Mid Lecture Flashcards
5 Main principles of Natural selection
Variation, Overproduction, Adaption, Descent with modification(adaption passed on to generations), Fitness(reproductive)
Charles Lyell?
Influenced Darwin by theorizing on the age of the earth and its non-static nature.
Darwin Influenced by this persons assessment on the consequences of population under limiting resources.
Thomas Robert Malthus
Wrote the book Silent Spring which uncovered the consequences of DDT on insect life and bird eggshells.
Rachel Carson
Darwin’s Natural selection influenced him
German zoologist Ernst Haeckel(1866)
“struggle for existence”
Darwin
Trophic level descending from Individual:
Organ Systems, organs, tissues,cells,subcellular components,etc.
Populations within an ecosystem interact?
competing for resources
predator-prey
mutually beneficial relationships
Larger empty fields that were grazed down, fewer bushes and willow resulting in fewer songbirds, small predators dominated, loss of beavers, bear and berries came back. Resulted from?
Removing keystone predators
Population?
A population is a group of individuals of the same species that inhabit a given area
–There is a potential for interbreeding among members of the population
–The population has a spatial boundary
Characteristics of a population?
–Density
–Proportion of individuals of various ages and stages –Spacing of individuals
–Birth, death, and movement of individual
metapopulation?
population in which members can immigrate and emigrate.
•A metapopulation is a collection of local subpopulations
Studied from conservation biology view
Lower probability of long term extinction because of migration.
Modular organism?
the zygote develops into a unit of construction that then produces further, similar modules
–Common in plants
-Ex: Aspen trees
Kangaroo?
Three largest kangaroo species in Australia have different distribution s that are closely tied to climate.
ecological niche?
requirements of a species, role of species
Barnacles along intertidal zone?
adapted to survive dry conditions.
Territorality?
may regulate density by excluding some individuals from reproducing
Resources strongly affect density?
whether food is a limiting factor or not.
Population size?
density X area
Sampling methods for plants and sessile animals
–Counting the organisms in a subsample (quadrats
Mark-Recapture or Capture-recapture Analysis
N(Population)=M(marked animals){n(individuals in 2nd sample)}/R(recaptured)
Age Pyramids
represent the age structure of a population at some period in time.
Age Structure
a product of the age-specific patterns of mortality and reproduction.
primary sex-ratio
1-1 Varies based on factors such as: -Male Rivalry -Predation Ex: North Sask Caribou 67 Males per 100 Females
Dispersal
The movement of individuals directly influences the local density.
Emigration vs. Immigration
Passive means of dispersal
Some organism use abiotic factors such as wind, gravity, water, animals.
Samaras?
Means of passive dispersal using “helicopter” rotors transport seed in air.
Philopatric
are individuals that habitually return to the same location, or stay in place
Dispersal is active for?
Mobile animals that usually move to find vacant habitat to occupy.
Migration?
Round trip with animals returning to original jump of spot.
Can be daily, seasonal, long or short range.
Population Growth
refers to how the number of individuals in a population increases or decreases with time
–Individuals added via birth and immigration –Individuals removed via death and emigration
Immigration and emigration can only occur in an _____ population
open not closed
Birth and Death Rates basic formula?
N(t+1) = N(t) + B(t)-D(t)
•Population size at a particular time = N(t) •The number of hydra reproducing [B(t)] or dying [D(t)] over a particular time period. •The population size (N) at the next time period (t+ 1) would be
- N refers to change in population size
- t refers to change in time (e.g., 1 year, 3.6 days
- b
- d
=the proportion of hydra producing a new individual per unit time
=the proportion of hydra dying per unit of time
Exponential Growth
The pattern of population size is continuous function of time
–change in population (N) over time (t)
N/t= (b–d)N(t)
Rate of change
Rate of change is best described by the derivative of the equation = dN/dt= (b–d)N –This derivative expresses that t approaches zero and the rate of change is instantaneous
Per capita rate of increase
r= (b–d) = instantaneous(per capita) rates of birth and death (growth)
Exponential population growth
= dN/dt= rN
intrinsic natural rate of increase
(maximum rfor a species)sometimes indicated by rm(Malthusian parameter), or rmax
r= 0
there is no change in population size
r>0
the population increases exponentially
r<0
the population decreases exponentially
r strategists
Species that live in environments that do not often exist at population carrying capacity = ‘r-selected species
(e.g., random weather events play a large role in determining no. of individuals who survive)
k strategists
Species that experience competition, live in populations that do reach ‘carrying capacity’ = ‘K-selected species
(e.g., black bears in a forest, which often have to compete for limited food resources)
Geometric Growth
Geometric growth is used to describe growth over discrete time intervals
Appropriate for species that exhibit discrete steps in population growth –E.g., there is a distinct “season of births
Life Table
A life table is an age-specific account of mortality
x= age classes
nᵪ= the number of individuals from the original cohorts that are alive at the specified age (x)
–lx= the probability at birth of surviving to any given age (x)
-dx= the difference between the number of individuals alive for any age class (nᵪ) and the next older age class (nᵪ+ 1 )
–qx= age-specific mortality rate, the number of individuals that died in a given time interval (dx) divided by the number alive at the beginning of that interval (nx)
ex= age-specific life expectancy, the average number of years that an individual of a given age (nx) is expected to live into the future
cohort
is a group of individuals born in the same period of time
Life Expectency
ex= age-specific life expectancy, the average number of years that an individual of a given age (nx) is expected to live into the future ex= T(x)/N(x)
Lx= the average number of individuals alive during the age interval xto x+ 1. –Assumes mortality is evenly spread over the year
Tx= the total years lived into the future by individuals of age class xin the population
crude birthrate
