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biology > module 4 > Flashcards

module 4 Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ecology

A

the interactions of one organism with another as well as their environment

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2
Q

levels

A

Individual
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere

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3
Q

abiotic factors

A

nonliving features of an environment
Light
Wind
Temperature
Water
Availability
pH levels → soil and water
Salinity
Humidity
Minerals

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4
Q

biotic factors

A

living features of an environment

Predation
Competition (for resources)
Pathogens
Plants
Animals
Microbes

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5
Q

nitrogen cycle

A

→nitrogen fixing bacteria that is present in soil that fixes atmospheric nitrogen → soluble nitrogen compounds → when in the soil → decomposers (eg. bacteria and fungi) converts it to useful compounds taken up by plants → plants use nitrogen to make protein and nucleic acids

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6
Q

Carbon oxygen cycle

A

transfer of oxygen and carbon between living and non-living components of an ecosystem
Driven by photosynthesis (CO2 + H2O → (in presence of sunlight) C6H12O6) and cellular respiration (C6H12O6 + O2 → ATP + CO2 + H2O)

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7
Q

Competitive exclusion principle

A

Two species can’t coexist if they are competing for the same resource → one species will outcompete the other species and the second species is eliminated

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7
Q

Resource partitioning

A

species adapt to slight different niches so that they can coexist (different ecological niches but the same environment)
eg.red and yellow birds

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8
Q

food chains

A
  • represent simple feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem
  • Shows predation arrow goes from the organism which is being eaten to the organism that eats it
  • represents the flow of energy
    producer –> primary consumer –> secondary consumer –> tertiary consumer
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8
Q

food webs

A
  • culmination of food chains from the same ecosystem
  • organisms can exist on more than one trophic level
  • allows us to see the relationship between different organisms in an ecosystem
  • can show detritivores and decomposers
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9
Q

keystone species

A
  • If it is reduced in numbers → potentially cause the ecosystem to collapse
  • eg. cassowary –> spreads seeds across an ecosystem
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10
Q

trophic levels

A

broad divisions of the different levels throughout an ecosystem
- arranged into ecological pyramids
- pyramids of biomass
- pyramid of energy
- pyramid of numbers

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11
Q

pyramid of biomass

A
  • loses about 10% of biomass as each trophic level goes higher
  • compare matter
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12
Q

biomass

A

total dry weight of organisms in trophic level

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13
Q

pyramid of numbers

A

producer, herbivore, carnivore

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14
Q

pyramid of energy

A

represent energy of the entire trophic level
- energy is lost due to metabolic reactions
- lost due to kinetic energy and heat

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15
Q

how does extinction occur and mass extinction

A

ecological consequence –> loos f biodiversity –> loss of keystone species –> loss of ecosystems

  • rate of extinction increases dramatically –> mass extinction due to human impacts (climate change, pathogens, introduced species and diseases, pollution)
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16
Q

extinct animals

A

thylacine
- apex predator
- increase in prey numbers led to the reduction of producers
- competed with wild dogs
- loss of habitat
- new disease

17
Q

carrying capacity

A

the maximum number, density, or biomass of a population that a specific area can support sustainably

18
Q

allelopathy

A
  • Process where allelochemicals are released by some sort of plant species to influence the germination of seeds, mortality of seedlings and the growth of neighbouring species
  • Can be beneficial or harmful
  • Prevents overcrowding → leaf litter increasing seedling mortality of eucalyptus
19
Q

competition

A

Two organisms compete for limited resources

20
Q

interspecific competition

A

two or more different species dependent on the same prey
- lion and cheetah

21
Q

intraspecific competition

A

competition for resources within the same species
- both fighting for sunlight

22
Q

predator

A

consumer organisms from another species

23
Q

prey

A

organism that was consumed

24
Q

disease

A
  • Caused by the introduction of new species, stressors (pollution)
  • Population with genetic diversity will help populations against the disease
    Large genetic diversity → genetic variation → some with resistance to the pathogens → reproduce → population that is resistant
  • eg. Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease, amphibian chytrid fungus
25
Q

symbiotic relationships

A
  • mutualism
  • commensalism
  • parasitism
26
Q

mutualism

A

relationship between different species which benefits both organisms
- flowering plants and insects

27
Q

commensalism

A

relationship between two organisms in which one benefits and the other is unaffected
- shark and remora fish

28
Q

parasitism

A

relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed
- parasite tape worm
- host human

29
Q

distribution

A

where the species inhabits

30
Q

types of distribution

A
  • random: resources are abundant
  • uniform: resources are scarce
  • clumped: protects for predation therefore gathers
31
Q

sampling

A
  • transect mapping (distribution and sessile)
  • quadrat sampling (distribution and sessile)
  • capture-mark-recapture (abundance and sessile)
32
Q

abundance

A

number of organisms in a population at a certain time and place

33
Q

average number per quadrat

A

total organisms in all quadrats/ total number of quadrats

33
Q

total population

A

average number per quadrat X total area /area of quadrat
or
density (per m2) X total area

34
Q

capture remark recapture

A

mobile population

abundance = number captured X number recaptured/number marked in recapture

35
Q

rock formations

A

explains continental drift

36
Q

aboriginal rock paintings

A

evidence of fauna and flora changing
- shows how species have evolved and adapted

37
Q

ice core drilling

A
  • cores taken from glaciers and polar caps are used to determine climate
  • shows the atmosphere at the time through trapped debris
  • frozen hydrogen and oxygen in the form of isotopes
38
Q

banded iron formations

A
  • sedimentary deposits formed at the bottom
  • evidence of oxygenation (shows that the oxygen had no oxygen before)
39
Q

australia’s species

A

reproductively isolated

40
Q

Sclerophyll plants

A
  • adapted to abiotic factors of dry climate and nutrient deficient soil
  • thick waxy cuticle
  • eucalyptus
41
Q

Megafauna

A

an arbitrary compilation of relatively large mammalian, reptilian, and avian taxa, ranging in size from ~10 kg or less up to >2,000 kg
eg. Thylacine
Woolly rhinoceros
Procoptodon
- Evolved due to glacial conditions → extinct due to warmer temperatures from climate change → human induced (increased fire, reduction of grasslands, loss of freshwater)

biology (11 decks)

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