Exam 3 Flashcards
Saprobes
Fungi that feed on dead organic matter
Autotrophs
Organisms that make their own food, converting inorganic carbon into organic carbon
Exploitation
Interactions where one member benefits while the other is harmed
Succession
The predictable series of changes in a community after a severe disturbance
Source
A pool that releases more nutrients than it accepts (short residence time)
Variety
Different traits within the same species
Three Domains of Life
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryota
Ribosomal DNA (rRNA)
Type of genetic material used to identify how closely two species are related to each other
Archaea
Prokaryotic life forms more closely related to Eukarya than Bacteria
Bacteria
Prokaryotic lifeforms that reproduce asexually, some of which are autotrophs
Extremophiles
Bacteria and archaea that can thrive in extreme environments
Domain Eukarya
Domain divided into four kingdoms: protists, fungi, plants, and animals
Protists
Members of domain Eukarya that refer to eukaryotes other than plants, fungi, and animals
Fungi
Single celled yeasts
Symbionts
Fungi that live in close association with another organism (both benefit)
Parasites
Fungi that feed on living organisms (harm the host)
Animals
Multicellular eukaryotes that lack cell walls, move under their own power, are heterotrophs, and mostly have neurons/muscle cells
Plants
Multicellular eukaryotes that have cell walls with cellulose and are photosynthetic autotrophs
Population
Group of individuals of the same species that inhabit a specific region and interact with each other
Community
Populations of different species that live within a specific region and interact closely with each other
Ecosystem
All the living and non-living entities in a region that interact with each other
Photosynthetic Autotrohps
Autotrophs that use energy from the sun to convert CO2 into glucose
Chemosynthetic Autotrophs
Autotrophs that use energy from breaking down hydrogen sulfide to convert carbon into organic matter
Heterotrophs
Organisms that depend on other organisms for food
Trophic Levels
Feeding levels or energy levels
Producers
Autotrophs, or organisms that make their own food
Consumers
Heterotrophs, or organisms that cannot make their own food
Detritus
Dead organic matter
Detritovores/Decomposers
Consumers that get their energy from detritus
Food Chain
Path of energy flow across trophic levels (linear)
Food Web
Visual map of feeding relationships and energy flow among organisms in a community (network
Competition
Multiple organisms seek the same limited resource
Intraspecific Competition
Competition between members of the same species
Interspecific Competition
Competition between members of different species
Predation
Process by which individuals of one species capture, kill, and consume individuals of another species
Parasitism
Relationship in which one organism depends on the host
Herbivory
Animals that feed on the tissues of plants
Symbiotic Relationship
Two species live in close association with each other and depend on each other mutually for survival
Pollination
Interactions between plants and animals that result in plant pollination
Symbionts
Organisms that have mutual relationship with another organism
Keystone Species
Species that has a dramatic effect on an ecosystem disproportionate to its abundance
Ecosystem Engineers
Species that physically modify the environment
Alien (exotic) species
Non-native species from somewhere else that enters a new community
Invasive Species
Non-native species that spreads widely and becomes dominant in a community
Disturbance
An event that destroys all or part of the life forms in a region
Primary Succession
Occurs after a disturbance removes all vegetation and soil life
Pioneer Species
First species to arrive in a primary succession area
Climax Community
Remains in place with few changes following a disturbance
Secondary Succession
Occurs after a disturbance has removed much, but not all, of the biotic community
Productivity
How much biomass is accumulated over time
Nutrient
Any element or molecule that organisms require to grow, survive, and reproduce
Non-mineral nutrients
Carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O)
Mineral nutrients
Mainly nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), etc.
Eutrophication
Excess nutrients/nutrient pollution in aquatic systems
Hypoxia
Depletion of oxygen
Anoxia
No oxygen
Biogeochemical cycles
Matter (nutrients) cycles through biological and geological entities via chemical reactions
Pools (reservoirs)
Where nutrients reside for varying amounts of time
Sink
A pool that accepts more nutrients than it releases (long residence time)
Flux
The rate at which materials move between pools
Species
Group of organisms that can interbreed naturally and produce fertile and viable offspring
Breeds
Refers to varieties within a species of domesticated animal
Evolution
Change in average value of a heritable trait in populations over one or more generations
Genes
Pieces of code on the DNA
Mutation
Random change in an individual’s DNA
Neutral Mutation
Type of mutation that does not affect fitness
Deleterious Mutation
Type of mutation that may quickly be eliminated from the population
Beneficial Mutation
Type of mutation that may increase in frequency over generations
Genetic Drift
Change in the genetic make-up of the population due to random chance
Sexual Selection
Individual that gets most mating opportunities has the highest fitness
Artificial Selection
Mechanism of evolution under domestication
Common Descent
The idea that any group of organisms will share a most recent common ancestor
Adaptive Trait
Trait that provides higher fitness to the individual in a specific environment
