module 1 Flashcards
definition of ecology
the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms.
ecological hierarchy
- individual organisms
- population
- community (group of populations)
- the ecosystem (community together with its physical and chemical environment)
taxonomy hierarchy
- species
- genus
- family
- order
- class
- phylum
what is a species?
members can at least potentially breed together in nature to produce fertile offspring.
species are genetically independent kinds of organisms (in phylogeny)
what must occur to form a species?
reproductive isolation
microevolution allele changes build up until:
- sub-populations can no longer reproduce.
- genetic changes between sub-populations are bigger than within sub-populations.
allopatric speciation
gene flow interrupted when population divided by geographical barrier.
peripatetic speciation
new species formed from an isolated peripheral population
parametric speciation
part of population enters new habitat bordering range of parent species.
behavioural speciation
behavioural isolation of populations living in the same geographical area.
for example - sub-populations feeding in the day or at night.
what are adaptations?
an inherited characteristic that helps an organism to survive long enough to reproduce more successfully in its changing environment and can either be structural or behavioural.
what are some structural adaptations?
camouflage
mimicry
bent hind legs
sharp teeth
what are some behavioural adaptations?
migration
hibernation
warning cells
mating dances
plant structural adaptations
protection
- thorns
- foul taste
seed dispersal
- wind
obtaining food
- photosynthesis
plant behavioural adaptations
tropism - movement of a plant towards (positive) or away (negative) from a stimulus
dormancy - state of rest or inactivity
what adaptation does coral have to light?
ability to diffuse light throughout skeleton.
what is the biosphere?
global sum of all ecosystems
what is a biome?
distinct biological communities that have formed in response to a shared physical climate.