Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of ecology?
What is an ecosystem?
Define a system in ecological terms.
Why is detecting and quantifying interactions important in ecology?
What is meant by “quantifying connections” in ecosystems?
What is a population in ecological terms?
What is a community in an ecological context?
How is an ecosystem different from a population or community?
What is a habitat?
What is primary production?
inorganic carbon (CO2) –> organic carbon
How does water temperatrure affect phytoplankton?
Explain the oyster effect on water quality.
How are levels of organization in ecology “nested”?
What is an ecological model?
Why can models never perfectly reflect reality?
What are the main types of ecological models?
What are mathematical models used for in ecology?
- process simulation
Why are ecological models special?
What is an example of feedback in ecological systems?
What are “emerging properties” in ecological systems?
Are models a representation of reality?
Why is simplicity important in ecological models?
How do models deal with causality?
Causality in ecological systems refers to the cause-effect relationships between variables.
- For example, changes in predator abundance can cause changes in prey populations.
- However, ecological systems often display complex interdependencies and feedback loops rather than simple cause-and-effect chains.
- Interdependence: In predator-prey models, for example, the prey population affects the predator’s growth, and vice versa—both populations evolve together, making it difficult to pinpoint a single “cause” for observed changes
- Emerging Properties: Ecological systems exhibit properties that emerge from the interaction of components rather than individual causative effects.
What are the uses of models in ecology?
What are external variables or forcings?
What are state variables?
What are equations in a model?
What are universal constants?
What are parameters in a model?
Explain the Malthus model.
Explain the Logistic model.
What is the difference between the Malthusian and Logistic models?
What is ecological modelling?
Ecological modelling is a tool for simulating interactions among organisms, their environment, and external stressors. It simplifies reality to answer scientific and practical questions.
Why is ecological modelling used if it simplifies ecosystems?
Though simplified, it represents critical processes to improve understanding and guide decisions.
What are deterministic models?
Models where the same inputs always produce the same outputs, with no randomness involved.
What are stochastic models?
Models that incorporate randomness, where repeated simulations with the same inputs can yield different outputs.
What are dynamic models?
Models that simulate changes over time, often using differential equations.
What is an example of a dynamic model?
Prey-predator interaction models using differential equations to track population dynamics.
Define the concept of a system in ecological modelling.
A system is a set of interconnected components functioning as a whole (e.g., a lake).
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A population refers to individuals of the same species in an area, while a community encompasses multiple species.
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A population refers to individuals of the same species in an area, while a community encompasses multiple species.
What are emergent properties?
Characteristics that arise from complex interactions, such as resilience to disturbances and nutrient cycling efficiency.
What are forcing functions?
External influences like temperature or fishing effort that impact the system without being explicitly modeled as state variables.
Why is constructing an ecological model considered an iterative process?
The process involves cycles of testing, adjusting, and recalibrating the model until it aligns with observations.
What is primary production, and how is it regulated?
- Autotrophs, such as algae, convert carbon dioxide into organic matter through photosynthesis.
- Primary production is regulated by factors such as light, temperature, nutrient availability, and CO₂ concentration.
- Positive feedbacks, like nutrient influxes, can boost primary production,
- while negative feedbacks, such as nutrient depletion and self-shading, can slow further growth.
Model complexity and causality: socio-ecological systems
How can we use models?
models are not reality
