test ecology Flashcards
what are the 7 characterisitcs that an organism must have to be alive?
-be made of 1 or more cells
-contain DNA (or RNA)
-be able to grow
-be able to reproduce
-be able to respond to stimuli
-be able to adapt/evolve as a population
-have a metabloism
what is asexual reproduction?
when 1 parent produces genetically identical offspring
what is sexual reproduction?
when 2 parents produce genetidally unique offspring together
what is an example of a stimuli and response?
sunflowers grow facing east (response) towards the sunrise (stimuli)
what is an example of a population?
a group of bears in a forest in north colorado
what does abiotic mean?
nonliving
what does biotic mean?
living
what is an ecosystem?
all of the living and nonliving things
what is binomal nomenclature?
the two-naming system of naming organisms after their genus and species (most specific calssifaction levels)
list the classification levels from most to least inclusive
-domain
-kingdom
-phylum
-class
-order
-family
-genus
-species
what is a dichotomus key?
a tool used for identifying organisms based on their characteristics
what are the 6 levels of ecological organization?
-organism
-population
-community
-ecosystem
-biome
-biosphere
ecology
the study of relationships between two organisms/ between an organism and ites enviroment
metabolism
all of the chemical reactions of each cell in an organism that provide energy for life’s processes and create key molecules
organims
individual memeber of a species or population (ex. 1 deer)
population
multiple organims of the same species living together (ex. all the deer in a field)
community
multiple populations of different species living together (ex. all deer, squirrels, birds, plants in a field)
ecosystem
community plus all abiotic factors in the enviroment (ex. all deer, squirrels, birds, plants, rain, tempurature in a field)
biome
multiple ecosystems that share similar characteristics but are located on diffferent parts of the planet (ex. grassland)
biodiversity
the vareity of organisms considered at all levels from populations to ecosystems
taxonomy
field of biology tha classifies organisms, organizing them based on similar characteristics
bionomial nomenclature
two name naming system by Carolus Linnaeus that names organisms after their two most specific classification levels (genus species)
cladogram
diagram that shows relatedness (does not show ancestral relationship like phylogenic tree)
dichotomus key
tool used for identifying organisms based on their characteristics
why does matter have to cycle?
because matter is neither created nor destroyed and earth is a closed system
what are the stages of the water cycle?
-precipitation
-infiltration
-runoff
-evaporation
-transpiration
-condensation
what is one way humans (negatively) affect the water cycle?
deforestation- decreases transpiration
what are the stages of the carbon cycle?
-photosynthesis
-cellular respiration
(these are their own cycle within themselves)
-consumption
-decompostion
-fossilization
-combusion
what is one way humans (negatively) affect the carbon cycle?
combustion- causes a major increase of carbon in the atmosphere
what are the stages of the nitrogen cycle?
-nitrogen fixation
-consumption
-decompostion
-ammonification
-nitrification
-denitrification
what is one way humans (negatively) affect the nitrogen cycle?
fertilizers- creates in imbalance because of way too much nitrogen in the soil
what are two ways humans negatively affect the enviroment?
-eutrophication
-paving
what are three places you can find carbon?
-macromolecules
-fossil fuels
-in the atmosphere
what is a step that removes carbon from the atompshere?
photosynthesis
what is a step that returns carbon to the atmosphere?
combusion
what two macromolecules are nitrogen a part of?
-proteins
-nucleic acids
what is the chemical formula for atmospheric nitrogen?
N2
what is the living organism involved in every step of the nitrogen cycle?
bacteria
which step in the nitrogen cycle returns nitrogen to the atmosphere?
denitrification
what is the only step in the water cycle that involves living organisms?
transpiration
which cycles have a decomposition stage?
nitrogen and carbon
what living organisms remove carbon from the atmosphere?
plants
what organism is most essential ot the nitrogen cycle?
bacteria
what is the driving force behind the water cycle?
the sun
which cycles have a transpiration stage?
water
which cycles have a photosyntheis stage?
carbon
which cycles have a denitrification stage?
nitrogen
which cycles have a cellular respiration stage?
carbon
which cycles have a combustion stage?
carbon and nitrogen
which cycles have a infiltration stage?
water
which cycles have a precipitation stage?
water
which cycles have a decomposition stage?
carbon and nitrogen
which cycles have a consumption stage?
carbon and nitrogen
list a living organism nad how it affects the water cycle
plants- use water in photosynthesis to make glucose
list a living organism and how it affects the carbon cycle
human- breathes carbon back into the atmosphere
list a living organism and how it affects the nitrogen cycle
bacteria- converst nitrogen into the form plants can use
which cycle is affected by the widest variety of living organisms?
the carbon cycle
which cycle is least affected by living organisms?
water
biogeochemical cycles
represent the movemen of a particular form of matter through the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem
aquifer
an aunderground layer of permeable rock that can hold water
eutrophication
when a body of water becomes overly enriched wiht nutrients, causing excessive algae growth
what are some density- dependent limiting factors?
competition, predation, paratisim, and disease
what are some density- independent limiting factors?
weather changes, pollution, and natural disasters
what is population density?
the total number of individuals living in a defined space
what is carrying capacity?
the maxiumum population the environment can support
what type of population growth is the human population?
exponential
what two things increase population density?
birth and immigration
what two things decrease population density?
death and emmigration
what growth patterns do most population follow?
logistic
what type of populatoin growth is limited by a carrying capacity?
logistic
what are some limiting abiotic factors?
climate, temperature, natural disasters
what are some limit biotic factors?
competition, predation, disease
what are the three types of dispersion patterns?
random, uniform, and clumped
what are the three types of suvivorship curves?
type I- late loss: less offspring, heavy parental care (ex. humans)
type II- constant loss: mortality unaffected by age, less parental care (ex. birds)
type III- early loss: produces lots of offspring, many die right away (ex. mosquitos)
population
a group of organisms of the same species living in the same space
population density
measures the number of individual organisms living in a defined space
suvivorship curve
a graphic representation of mortality rates shows the number of individuals ina population that can be expected to survive any specific age
exponential growth
population grows wihtout limit (ex. humans)
logistic growth
population grows quickly at first and then levels off (ex. most natural poulations- rabbits)
carrying capacity
the maximum population that a given enviroment can support
limiting factors
aspects of the enviroment that limit the size a population can reach
biotic
living
abiotic
nonliving
density- dependent
have a bigger himpact on more dense populations (ex. predation)
density independent
regulate population growth regarless of size or density (ex. natural disasters)
