FINAL EXAM Flashcards
BIOTIC
Describes a living component of an ecosystem; for exampel organism such as plants or animals.
A biotic factor is a living organism that affects another organism in the ecosystem.
ECOLOGICAL NISCH
An ecological nisch describe the role an organism plays in it’s environment.
- The species habitat
- The organisms activity, the periods of times its active
- The resources it obtains from the environment
Example, black bears nisch
Black bears lives in the forests, its feeds on berries, insects and nuts.
They eat tics and other parasite insects, and they can carry seeds for long distances in their digestive systems, and later allowing the seeds to grow.
HABITAT
Type of environment (physical and biological) in which the organism lives.
Population
Group of individuals of the same
species living in a given territory,
associated by social or reproductive
links
Biotope
is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals.
Community
a group or association of populations of two or more different species occupying the same geographical area at the same time, also known as a biocoenosis, biotic community,
Biodiversity hotspots of the World are defined as:
regions “where exceptional concentrations of endemic species
are undergoing an exceptional loss of habitat”
Define biodiversity
The biodiversity is defined as ‘the variety of life
on Earth at all its levels, from genes to
ecosystems, and the ecological and
evolutionary processes that sustain it
What is an endemic species?
An endemic species is one that is unique to a defined geographic location or habitat, such as an island, nation, other defined zone.
For example: Lemurs only exist in Madagascar.
Intra specific interaction/competition
Inter specific interaction/competition
Intra specific = Interactions/competition between species that are the same species.
self determination, territoriality, etc.
Inter specific = Interaction between two ore more different species.
– against other species, by resources
Example of inter specific competition
Sharks, dolphins and sea birds compete for the same type of fish in the same ecosystem.
2 Different species with the same ecological requirements can not be present in the same place for a long period of time. One will normally suppress the other.
Bioindicator
Species or organism particularly sensible to changes in the environment
can be used as bio-indicator to study or assess the ecological performance,
functioning or quality.
Species bioindicators can be used to monitoring the ecosystem health or
changes in the environment.
Example of bioindicator
Caddisflies (Trichoptera) are insects with larvae common in all types of water. The species is very sensitive to water pollution and then very useful as bioindicator of water quality
The timing of the arrival of the cuckoos and the vigour of its calls were also used as an indicator of the weather and the intensity of the seasons
What is species? Species concepts
- Compromise between practical use and versatility
- Practical value: species conservation, species diversity estimate
How different mammals have adapted to different climate?
The organism, through the process of natural selection, can result adapted to function better in the face of environmental challenges.
Adaptation is a process where the population becomes better suited for the environment.
It can mean physical or behavioral changes, to make to individual more fitted to the environment.
Ethology
The science of animal behavior
Evolution by natural selection
is a process by which organisms change (evolve) over time as a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioral traits.
Such modifications allow the organism to be better adapted to its environment, improving the probabilities of offspring to survive..
Which tools we have to mitigate the decline of the biodiversity and to increase the conservation of nature
One of the most commonly applied approaches by conservationists is to identify areas with a high number of endemic species and habitat loss. These areas, identified as biodiversity hotspots.
Natura 2000
Birds directive
Habitat directive
Red-list
Bird directive
. The Birds Directive aims to protect all of the 500 wild bird species naturally occurring in the European Union.
Habitat directive
The Habitats Directive ensures the conservation of a wide range of rare, threatened or endemic animal and plant species.
RED-List
- Established in 1964
- By the International union for conservation of nature
- The worlds most comprehensive information source on the global extinctions risk status of animals, fungi’s and plant species.
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively.
ECOLOGY
“Ecology is the study of interactions among living things and their environment. It provides new understanding of these vital systems as they are now, and how they may change in the future”.
