. Have few kids at a time (humans)

25
Q

R selection

A

Produce many offspring - low probability of survival

26
Q

Population dynamics

A

When the population fluctuates — influenced by many factors and in turn affect other species

27
Q

Interspecific Interactions

A

Include competition, predation, herbivory, parasitism, mutualism & commensalism.

28
Q

Predation (+/-)

A

Positive effect on the predator population and negative effect on the prey population

29
Q

Mutualism (+/+)

A

Interaction because of survival and reproduction of both species are increased in the presence of the other

30
Q

Competition (-/-)

A

Interaction that occurs when individuals of different species compete for resources that limit survival and reproduction of each species. (Ex: lynx & fox competing for prey)

31
Q

Competitive exclusion

A

A reproductive advantage that leads to elimination of the inferior competitor

32
Q

Ecological niche

A

Specific set of biotic and abiotic resources that an organism uses in its environment (how it fits into the ecosystem/its role)

33
Q

Resource partitioning

A

One species using a different set of resources or similar resources at different times of the day or year. Enables similar species to coexist in a community

34
Q

Allopatric

A

Geographically separate population

35
Q

Sympatric

A

Geographically overlapping populations

36
Q

Character displacement

A

Tendency for characteristics to diverge more in sympatric than allopatric populations of two species (ex: change in beak depth in birds bc of the overlap of their populations)

37
Q

Exploitation (+/-)

A

Any (+/-) interaction between species in which one species benefits by feeding on the other species which is harmed by interaction. (Predation , herbivory, and parasitism)

38
Q

Aposematic Coloration

A

Warning coloration; bright effective chemical defenses

39
Q

Cryptic coloration

A

Camouflage

40
Q

Batesian mimicry

A

A palatable or harmless species mimics an unpalatable or harmful species to which it is not closely related (larva of a hawk moth looking like a small venomous snake)

41
Q

Mullerian mimicry

A

Two or more unpalatable species mimic such as cuckoo bee and yellow jacket resembles each other

42
Q

Herbivory (+/-)

A

Herbivore eats plants or algae thereby harming it

43
Q

Parasitism (+/-)

A

Exploitative interaction in which one organism,the parasite, derives it’s nourishment from another organism, it’s host which is harmed in the process

44
Q

Endoparasites

A

Parasites that live within the body

45
Q

Ectoparasite

A

Parasites that feed on the external surface of a host (ticks & lice)

46
Q

Positive interaction (+/+ or 0/+)

A

Interaction where at least one benefits and neither is harmed (mutualism & commensalism)

47
Q

Commensalism (+/0)

A

One benefits, the other is not affected. (ex: wildflowers that grow optimally in lower light levels depend on trees that tower above for dim habitat. Survival and reproduction are not affected by the wildflowers

48
Q

Biomass

A

Total mass of all organisms in a habitat

49
Q

Invasive species

A

Species outside of their native range (higher diversity communities more resistant)

50
Q

Disturbance

A

Event such as a storm, fire, flood, drought, or human activity that carnage’s a community by removing organisms from it or altering resource availability.

51
Q

Non equilibrium model

A

Describes most communities as constantly changing after disturbances

52
Q

Intermediate disturbances hypothesis

A

Moderate levels of disturbance foster greater species diversity than do high or low levels of disturbance

53
Q

Primary succession

A

The first step of ecological succession — lifeless area

54
Q

Secondary succession

A

Occurs when existing community has been cleared by disturbance that leaves soil intact