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Final Exam- Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is Ecology?

A

The scientific study of how organisms interact with eachother and their environment

Distribution, abundance and the factors that affect these patterns

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2
Q

What are some barriers to dispersal?

A

Physical and climactic

Ex. Oceans and temperatures

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3
Q

Define Abundance

A

Measure of the number of individuals of each species in a defined area

Varies with time and location

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4
Q

Define range of tolerance

A

Range of abiotic conditions in which an organism can survive and reproduce

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5
Q

What determines a species distibution and abundance?

A
  1. Dispersal ability: physical structures and climate can act as barriers
  2. Abiotic factors: Range of tolerance for conditions
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6
Q

List some Abiotic factors

A

Temperature, light intensity and water availbility

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7
Q

List some biotic factors

A

Predation, competition, mutualism

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8
Q

Define the intertidal zone

A

Marine environment that is uncovered and covered each day as the tide rises and falls

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9
Q

What determines the upper limit of distibution for intertidal organisms?

A

Abiotic stressfull conditions: temperature, salinity, oxygen availbility

Rely upon water trapped in exoskelaton when low tide

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10
Q

What determines the lower limit of distibution in the intertidal zone?

A

Biotic factors: predation intensity from marine predators, competition for limited resources/space when conditions are optimal

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11
Q

What is the definition of a population?

A

A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area at the same time

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12
Q

Lincoln-Pederson method of mark-recapture estimation

A

N = M x n
m

N = ESTIMATED POP, M = MARKED VISIT 1

n = caught visit 2, m = marked visit 2

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13
Q

What are the assumptions of the Lincoln-Pederson capture/recapture method?

A
  1. Population is closed, N doesnt change between sampling periods ex. no birth/deaths
  2. Individuals do not differ in their probability of being caught ex. marking doesnt affect
  3. Marks do not come off b/w sampling
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14
Q

Formula for estimating population size at a future time point

A

Nt+1 = Nt(1 + r)

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15
Q

Per capita birth and death rates

A

b = B/N
d = D/N

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16
Q

Calculation for growth rate

A

r = b - d

Per capita growth rate

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17
Q

Expontential population growth

A

J shape: population in an unlimited environment, r doesnt change no matter how big the pop gets

r is density- independant

Usually short lived, occurs when pop sizes r small

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18
Q

Logistic population growth

A

S shape: limiting environmental factors restrict pop growth once it reaches carrying capacity (K)

r is density dependant and gets smaller with less resources

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19
Q

Limiting factors

Density-dependant factors

A

Biotic Factors whos influence on population size or population growth depends upon the number of individuals in a population/density

ex. predation/disease

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20
Q

Limiting factors

Density-independant factors

A

Abiotic Factors that influence population size and growth regardless of population size/density

ex. volcano eruptions/hurricanes/cold snaps

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21
Q

Define life history traits

A

Quantification of life history (stages an organism goes through in its lifetime) ex. Age-specific survivorship, age at first reproduction, number of offspring, parental care, reproductive lifespan, growth rate ect.

