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Biology 1020 > Population and Community Ecology > Flashcards

Population and Community Ecology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is ecology?

A

Study of the relationships of organisms to one another and the environment
Involves examination of:
-distribution and abundance of organisms
-biotic interactions (between organisms)
-abiotic interactions (organisms and non-living environment)

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2
Q

List the levels of study of ecology from smallest to largest

A
  1. Organisms: survival/reproduction; unit of natural selection
  2. Population: unit of evolution
  3. Community: interactions among populations
  4. Ecosystem: energy flux and cycling of nutrients
  5. Biosphere: global processes
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3
Q

Population Ecology

A

The study of populations in relation to the environment

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4
Q

Define population

A

All the individuals of a single species that live/reproduce within a given area

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5
Q

Population Structure: (Patterns in space/time). List these characteristics

A
  • size
  • density/biomass
  • distribution
  • dispersion
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6
Q

Population dynamics: (Changes over time). List these characteristics

A
  • age distribution
  • sex ratios
  • demography
  • survivorship curves
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7
Q

Define size

A

Number of individual organisms present at given time
Does not indicate space occupied/involved
Numbers can increase, decrease or remain static

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8
Q

Define density

A

Number of individuals per unit area or volume

Determining density of natural populations is possible but difficult

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9
Q

Define distribution/dispersion

A

Special arrangement of individuals

  • random
  • clustered/clumped
  • uniform
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10
Q

Define demography

A

Study size/structure/distribution over time

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11
Q

What are survivorship curves?

A

Gives average timing of deaths of individuals in a population
Classified into 3 types

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12
Q

What are the types of survivorship curves?

A

Type I: survive early years but decline in later years (humans)
Type II: steady decrease throughout life (birds)
Type III: death early in life but live longer in later years (turtles)

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13
Q

Age and sex distribution do what?

A

Reveal trends in population state
Uniform throughout ages (France)
More younger children then less older individuals (India)

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14
Q

How do populations grow?

A

Natality: births within population
Mortality: deaths within population
Immigration: arrival of individuals from outside population
Emigration: departure of individuals from population

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15
Q

Growth under idea conditions is helpful to study population growth because…

A
  • capacity of species for increase

- conditions facilitating this type of growth

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16
Q

Population growth is described by…

A 
Exponential Growth Model
DN/dt = (rmax)(N)
N=number of individuals
T=time
Rmax=intrinsic rate of growth
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17
Q

When population increase is ideal it results in exponential growth, this means what and results in what?

A

Reproductive rate is at its maximum=intrinsic rate of increase (rmax) (species specific)
Results in J-shaped curve

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18
Q

Exponential growth can be sustained indefinitely

TRUE OR FALSE

A

FALSE

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19
Q

What is a more realistic population model?

A

Logistic Growth Model

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20
Q

What is the Logistic Growth Model?

A

Per capita rate of increase declines as carry capacity is reached
Expressed as: dN/dt = (rmax)(N) ((K-N)/K)
N=number of individuals
T=time
R=rate of growth
K=carrying capacity

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21
Q

What is K

A

Carrying Capacity: maximum population size that an environment can support

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22
Q

Logistic growth Model results in a what-shaped curve

A

S-shaped curve

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23
Q

List the types of population regulation

A
  1. Density-Independent regulation: birth/death rates not affected by density but by other factors
  2. Density-dependent regulation: birth rates fall and death rates rise with population density
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24
Q

What are some factors that affect populations regardless of density?

A
  • weather phenomena
  • natural catastrophes
  • random events (extraterrestrial/terrestrial)
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25
Q

What are some factors that affect populations because of density?

A
  • Competition for resources
  • Territoriality
  • Predation
  • Health (spread of disease)
  • Toxic waste accumulation
  • Intrinsic factors
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26
Q

What are the 2 life history strategies?

A

R-selection (density-independent)

K-selection (density-dependent)

27
Q

What is r-selection?

A

Selects for life history traits that maximize reproduction

28
Q

What is K-selection?

A

Selects for life history traits that are sensitive to population density

29
Q 
Characterisitcs of r-selected species:
Maturation time:
Life span: 
Mortality rate:
Reproductive episodes:
Time of 1st reproduction:
Clutch/brood size:
Size of offspring:
Active parental care:
Population size:
Tolerance of environmental change:
A 
Characterisitcs of r-selected species:
Maturation time: short
Life span: short
Mortality rate: usually high
Reproductive episodes: usually one
Time of 1st reproduction: early
Clutch/brood size: usually large
Size of offspring: small
Active parental care: little or none
Population size: fluctuating
Tolerance of environmental change: generally poor
30
Q 
Characterisitcs of K-selected species:
Maturation time:
Life span: 
Mortality rate:
Reproductive episodes:
Time of 1st reproduction:
Clutch/brood size:
Size of offspring:
Active parental care:
Population size:
Tolerance of environmental change:
A 
Characterisitcs of K-selected species:
Maturation time: long
Life span: long
Mortality rate: usually low
Reproductive episodes: usually several
Time of 1st reproduction: late
Clutch/brood size: usually small
Size of offspring: large
Active parental care: often extensive
Population size: relatively stable
Tolerance of environmental change: generally good
31
Q

Define metapopulations

A

Large populations made up of many small populations linked by migrations

32
Q

Define biogeography

A

Study of patterns of distributions of populations, species, and communities among biogeographic regions
**Geological history of regions influences kind of organisms found

33
Q

What 3 scientific advances occurred to determine causes o species distribution?

