Lecture 1 Flashcards
Define Ecology
The study of relationships between organisms and their environment, the interaction of organisms with one another, and the pattern/causes of abundance and distribution of organisms in nature
Define Primary Research
Gathering new information through experiments or the real world
Define Secondary Research
Gathering and summarizing already known information
Define Plant Ecology
The relationships, interactions, and patterns of plants based on credible repeatable evidence
Explain the Ecology Triangle
Theories explain processes
Processes explain patterns
Patterns explain relationships in the natural world
Define Distribution
Organisms are distributed heterogeneously throughout space and time.
Define Contingency
The distribution of organisms and their interactions are affected by chance events of the past
Define Uniqueness
Variation in characteristics of individuals organisms result in pattern and process variation
Define Interactions
Organisms’ interactions with their biotic an abiotic environment
Define Environment
Conditions vary over time and space which affect organisms
Define Resources
Finite, with heterogenous availability through space and time
Define Birth/Death
Consequence of interactions with abiotic or biotic environment
Define Evolution
The ecological properties of species are a result of evolution
Define Habitat
They type of environment an organism lives in
Define Microclimate
Small area within a habitat that differs in environmental conditions
Define Unified Theory and give an example
Generalized proposition’s function together to characterize the natural
world.
Ex.) Darwin and Mendel
List 3 things Ecologists do
- Test Hypothesis
- Determine Relative Influence
- Develop Theories
What does it mean to determine relative influence?
Answer questions of how much and in what ways do a process contribute to the observed patterns.
What does it mean to develop a theory?
Reproduce experiments to
test generalizations and accumulate evidence
to produce theories of established knowledge
Manipulative Experiment
Pros? Cons?
A researcher purposely alters a system and measures a pattern in the response.
Pros: determining causality, clarity of interpreting evidence.
Cons: costly, time consuming, may not
reflect “real” world situations
Natural Experiment
Pros? Cons?
Nature alters a system and a researcher measures patterns in the response. Scientific evidence can support correlation
Pro: high degree of realism
Con: many differences and changes occur together
Observational Experiment
Pros? Cons? Example?
Detect and quantify patterns in nature
Pros: Observe what does and doesn’t exist, generalize patterns, and quantify observations, usually works with very large datasets
Ex.) Measuring duration of ice cover on a lake
Controlled Variable Effect on Data
Eliminate Variation and Influence
Measured/Normalized Variable Effect on Data
Allow Variation, not influence
Randomized Variable Effect on Data
Allow Variation and Influence, uses statics
Who proposed randomized experiments?
Ronald Fisher
Pros and cons of randomized experiments
Pro: incorporates many naturally occurring variables increasing realism and generalization
Con: Requires many replicates,
logistically challenging at large
spatial and time scales
What’s an LTER Site?
Long Term Ecological Research Site
Define Foundation Species
Large scale vital for ecosystem
Define Keystone Species
Small scale vital for ecosystem
List 7 Sub-Disciplines of Ecology
-Physiological ecology
*Population ecology
*Community Ecology
*Evolutionary ecology
*Landscape ecology
*Conservation ecology
*Urban ecology
