L36 Global Patterns in Ecology

Question 1

Define Ecology

Answer 1

Study of interections between organism and their environment

Question 2

Examples of physicals factors

Answer 2

Temperature, water, sunlight, wind etc

Question 3

Examples of biotic factors

Answer 3

Predator/prey, parasites, symbionts, competitors

Question 4

6 Levels of ecological organisation

Answer 4

Biosphere, biome, ecosphere, community, population and individual

Question 5

Biosphere

Answer 5

the parts of Earth inhabited by organisms

Question 6

Biome

Answer 6

A climatic region e.g. tundra, savannah

Question 7

Ecosystem

Answer 7

The functional unit of ecology: the organisms in a habitat type that interact to create its structure

Question 8

Community

Answer 8

A subset of the ecosystem that is found in one location

Question 9

Population

Answer 9

The members of one species that interect together

Question 10

More species near the equator than at the poles

Question 11

Different taxonomic groups often show parallel patterns of biodiversity but what is different for different taxonomic groups

Answer 11

distrobution of threatened species is not similar for different taxonomic groups

Question 12

Most likely explanation for more species at the poles

Answer 12

Greater climatic stability and productivity at equator, leading to greater speciation/ smaller niches

Question 13

Factors in species diversity

Answer 13

Water, temperature and area of habitat

Question 14

What can a number of species be explained by

Answer 14

Immigration and extinction rates

Question 15

Factors impacting the extincion and immigration rates (equilibrium number)

Answer 15

Island size (large islands have a higher equilibrium number)
Location of island (islands closer to the mainland should have more species)
Latitude (larger animal bodies and shorter appendages at higher latitudes)

Question 16

Explanation of Bergmann and Allen’s rules

Answer 16

Temperature regulation