Exam 1 Flashcards
What are the Levels of Ecology
Individuals (Organismal)
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Landscape
Biosphere/Global
What is Organismal Ecology
focused on the Physiology, Morphology, Behavior, and Evolution
e.g., how do zebras regulate internal water balance?
What is Population?
group of interbreeding individuals of SINGLE species living in same area
What is Population Ecology
variables impacting population size, distribution, and changes over time, evolution abiotic-biotic interactions
e.g., what factors control zebra populations?
What is Community?
group of populations of DIFFERENT species in same area
What is Community Ecology
how species interactions affect evolution, structure, and organization of involved species
What is an Ecosystem?
community of organisms + physical and chemical environment
What is Ecosystem Ecology
energy flow, chemical cycling between organisms and environment
What is a Landscape?
“mosaic” of connected ecosystems (including terrestrial and aquatic)
What is Landscape Ecology
exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across ecosystems
e.g., how do vegetated corridors affect rate of movement among isolated forest fragments?
What is the Biosphere?
global ecosystem, sum of the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes
What are the three options in counting individuals?
- “Count Everything”
-large, non-motile organisms - “Quadrat” Method
-sample of total population
-appropriate of relatively immotile organisms - “Mark-and-Recapture”
-highly motile organisms, often in difficult to access areas
What is the formula for Mark-Recapture?
(# marked & released x # captured in 2nd sampling) / # marked that are recaptured
= population size
Some organisms are elusive and hard to count.
What are some ways to count these organisms?
-listen/tally vocalizations
-camera trapping
-counting scat (poop)
-pickup roadkill
-yield from fishing/hunting efforts
100 kingfishers are captured and marked.
Several days later, 20 birds are caught, and 10 are marked.
What is the estimated population size?
100 x 20 / 10
= 200 pop. size
Define the following distribution types for individuals across a landscape:
Clumped
Regular
Random
Clumped: unequal chance of being anywhere
-most common
-e.g. sea stars
Regular: “uniform,” evenly spaced
-e.g. penguins
Random: equal chance of being anywhere
-e.g. dandelions
Define Ecology
scientific study of RELATIONSHIPS between organisms and between organisms and the ENVIRONMENT
T/F: A hypothesis is a proposition to explain natural phenomena made with limited evidence that is the starting point for further testing
TRUE
T/F: red squirrels who actively defend territories is an example of a group most likely to exhibit UNIFORM DISPERSION
TRUE
What does Habitat Fragmentation lead to?
decreased habitat area
increased isolation
“edge effects”
What are some natural and anthropogenic causes of fragmentation?
fire
flooding
lava flows
roads
urbanization
border walls
dams
Which islands, large or small, harbor more species?
large islands
-bigger target for migrants
-support larger populations
-multiple habitat types
Do islands closer or farther from the “source” have more species?
closer to the source
-more species migrants arrive
-“rescue effect”
What does Darlington’s Rule regarding island area and number of species state?
10x increase in island area leads to 2x increase in number of species
As species are added, what is the affect to Immigration? Extinction?
Immigration = slows as species are added
Extinction = increases as species accumulate
-larger pool
-lower abundance/species
-greater competition for resources
What are Subpopulations?
localized patches of individuals, together forming a population
What is a Geographic Range?
distribution of a species, the collective occurrence of populations
What is a Metapopulation?
“population of populations” in discrete habitat patches linked by occasional dispersal
An area that contains SUITABLE HABITAT for the organism of interest is the _________
Patch
An area that contains UNSUITABLE HABITAT for the organism of interest is the _________
Matrix
A local population that occupies a patch is the __________
Deme
What is it called when a patch is occupied, then not occupied, the occupied again?
Turnover
An area of habitat that is SAFE for the organism to move through (from one patch to another) is called a _________
Corridor
Typically small patches that can be used as resting areas for the organism to move between larger patches is considered a _____________
Stepping-stone Patch
There are Four Models of Metapopulation Theory - what are they?
- Classical Model
- Patchy Model
- Non-Equilibrium Model
- Mainland-Island Model
What is a Unitary Organism?
species composed of discrete individuals that are EASILY RECOGNIZED as NATURAL UNITS
e.g., humans, dogs, lion
What is a Modular Organism?
species composed of MULTIPLE subunits that are capable of independent function
e.g., corals, plans
-usually harder to determine
A portion of a modular organism that exists separately at least in part is the _____________
Ramet
e.g., stems of a plant; polyps of a coral
“Genetic individuals” consisting of ALL the RAMETS that originated from a single zygote are the _________
Genet
Is a frog Unitary or Modular?
Unitary
Is a plant Unitary or Modular?
Modular
What components are included in Change in Population Size?
Births
+ Immigrants Entering Pop.
- Deaths
- Emigrants Leaving Pop.
What is the difference between a Iteroparous breeder versus a Semelparous breeder?
Iteroparous = breed throughout entire life
Semelparous = die after giving birth
In exponential growth, r represents __________, meaning that greater values of r lead to _____________
intrinsic growth rate
faster population growth
What is the equation for Exponential Growth
MUST KNOW FOR TEST…WON’T BE GIVEN!!
N(t+1) = N(t) x e^rt
e = exp. of natural log (2.72)
t = time
r = intrinsic rate of increase (births - deaths)
What makes Logistic Population Growth a more accurate model to use?
populations limited by food, space, other resources in the environment
What is Carrying Capacity (K)?
maximum population size the environment can support
e.g., moose in Isle Royale
What is the Allee Effect?
negative or reduced per capital growth rate when population density is LOW