Lesson 7: Ecological niches

Question 1

What is a specialist species?

Answer 1

a species with a narrow ecological niche

Question 2

What is an example of a specialist species?

Answer 2

giant panda

Question 3

What is a generalist species?

Answer 3

species with a broad ecological niche

Question 4

What is an example of a generalist species?

Answer 4

black rats

Question 5

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 5

the role and position a species has in its environment

Question 6

What are the three modes of respiration?

Answer 6

• obligate aerobes
• obligate anaerobes
• facultative anaerobes

Question 7

What are obligate anaerobes?

Answer 7

cannot survive with oxygen

Question 8

What are obligate aerobes?

Answer 8

requires oxygen to respire

Question 9

What are facultative anaerobes?

Answer 9

can live with or without oxygen (fermentation)

Question 10

What are the methods of nutrition in bacteria and eukarya?

Answer 10

photo-synthetic, heterotrophic, mixotrophic, holozoic and saprotrophic nutrition

Question 11

What is holozoic nutrition?

Answer 11

internal digestion of food

Question 12

What is saprotrophic nutrition?

Answer 12

external digestion of food.

Question 13

How does saprotrophic nutrition work using mushrooms as an example?

Answer 13

mushrooms release digestive enzymes on food and absorb through skin

Question 14

What are the methods of nutrition in archaea?

Answer 14

• chemosynthesis
• photosynthesis
• methanogenesis

Question 15

What is chemosynthesis?

Answer 15

using oxidation of inorganic chemicals to create own food.

Question 16

What is methanogenesis?

Answer 16

uses CO2 to produce methane gas

Question 17

Where can methanogens be found?

Answer 17

digestive tracts in cows

Question 18

What are hominins?

Answer 18

humans and their ancestors

Question 19

How has our dentition changed over time due to our diet?

Answer 19

once more high energy meat was consumed, teeth count and jaw size reduced.

Question 20

What are some adaptations of herbivores for feeding on plants (insects)?

Answer 20

strong pair of mandibles

Question 21

What are some adaptations of plants to avoid herbivory?

Answer 21

• toxic
• thick + rigid leaves
• sharp thorns

Question 22

What are some physical adaptations of predators to kill prey?

Answer 22

• speed + agility
• sharp claws + teeth
• digestive system that can break down raw meat
• fine tuned senses

Question 23

What are some chemical adaptations of predators to kill prey?

Answer 23

releases chemicals to paralyse or poison preys

Question 24

What are some behavioural adaptations of predators to kill prey?

Answer 24

• hunt in packs
• create signals to tempt and trap prey

Question 25

What are some physical adaptations of prey to resist predation?

Answer 25

- camouflage - bright colors to indicate toxicity - eyes on sides of head

Question 26

What are some chemical adaptations of prey to resist predation?

Answer 26

releasing stinky odour

Question 27

What are some behavioural adaptations of prey to resist predation?

Answer 27

only hunting at night working together in big groups to look like one bigger organism (fish)

Question 28

What is a fundamental niche?

Answer 28

the niche potentially occupied by a species

Question 29

What is a realised niche?

Answer 29

the actual niche occupied in response to interspecific competition

Question 30

What is competitive exclusion?

Answer 30

elimination of a competing species from its fundamental niche

Question 31

What is an example of competitive exclusion?

Answer 31

wolves outcompeting coyotes (smaller realised niche for coyotes)

Question 32

What are the two types of niche partitioning?

Answer 32

spatial and temporal partitioning

Question 33

What is spatial partitioning?

Answer 33

using different areas of a shared habitat

Question 34

What is temporal partitioning?

Answer 34

using resources at different times

Question 35

What is the dentition of herbivores?

Answer 35

incisors for clipping, premolars and molars for grinding

Question 36

What is the dentition for carnivores?

Answer 36

sharp teeth