birth –> growth –> reproduction –> death

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22
Q

Type I surviorship curve

A

Most of the individuals in a cohort survive until old age

ex. humans and elephants

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23
Q

Type II survivorship curve

A

Constant proportion of individuals from a cohort dying each year

ex. lizards and birds

24
Q

Type III survivorship curve

A

Most individuals in cohort die at a young age, then survivorship is constant

ex. fish and plants

25
Life history traits and **fitness** tradeoffs
Species with longer lives start reproducing later, shorter lives reproduce earlier Species with smaller clutch sizes have larger offspring Larger tree growths have smaller number of pine cones
26
r selected life history strategies | (r = reproduction)
Maximizes **reproduction**, limited investment in offspring/parenting, high mortality rates in young | More common in less competitive, low quality environments ## Footnote **shorter lifespans**
27
K-selected life history strategy
Heavy investment in parental care, longer to mature, offspring have high survivorship | More common in competitive, higher quality environments
28
Define **community**
All the species that interact with one another in a defined area
29
Amensalism
Fitness of one organism is negatively affected, other is unaffected | (-/0) ## Footnote ex. If an elephant steps on an ant
30
Commensalism
Fitness of one organism is positively affected; the other is unaffected | (+/0) ## Footnote ex. Pearlfish hiding in seacucumbers
31
Mutualism
Fitness of both organisms is positively affected | (+/+) ## Footnote Lichens: photosynthetic and fungal partners
32
Competition
Fitness of both organism is potentially negatively affected | (-/-) ## Footnote ex. bears catching salmon
33
What is a niche
space, environmental conditions and resources that an organism uses to survive and reproduce as well as an organisms role in the community (predator/producer)
34
**Fundamental** niche
The set of resources that an organism is capable of using in the *absence* of competitors
35
**Realized** niche
The actual set of resources that an organism uses in the *presence* of competitors
36
# Interspecific competition outcomes: Stable coexistence | By Niche partitioning
Species can coexist, both species give up part of their fundamental niche | Use resources in different ways
37
# Interspecific competition outcomes: Competitive exclusion
One species is eliminated from part or all of the fundamental niche (site/habitat) by superior competitior
38
What happens if one species is removed and the fundamental niche has undegone an evolutionary change?
Could not immediately capitalize on the full range of resources, would require a mutation then natural selection/genetic drift | - Mutation in the **germline** & transportation
39
Consumption
One organism eats or absorbs nutrients from another 3 types: Predation/parasitism/Herbivory | (+/-)
40
Primary succession
Follows a disturbance that removes all the soil and all living organisms, nothing but bare rock/gravel remains | ex. Volcanic eruption, glacier retreat, landslide
41
Pioneering species
Organisms start from scratch: lichens, mosses and small plants appear and contribute to formation of soil when they die
42
Secondary succession
Follows a disturbance that has removed some or all living organisms but the soil remains | ex. forest fire, farming, construction, windstorms
43
Early vs later succession
Early: Abiotic conditions can be harsh, extremes of temperatures, little to no nutrients but competition is low Late: Abiotic conditions are less harsh (plants protect) but competition can be intense
44
What life history traits are expecteed in a pioneering species?
r-selected: Early reproductive age, numerous small seeds, tolerate severe abiotic conditions
45
What is an ecosystem?
a biotic community and its abiotic environment | can be small or large
46
What is the ultimate source of energy for life?
The sun
47
Producers | (Autotrophs)
Use the energy of sunlight to make chemical energy using carbon dioxide as a carbon source + water | Photosynthesis
48
Consumers
Obtain energy by eating other organisms
49
Detritovores
Ingest dead organic material, break it down internally
50
Decomposers
Break down dead organic material and then absorb nutrients
51
Food chain
Diagram that shows the linear flow of food energy from one trophic level to the next | Producers --> Primary consumers --> secondary --> tertiary
52
Food webs
Series of interlocked food chains that allow for possibility of consumers at multiple trophic levels | More realistic than chains
53
What is primary productivity?
The rate of conversion of solar energy to chemical energy by producers during some period of time | Gross = absolute, net = actual
54
Roughly how much energy is lost between trophic levels and why?
about 10% transferred to the next level - Not all organisms will be consumed at the next trophic level - Not all food is completely digested (waste) - Energy is lost as heat - Energy is used for hunting
55
How does **carbon** get into the cycle? and out?
Stored in ocean/atmosphere, captured by plants, eaten by animals, eaten by other animals Cellular respiration releases it back into the atmosphere
56
How does **nitrogen** get into the cycle? and out?
Stored in atmosphere as N2 gas, Nitrogen fixing/nitrifying bacteria converts into biologically available form, symbiotic/free living bacteria passes onto plants uptaken by roots, then consumers Returned by denitrifying bacteria
57
Why is the Great Bear Rainforest so productive?
Marine nitrogen from salmons dying and being eaten by bears that travel

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