exam 4 Flashcards
what is ecology
the study of how organisms relate to one another and to their environments
what is environmentalism
advocating the protection of nature
what is ecology
the study of interactions, recognition of interactions is imperative. provides knowledge to educate people, so informed decisions are made
what is organismal ecology
study adaptations that enable individuals to live in specific habitats . these adaptations can be morphological, physiological , and behavioral
what is population ecology
focus on the number of individuals in an area and how and why population sizes change
what is community ecology
study the processes driving interactions between species as well as their consequences
what is ecosystem ecology
study the storage and movement of nutrients and energy among organisms and the surrounding atmosphere, soil, and water
karner blue butterfly
rare , found in open places with little tress or shrubs ; such as pine barrens and oak savanna’s
endemic
only found in a unique location
biogeography
the study of the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that affect their distribution
abiotic factors
such as temperature and rainfall vary based mainly on latitude and elevation
endemic species
one which is naturally found only on a specific geographic area that is usually restricted in size
generalists
species which live in a wide variety of geographic areas
brackish
mixture of salt water and fresh water
ocean upwelling
process that recycled nutrients and energy in the ocean
tropical forest
lots of water , lots of vegetation, very warm
savanna
dominated by grasses
chaparral
scrub forest
temperate forest
lots of large trees, small plants
boreal forest - taiga
low lying plants and conifer trees; home to birds, wolves, bears, etc
tundra
landscape dominated by low growing plants like shrub willow
are coral reefs living
yes
where is the most diverse aquatic habitat
coral reefs
global climate change
altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, due largely to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide
climate
refers to the long term predictable atmospheric conditions of a specific area
weather
refers to the conditions of the atmosphere during a short period of time
population
all species living within a specific area (groups of the same species)
how can populations change overtime
seasonal and yearling changes like migration, natural disasters, and competition for resources between and within species
demography
used a series of mathematical tools to investigate how populations respond to changes in their biotic and abiotic environments
population size (n)
the total number of individuals
population density
the number of individuals within a specific area or volume
quadrat
to measure population size and density
mark and recapture
used to measure the population size of mobile animals such as bighorn sheep, and salmon
species dispersion patterns
show the spatial relationship between members of a population within a habitat at a particular point in time
species distribution
geographically area where an organism is found
uniform
evenly spaced: example is penguins
random
randomly spaced: example is dandelions
clumped
together in one spot: example is elephants
demography
the statistical study of population changes over time : birth rates, death rates, and life expectancies
life tables
divide the population into age groups and often sexes and show how long a member of that group is likely to live
cohort
group of the same organism
type one survivorship curve
humans and most mammals
type 2 survivorship curve
birds
type 3 survivorship curve
trees
fecundity
potential reproductive capacity of an individual within a population
low fecundity
produce few offspring
high fecundity
many offspring
semelparity
occurs when a species reproduces only once during its lifetime then dies. example: salmon
iteroparity
describes species that reproduce repeatedly during their lives
carrying capacity
maximum capacity a place can hold
what is yeasts limiting factor
sugar
density dependent factors
predation, inter and intraspecifc competition, accumulation of waste and diseases
density independent factors
weather, natural disasters, pollution, chemical/physical changes
K selected species
are species selected by stable , predictable environments. example: elephants , oak trees
R selected species
have a large number of small offspring, usually in unpredictable or changing environments. example: dandelions and jellyfish
are humans k or r selected species
k selected
ecological footprint
the amount of land required to support an individual at the standard of living of a particular population through the individuals life
trade off
balance of factors, not attainable simultaneously
life history
complete life cycle of an organism
reproductive potential
number of offspring you can produce