The crude birth rate is expressed as births per 1000 individuals in a population per unit time
–Only females give birth
–Birthrate of females generally varies with age
•Birthrate is better expressed as the number of births per female of age x
bx= mean number of females born to a female in each age group –Continuing with the gray squirrel exampl
gross reproductive rate
= gross reproductive rate, the average number of female offspring born to a female over her lifetime
net reproductive rate
R0= net reproductive rate, the average number of females that will be produced during a lifetime by a newborn female
lx (x) bx
fecundity tables
- A fecundity tablecombines the survivorship (lx) with the age-specific birthrates (bx)
- lxbx= mean number of females born in each age group, adjusted for survivorship
generation time
is defined as the mean time between when female is born and when she reproduces
•Generation time (Tc) is approximated as the mean age of reproducing individuals
-Summing the lengths of time to reproduction for the entire cohort, divided by the total offspring
Generation time finding r
•Taking the natural logarithm of both sides we can express r as
r ~ ln(R0)/ Tc
•For the grey squirrel cohort r~ ln(1.4)/1.88 = 0.18
S shaped model
- No population has indefinite growth
- Often limits are imposed by the environment
- As population densities increase, interactions intensify, resulting in regulated growth
- Logistic growth is a S-shaped model in which birth and death rates vary in a density-dependent manner
Exponential Growth vs. Logistic
•Exponential growth makes two assumptions: 1.Essential resources (e.g., space and food) are unlimited
2.Environment is constant
•Under these assumptions birth and death rates are constant
•The natural intrinsic rate of increase (rm) is fully realized
- In the real world, neither assumption holds
- Resources are limited and environments are variable
- As population densities increase, demand for resources also increases
- If the rate of consumption exceeds the rate at which resources are resupplied, then resources will shrink
- Shrinking resources increase mortality (death) rates, and decrease fecundity (birth) rates
- This represents a significant departure from the expectations of a exponential growth model
10.7 Logistic growth # 13 remember equation in black= September 21 and 23
dN/dt= rNN K ()
oscillation
movement back and forth at a regular speed.
r- max predicts
the types of cycles
prairie parkland
most endangered area in Canada < 3% left
The Allee effect
The Allee effect is the decline in reproduction or survival under conditions of low population density
Ex: Ethiopian Wolf
ex: Passenger Pidgeon
Mutualistic Symbiosis or Mutualism
–is an interspecific interaction that benefits both species
Ex: Plant-pollinator
Detritivory
•Important for nutrient cycling and community dynamics
Interspecific Competition
One of the most important drivers of natural selection
Interspecific competition is a relationship that affects the populations of two or more species adversely
–Exploitation competition occurs when species indirectly interact with one another but affect the availability of shared resources
–Interference competition results when species directly interact and prevent others from occupying a habitat or accessing resources within it
Intraspecific competition
–Intraspecific competition is the same relationship but occurs among individuals of the same species
complete competitors
are two species that live in the same place and have exactly the same ecological requirements
niche(n dimension hypervolume)
A species-defined “space” where it can survive, grow and/or reproduce is in response to n-dimensional environmental factors •Niche dimension include resources(e.g., food, habitat and light, etc.) and conditions(e.g., temperature, humidity, pH, etc.)
George Evelyn Hutchinson
was an AngloAmerican zoologist known for his studies of freshwater lakes and considered the father of American limnology. He popularized the niche concept and character displacement.
ecology
is the scientific study of the relationships between organisms and their environment
environment
–External factors that influence survival, growth and/or reproduction
–Abiotic habitat and biotic interactions
relationships
–Interactions with physical aspects of environment –Interactions with same and other species
conditions
can influence an organism but can not be consumed (e.g., temperature, day length, or acidity), including some hazards
resources
can be consumed thus making them less available for others (e.g., food, water, and mates)
Ernst Haekel
German zoologist Ernst Haeckel in 1866 coined the term Ecology –Derived from the Greek oikos meaning house
Haeckel’s formal definition of ecology was rooted in the _____ concept of the “struggle for existence” .
Darwinian
–Darwin’s theory of natural selection was a critical cornerstone for the emergence of ecology as a science
7 levels of the Ecological Hierarchy
–Individual •Organ systems, organs, tissues, cells, subcellular components, etc. –Population –Community –Ecosystem –Landscape –Biome –Biosphere
community
A community includes all populations of different species interacting within an ecosystem
Landscape
The landscape is the area of land (or water) that is composed of different communities and ecosystems –At this level, communities and ecosystems are linked by the dispersal of organisms and the exchange of materials
Biomes
Biomes are geographic regions with similar geological and climatic conditions –For example, boreal forest, aspen parkland, grasslands
Biosphere
•The biosphere is the thin layer surrounding the Earth that supports all of life
Global Abiotic Factors
(1) atmosphere, (2) hydrosphere, (3) lithosphere
Ecologists ask different questions and are interested in different patterns at different ecological levels=
Name the 8 levels and describe what ecologists look for in each
- Individual: discrete birth and death events
- Population: rates of birth and death, distribution of individuals
- Community: factors that influence the relative abundance of a species
- Ecosystem: flow of energy and nutrients through the physical and biological systems
–Landscape: factors that influence the spatial distribution of ecosystems and the effect on organisms
–Biome: patterns of biological diversity with geography
–Biosphere: interactions between ecosystems and atmosphere
-Global ecology studies how the exchange of energy and matter between ecosystems and the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere influences global conditions