Lecture eleven

Question 0

Physiological Ecology

Answer 0

How individuals respond to environmental conditions - abiotic

Question 1

Evolutionary Ecology

Answer 1

How individuals maximize fitness and adapt over generations

Question 2

Behavioural Ecology

Answer 2

How individuals respond to other organisms - biotic

Question 3

Population Ecology

Answer 3

Processes of birth, death, migration influence the abundance and distribution patterns of groups of organisms

Question 4

Spatial Structure

Answer 4

How individuals organize themselves in space. Geographic, dispersal, dispersion, population size

Question 5

Age/size Structure

Answer 5

of individuals in each age/size class

Question 6

Genetic Structure

Answer 6

Genetic composition of all individuals combined within a population

Question 7

What determines population size?

Answer 7

Birth/death/migration rates. These are influenced by abiotic and biotic factors

Question 8

Unitary Individuals

Answer 8

Physically and genetically distinct individuals. GENETS

Question 9

Modular Individuals

Answer 9

Many interconnected units derived from the same zygote. Can exist separately and independently. RAMETS

Question 10

Aspen Tree

Answer 10

Each tree is a ramet, together they are a genet.

Question 11

Are ramets more or less likely to go extinct? Why?

Answer 11

More likely because there is no genetic variation amount them.

Question 12

What is a geographical distribution/range determined by?

Answer 12

The presence of suitable environmental conditions and resources.

Question 13

What is a habitat patch? What can it result in?

Answer 13

An area of homogeneous environmental conditions. Can be heterogeneously distributed, separated by unsuitable habitats. Can result in subpopulations.

Question 14

Metapopulation

Answer 14

A collection of local (sub) populations interacting within a geographical range.

Question 15

How do local populations interact?

Answer 15

Via dispersal –> immigration and emigration.

Question 16

What does the degree of interaction between local populations depend on?

Answer 16

Ability of individuals to move between habitat patches (distance, suitability, barriers) and habitat patch size and quality

Question 17

What is dispersion?

Answer 17

Spacing of individuals with respect to one another.

Question 18

What are the three general patterns of dispersion?

Answer 18

Clumped (in discrete groups), even (uniformly spaced), random (without regard to others)

Question 19

Do environmental conditions and resources influence dispersion patterns at different spatial scales?

Answer 19

Yes.