PCE - 1

Question 1

what is organismal ecology?

Answer 1

concerns behavioural, physiological and morphological traits that mediate interactions with the environment and within populations – intraspecific and interspecific interactions

Question 2

what is the definition of a population?

Answer 2

group of individuals of the same species – live in a specific geographical area e.g. an ecosystem, community, habitat or area

Question 3

what is population ecology?

Answer 3

examines factors that limit and regulate population size and composition

Question 4

what is the definition of a community?

Answer 4

collection of populations interacting with each other in a designated area

Question 5

what is community ecology?

Answer 5

investigations into these interactions between the populations and the factors affecting them

Question 6

what are the 6 key processes which drive distribution and abundance?

Answer 6

1) immigration 2) colonisation 3) birth= make the population increase. 4)Emigration 5) extinction 6)death = population decrease

Question 7

what is a unitary organism?

Answer 7

• form is determinate
  – same in every individual of the species
  – body plan is programmed

Question 8

what is a modular organism?

Answer 8

starts out as a genetic individual (genet)
– growth is by repeated production of modules e.g. leaves, polyps
–growth is indeterminate
– structure and program of development is not as predictable as unitary organisms
– body size is hard to define

Question 9

what are the traits which make up life histories and therefore mean they are different for each species?

Answer 9

• Rates of Somatic Growth
  and Senescence (deterioration with age)
• Timing of birth, maturation
  and death

Question 10

what is semelparity reproduction?

Answer 10

organisms that reproduce once (big bang reproduction) large numbers of offspring – after reproduction the individual dies

Question 11

what is Iteroparity reproduction?

Answer 11

repeated reproductive episodes which occur over their lifespan

Question 12

describe annual lifecycles

Answer 12

spend part of the year dormant as seeds, spores, cysts or

eggs

Question 13

what is ephemeral reproduction?

Answer 13

• Desert plants and animals lie dormant
  • Reproduce in the occsional years that the conditions are OK
  • Most complete life cycle in <8 weeks

Question 14

what is a perennial plant?

Answer 14

a plant that lives for more than 2 years

Question 15

what is an annual plant?

Answer 15

a plant that completes its lifecycle within one year and then dies