A
  1. Acceptance of theory of continental drift/plate tectonics
  2. Development of phylogenetic taxonomy
  3. Development of the theory of island biogeography
34
Q

Outline the key points of Island biogeography

A

The rate of arrival of new species on an island drops as species accumulate over time
The extinction rate increases over time as individuals from different species compete for resources
Eventually these rates balance at a point of equilibrium
Because populations are small, it may increase the probability of extinction

35
Q

How does the size of the island affect populations?

A

Larger islands have more colonists and lower rates of extinction moving the equilibrium number of species to higher values

36
Q

How does distance from mainland of the island affect populations?

A

Far islands have lower rates of colonization-equilibrium number of species moves lower
Extinction rates are not influences

37
Q

List the scenarios of small-large island and close-far island in terms of equilibrium number

A

Small & far < Large & far < Small & near < Large & near

38
Q

List the levels of community ecology from smallest to largest

A
  1. Organism: unit of natural selection
  2. Population: unit of evolution
  3. Community: interactions among populations
  4. Ecosystem: energy flux and cycling of nutrients
  5. Biosphere: Global processes
39
Q

Define Community Ecology

A

Study of communities in relation to the environment

40
Q

Define Community

A

Assemblage of all the populations that live an interact within a given area at a given time

41
Q

Define Niche

A

A species’ special ecological role in its community

A multidimensional habitat that allows a species to practice its way of life

42
Q

Due to competition and other species’ interactions what happens to niches?

A

Realized niche may be smaller than fundamental niche

43
Q

Define intraspecific species interaction

A

Occurs when 2+ individuals from same species interact (population ecology)

44
Q

Define Interspecific species interaction

A

Occurs when 2+ different species interact (community ecology)

45
Q

What does Antagonism involve?

A 
Species interaction is either both negative (-/-) or positive for only one (+/-)
Competition
Predation
Herbivory
Parasitism
46
Q

Competition

A

(-/-)
Intraspecific and interspecific
Resources are limited due to consumption

47
Q

What is the competitive exclusion principal?

A 
2 species with the same niche cannot co-exist
1 species (the stronger one) will exclude the other species
48
Q

What is resource partitioning?

A

Solution to direct competition and competitive exclusion by dividing resources by partitioning

49
Q

Predation

A

(+/-)
Predator hunts prey
Important for food chains/webs

50
Q

Herbivory

A

(+/-)
Animals feed on tissues of plants
Natural selection leads to evolution
Adaptions of plants to avoid herbivory: chemicals, physical (thorns, spines)

51
Q

Parasitism

A

(+/-)

Parasite exploits host by gaining benefits and causing harm

52
Q

Mutualism includes what types of species interaction?

A

Mutualism and Commensalism

53
Q

Mutualism

A

(+/+)

Both species benefit (symbiosis)

54
Q

Commensalism

A

(+/0)
One species benefits and other remains unaffected
Ex. Facilitation

55
Q

Define Dominant species

A

A species which is most numerous and forms the bulk of biomass

56
Q

Define Keystone species

A

Species that exerts strong control of community despite not being the most abundant
Removal of keystone species has significant ripple effect: alters food chain

57
Q

Define Engineering species

A

Species that can change an ecosystem through its activities

Make new habitats or destroy habitats

58
Q

What do interactions among species determine?

A
  • Structure
  • Function
  • Species composition of the community
59
Q

Define Invasive species

A

Species that spreads widely and rapidly becoming dominant and changing the normal function of a community
Many are non-native and have no natural controls

60
Q

What is community succession?

A

Predictable series of changes in a community following a disturbance

61
Q

Primary Succession

A

Occurs after a disturbance that eliminates all vegetation/soil life

62
Q

Pioneer species

A

First species to arrive in a primary succession area (lichens)
Usually favours r-selected species

63
Q

Secondary succession

A

Occurs after a disturbance that dramatically alters, but does not destroy all local organisms or the soil. (Fire , hurricanes, farming, logging, mining)
Remaining organisms form building-blocks

64
Q

Climax Community

A

Community resulting from successful succession to mature community
Usually favours K-selected species

Biology 1020 (9 decks)

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