Unit 2 Flashcards by Eliana Frost

3 levels of biodiversity

Ecosystem (habitat) diversity
Species diversity
Genetic diversity

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Higher biodiversity =

Higher ecosystem/population health

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How species diversity is measured

Richness (total # of diff species found in an ecosystem)
Evenness (how balanced the diff species are in and ecosystem)

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Bottleneck event

A change in gene frequency in a population due to a sharp reduction in a population size.

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Niche generalists

A species that can live under a wide range of abiotic or biotic conditions

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Niche specialists

A species that is specialized to live in a specific environment or feed off a small group of species

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Ecosystem resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to return to its original conditions after a major disruption

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Range of tolerance

Range of conditions such as temp and salinity that an organism can endure before injury or death

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Optimum range

AKA preferred niche, where the organism is happy and reproducing

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Zone of physiological stress

AKA marginal niche, where animals can survive but my not be reproducing or comfortable

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Zone of intolerance

AKA unavailable niche, where the organism cannot live

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Fundamental niche

The suite of abiotic conditions under which a species could live when there is no competition

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Realized niche

The range of abiotic and biotic conditions under which a species actually lives due to competition

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Ecosystem services

Benefits that a healthy ecosystem provides to humans

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Provisioning services

Goods from nature that humans can use directly. Ex. Drinking water, wood, food from plants/animals

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Regulating services

Ecosystem processes that help to regulate environmental conditions like climate&air quality. Ex. Plants filter water, flood control by trees, natural pest control by predators &pollination by insects

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Cultural services

Non material benefits that contribute to the human advancement and development of culture. Ex. Inspo for art/poetry, outdoor recreation, ecotourism, mental/physical well being

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Supporting services

Underlying natural processes that make it possible for ecosystems to provide all other services. Ex. Soil formation, water cycle, nutrient cycles, habitats

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Human disruption

Anthropogenic activities that disrupt ecosystems. Ex. Deforestation, over fishing/over hunting, water pollution

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Island biogeography

The study of how ecological relationships and distributions of organism on island, and their community structure

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2 rules of island biogeography

Lager islands support more total species (more ecosystem diversity=more diversity)
Islands that are closer to the mainland support more species (more continual migration=more genetic diversity)

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Evolution on islands

Islands have limited space+resources so it pushes species to become specialized to their environment

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Adaptive radiation

Single species rapidly evolving into several new species to use diff resources &reduce competition

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Anthropogenic

Human caused

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Microhabitat

A small area that differs from the habitats around it

Risks to island diversity

Invasive species, climate change, new deseases

Natural disturbance

A natural event that disrupts the structure of an ecosystem. Can be greater then human disruptions

Time zones for natural disturbances

Periodic Episodic Random

Periodic time zone

Occurs with regular frequency Ex. Wet/dry seasons

Episodic time zone

Occasional event with irregular frequency Ex.hurricanes, droughts, fires

Random time zone

No regular frequency Ex. Volcanoes, earthquakes, asteroids

Natural climate change

Earths climate varying due to natural causes Ex. Slight changes in earths orbit and tilt effect temp distribution

Environmental change=

Habitat disruption

Migration changes as a result of disruption

Wildlife may migrate to a new habitat as a result of natural disruptions Ex.bird migration and breeding shifting earlier due to insects hatching early with warming climates

Ecosystem diversity

The different number of habitats in an area

Species diversity

The total number of species in an area. Measured in evenness and richness

Genetic diversity

The difference in genes in a species

Genetic diversity exists because

Random mutations while DNA is being copied. Crossing over in parent chromosomes

Adaption

A trait that increases an organisms fitness

Fitness

Ability to survive/repoduce

Natural selection

Individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce

Selective pressure/force

The environmental condition that kills the individuals that aren’t adapted

Individuals with adaptations…

Pass them on to their offspring

The environment that an organism live in determines which ______ are ______.

Traits; adaptions

Phenotype

The physical traits of something Ex. Coloring, height, eye color

Genotype

The actual genetic makeup of an organism (alleles)

The ______ the environment changes the _____ likely a species will be able to adapt

Faster;less

What happens if the pace of the environmental change is too fast

Many species will migrate or die off

The more genetic diversity= (Environmental change)

More likely to survive an environmental change

The longer the lifespan of an organism/species =

The slower the rate of evolution

Ecological succession

The slow process of one community succeeding or replacing another

Two types of succession

Primary and secondary

Primary succession

Occurs in an area that hasn’t been previously colonized by plants. (Bare rock no soil)

Secondary succession

Occurs in an area that already has soil, but the plant life has been removed by a disturbance

Pioneer species for primary succession

Moss and lichen

Pioneer species for secondary succession

Grasses, wildflowers, weeds

Stages of succession

Pioneer/early succession species Mid-succession species Late succession species/climax community

Characteristics of pioneer species

Fast growing, tolerant, seeds spread by wind or animals Ex.grasses, wildflowers, weeds, lichen, moss

Characteristics of mid-succession species

Fast growing, pretty tolerant, slightly bigger then pioneer species Ex.shrubs,bushes, aspen, pine, cherry

Characteristics of climax communities

Large, slow growing, tolerant of shade, require deep soil Ex.maples, oaks, other large trees

Succession in a disturbed ecosystem affects..

Biomass Species richness NPP

Biomass, species richness, and NPP ______ over time during succession

Increase

Keystone species

A species that plays a more important role in biodiversity and a community then its population size might suggests

Tropic cascades

A series of effects that mess up ecosystems

Examples of keystone species

Sea otters, beavers, purple sea stars

Ecosystem engineer

A keystone species that creates or maintains habitats for other species

Indicator species

A species that reflects the biotic or abiotic state of an environment Ex. Macro invertebrates