L5 - Autecology

Question 1

define autecology

Answer 1

the relationship of individual species with their environment

Question 2

define life history strategies

Answer 2

differences in growth and reproduction among species

Question 3

what are the 5 Key Life history traits

Answer 3

1. age and maturity
2. lifespan
3. fecundity
4. size and number of offspring
5. amount of parental care

Question 4

why is understanding life history strategies important?

Answer 4

helps determine population growth and species fitness

Question 5

what is the relationship between population growth and age at maturity within a population of a species

Answer 5

population growth increases as the age at maturity decreases.

Question 6

What is the relationship between population growth and organism size within a population of a species

Answer 6

population growth rate decreases as organism size increases

Question 7

what are then trade offs of life history strategies

Answer 7

it is impossible to maximize offspring size, number of offspring, growth, and reproduction

Question 7

what are the 6 K strategies listed in class

Answer 7

• slow growth
• few offspring
• later reproduction
• large body size
• repeat reproduction
• poor colonizers

Question 7

define K strategies

Answer 7

Strategies animals use to efficiently use available resources. Only successful in stable habitats, where competition is high and survival is key

Question 7

Define r strategies and in what habitat are they successful

Answer 7

strategies used by an organism to rapidly reproduce. most succsesful in variable habitats.

Question 7

r & K strategies are found in the equation of what population growth model? And what do they represent?

Answer 7

Logistical growth model
K - carrying capacity
r - per capita growth rate.

Question 7

what are the 6 r strategies discussed in class

Answer 7

• rapid growth
• many offspring
• early reproduction
• small body size
• single reproduction
• good colonizers, but poor competitors

Question 8

what are the three points in Grime’s (1979) conceptual triangular model that represent plant environments

Answer 8

1. competition
2. disturbance
3. stress (low resource availability)

Question 8

what are the three life history strategies used by plants according to Grime’s (1979) triangle

Answer 8

1. Ruderals (small / rapid +prolific seed production)
2. Competitors (efficient resource acquisition)
3. Stress-tolerators (allocate resources to maintain and survival)

Question 9

what is Liebig’s law of the minimum?

Answer 9

in a stable environment ecological processes are controlled by the environmental factor that is present in the lowest quantity relative to the demand for it.

Question 10

What is Shelford’s law of tolerance?

Answer 10

States that the success of a species and population is controlled by a suite of environmental factors. includes biotic and abiotic. Each have a max, min, and optimal range.

Question 11

What is the tolerance model?

Answer 11

Generally species that are more abundant have large ranges. Species that are rare have a restricted range.

Question 12

What is a Niche?

Answer 12

it is another way to define the limits of where a species can exist. specific characteristics that a species possess to give it an advantage in an ecosystem.

Question 13

Describe what a N-Dimensional Hypervolume is.

Answer 13

describes a the niche occupying a space confined by upper and lower limits of a given parameter.
individual dimensions could include types of resources or specific temperatures.
1 dimensional =line
2 dimensional = plane
3 dimensional = cube

Question 14

what is a Climate envelope model (CEM)

Answer 14

a CEM uses inferences about a species environmental requirements by correlating their occurrence with environmental data.

Question 15

What are limitations of a climate envelop model?

Answer 15

• oversimplification
• does not include biotic species interactions.
• just because a species can live in an area, doesn’t mean it will.