Unit 2 Flashcards
Ecology
the study of one’s house
Feedback loops
The output of the system feeds back into the system as an input and leads to changes in that system
Negative Feedback Loop
Input and output essentially cancel each other out stabilizing the system
Positive Feedback Loops
The output feeds back into the system and drives it further in one direction toward an extreme
Energy
Capacity or ability to do work, flows through ecosystem
First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed but can be transformed
Second law of thermodynamics
Energy transformations are very inefficient
photosynthesis
producers trap solar energy and transform this into chemical/potential energy in the form of sugars
Kinetic energy
work, heat/thermal, light
respiration, combustion, decomposition
Stored potential energy trapped in the chemical bonds in the sugar is converted to kinetic energy by all living organisms
Consumers
Feed on others to gain energy
Producers
Gain energy from the sun
Scavengers
consuming dead animal and plant material, feeds on scraps
Decomposers
Break down remains and waste products as a part of the cycling of materials
Biological Production
A method to quantify the energy trapped by plants
Productivity
P = Biomass 2 – Biomass 1
Macronutrients acronym
SPONCH
Macronutrients
Required in large amounts as cell “building blocks”
Micronutrients
Elements required in small amounts or moderate amounts by only some forms of life (vitamins, coenzymes)
Species
individuals that share common genetic characteristics and able to breed and produce viable offspring
Population
members of a species interacting in groups that live together in a particular place or habitat
Community
consists of populations of different species living and interacting in an area (living)
Ecosystem
is a community (living) interacting with its physical and chemical environment (non-living)
Landscapes
connections linking several ecosystems in a particular region
Geographic isolation
reduces biodiversity by limiting gene dispersal
Latitudinal Gradient
Biodiversity is greatest at the equator and declines with latitude and is associated with climatic stability in temperature and precipitation
Age of the ecosystem
tropical regions are “older” because they did not undergo glaciation and this has promoted the evolution of new species
Structural complexity of the ecosystem
forests offer more ecological niches than grasslands
Species Richness
of species
Species Evenness
ind/species
Dominance
more of any one species
Ecological Niche
represents a multi-dimensional view of everything an organism does
Resource Partitioning
To minimize this competition species will alter aspects of their ecological niche
Symbiosis-Mutualism
-Sharing benefit=better off together then being alone
Symbiosis-Commensalism
One species benefits, other not affected
Symbiosis-Parasitism
Parasite benefits, host is harmed
Predation
- Consumption of one species by another
- elaborate predator-prey strategies develop
Predator-prey strategies
- Nocturnal behaviour
- Live in social groups
- Mechanical and chemical defences
- Camouflage
