lecture 10 Flashcards
ecology
the study of how organisms interact with eachother and their environment
5 Levels of Ecology
organism
population
community
ecosystem
biosphere
abiotic factors
non living
biotic factors
living things
weather
short term
climate
long term
why are some climates hot and some cold
based on amount of sunlight per unit
hadley cell
explains why tropics are wet and why above and below that are dry deserts
coriolis effect
caused by spinning of earth
what are hadley cell and coriolis effect responsible for
different directions of winds and currents
what causes seasons on earth
earths orbit and tilt
what do mountain ranges cause for climate
create rain shadows
what effect do oceans have on climate
moderate effect on temperature
biomes
regions characterized by distinct abiotic characteristics and dominant vegetation
what type of biomes exist
terrestrial and aquatic
what abiotic factors influence terrestrial biomes
temperature, moisture, sunlight and wind
what abiotic factors affect aquatic biomes
salinity, water depth, sunlight, water flow and nutrient change
what impact have humans had on biomes
changing terrestrial landscape
pollute
what does behavior mean
a response to a stimulus
behavioral ecology
focuses on how the behavior of animals affects their ability to survive and reproduce
proximate causation
explains biological function in terms of immediate physiological or environmental factors
ultimate causation
refers to the past conditions having led to the information encoded in DNA
FAPs
fixed action patterns
Fitness trade-offs
The process through which a trait increases in fitness at the expense of decreased fitness in another tract
cost benefit analysis
A concept encapsulating the idea of the animals traits all have benefits and costs
Forging
Forging behavior includes all the methods by which an organism acquires and utilizes sources of energy and nutrients
What is the optimal theory of foraging?
is a behavioral ecology model that helps predict how an animal behaves when searching for food
what causes the onset of sexual behavior?
the sex hormones
what influences the onset of sexual behavior
environmental cues
which gender has a selection advantage and why?
Females because they are more picky in the process
what are three ways animals navigate
Plotting
Compass orientation
True navigation
what is the circadian clock?
Physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow 24 hour cycle
what exactly is communication?
The process were a signal from one individual modifies the behavior of a recipient individual
how can animals communicate?
Touch, sound scent and sight
what is altruism
an action that decreases your own individual ability to produce offspring but helps others
when is altruism most likely?
if they are related to you
If you were not going to benefit
how does altruism differ from the other concepts we have been studying
Hurts Individuals helps population.
what is the most extreme form of altruism?
Eusociality
Personal fitness
own offspring
inclusive fitness
Combines indirect fitness of helping relatives, produce offspring plus direct fitness of all self producing offspring
Kin selection…
Decreases direct fitness, but increases indirect
Fitness resulting in…
Overall increase of inclusive fitness
what is it called when altruism happens when not related
Reciprocal altruism
how do cooperation and mutualism differ from altruism
Help others and your own fitness
Cooperation
If within the same species
mutualism
Different species
