Week 1

Question 1

Individual

Answer 1

The single biological organism. An animal – centric concept which can break down for
microbes

Question 2

Species

Answer 2

A single unit of heredity, the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals can
produce fertile offspring. Often breaks down for microbes and non-sexual (clonal) organisms

Question 3

Adaptation

Answer 3

a broad and diverse set of changes that reflect complex interactions between organisms,
the environment, and heredity
Ex. plants in deserts have spikes

Question 4

Behavior

Answer 4

centralized command and control – actions have a purpose and are often adaptive. Useful
for thinking about forest animals

Question 5

Reproduction

Answer 5

an individual characteristic, a rate and strategy which leads to perpetuation, population
dynamics (groups of the same species), and sustainability

Question 6

Resource acquisition

Answer 6

all organisms require energy and mineral nutrients for survival. These materials
can be acquired in many different ways

Question 7

Autotrophic

Answer 7

synthesize resources internally using light, chemical energy, and inorganic nutrients

Question 8

Heterotopic

Answer 8

acquire resources which are often biologically derived

Question 9

Predation

Answer 9

killing and eating

Question 10

Parasitism

Answer 10

keep your prey alive while feeding or developing within it

Question 11

Temperature

Answer 11

a highly variable environmental parameter which restricts physiological suitability to
local resources
High temperature – breaks down enzyme function, desiccates
Low temperature – arrests enzyme function (slows to below critical levels to sustain survival), desiccates

Question 12

Moisture

Answer 12

life on earth is water and carbon based. All organisms require water to support physiological
function although relative levels and water use efficiency is extremely variable
Temperature and moisture dynamics interact in important ways

Question 13

Seasonality

Answer 13

annual climate dynamics – to survive organisms must be adapted to changes in
temperature and moisture or a lack of changes in temperature and moisture (tropical systems)

Question 14

Gradients

Answer 14

driven by many factors including temperature and moisture

Question 15

Geological factors

Answer 15

autotrophs require inorganic nutrients, most are derived from soils, which are
derived from bedrock

Question 16

History

Answer 16

geological and human history have very strong effects on the structure, composition, and
function of ecosystems

Question 17

Development

Answer 17

anthropogenic actions, ecosystem or environmental changes and their effects on
population, community, etc structure and dynamics

Question 18

Resource use

Answer 18

anthropogenic manipulation of the environment for specific resource uses

Question 19

Pollution

Answer 19

an environmental degradation often with disparate impacts on community members

Question 20

Ecosystem characteristics

Answer 20

Structure – Three-dimensional form of ecosystems
Composition – the species present within a given ecosystem
Function – ecological processes responsible for outputs and consumption. Examples include growth
(ecosystem level), decomposition, water output; these are emergent properties of large groups of
organisms

Question 21

Spatial scale

Answer 21

Time – a uni-directional dimension
Space – three dimensional extent
Spatial scale – a observer-defined (arbitrary) extent of time and space

Question 22

Population

Answer 22

a group of a single species (can interchange genetic information)

Question 23

Community

Answer 23

a group of populations

Question 24

Ecosystem

Answer 24

multiple communities and their outputs (function)

Question 25

Landscape

Answer 25

groups of ecosystems at large spatial extents

Question 26

Region

Answer 26

groups of landscapes often linked through climate teleconnections and political interactions

Question 27

Globe

Answer 27

the extent of the biosphere and all known ecological interactions

Question 28

Natural Selection acts on…

Answer 28

traits (adaption/phenotypes) to create biodiversity

Question 29

mutations

Answer 29

mechanism for creating new phenotypes, mostly lethal but can be helpful

Question 30

co evolution

Answer 30

usually in trees when adaptions and phenotypes are linked across species
Ex. bees and flowers

Question 31

convergence

Answer 31

species look the same but have different history

Question 32

Very low precipitation or at wrong time can cause

Answer 32

dominace of grasses/ shrubs

Question 33

Why are many mountain tops forested

Answer 33

bc precipitation increases with elevation

Question 34

What determines how trees look and how they adapt

Answer 34

frost tolerant, moisture, perception

Question 35

How do people manipulate ecosystems

Answer 35

rapid loss of old trees
development of cities (hurting soil)
human development influences by climate varation