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106 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is community structure? |
Interactions among separate populations within the same space and time Consists of many species interacting in many ways (competition, predation, mutualism, parasitism, transfer of energy, nutrients) |
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What are major physical features that determine species diversity? |
latitude, depth, pollution |
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What non-physical explanations are there for species diversity? |
Abundance, Dominance, Evenness, Richness |
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What types of communities have high species diversity? |
Mid latitude, abundance of rain, warm temperature, and even weather |
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species equilibrium model for islands |
immigration, low diversity, endemic animals |
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What factors influence the number of species on an island? |
Distance from mainland, density and evenness of endemic species |
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native species? |
Species that occur naturally in a community |
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nonnative species |
Migrate, introduced purposely or accidentally into a community Can be invasive, alien, or exotic Many drastically changed native communities |
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indicator species? |
Serve as early warnings of damage to a community |
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keystone species? |
species that have a more important role in a community than suggested by their abundance |
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What properties does species richness convey to a community? |
? |
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What is stability of species diversity? |
? |
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What is ecological succession? |
The gradual change in species composition of a given area. |
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What is primary succession? |
•The gradual establishment of biotic communities on nearly lifeless ground •Begins in area where there is no soil or sediment (aquatic) |
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What is secondary succession? |
• Reestablishment of biotic communities in an area where some type of biotic community is already present • Followed by return to climax community following disturbance • Occurs in an area where natural community disturbed, removed, destroyed – soil or bottom sediment remain |
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What are pioneer species? |
• arrive at newly formed habitat – Lichens, mosses – Start soil formation – may take hundreds of years for soil to form |
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What is a climax community? |
End species of succession. Maples, Oaks, etc. |
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How does succession apply to animals? |
Food, shelter, habitat
– Early successional species: rabbit, quail, dove, pheasant – Midsuccessional: elk, moose, deer, grouse – Late successional: turkey, squirrel, owl, bear |
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How does a community change during succession besides the types of species present? |
• Species diversity • Trophic structure • Niches • Energy flow and efficiency • Nutrient cycling |
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What is facilitation in relation to succession? |
• One set of species makes an area suitable for species with different niche requirements • Lichens & mosses build up soil – habitat suitable for herbs & grasses |
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What is inhibition in relation to succession? |
• Early species hinder establishment and growth of other species • Plants may release toxins that reduce competition from other plants • Succession proceeds after another disturbance |
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What is tolerance in relation to succession? |
later species out compete??????? |
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What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and how does it relate to succession? |
? |
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How does the equilibrium theory of community |
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How does the non equilibrium theory of community structure relate to succession? |
?? |
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What is a landscape? |
heterogeneous area consisting of distinctive patches organized into a mosaic pattern |
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What is landscape ecology |
a subdiscipline of ecology that studies relationships between spatial patterns and ecological processes over a range of scales |
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Why has landscape ecology blossomed as a field of ecology over the past several decades? What facets are included in the study of landscape ecology? |
1. Interdisciplinary links
2. Humans and human influences 3. Ecological consequences of spatial patterns – Extent, origin and effects across multiple spatial scales |
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What components make up the structure of a landscape? What are landscape elements? |
Matrix Patches Corridors Fragmentation Edge Effects |
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What is a patch? |
– Relatively homogenous area that differs from its surroundings – Patches vary in size, shape, number and composition and are distributed within a landscape within a variety of spatial patterns |
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What is the matrix of a landscape? |
backgrounds of mosaic upon which patches are formed |
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fragmentation |
Process that often occurs as a result of human activity ??? |
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corridors |
link patches within matrix important for dispersal |
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edge effects |
– High species diversity at edges & species unique to edge habitat – Alternately – edge habitat lower quality than interior habitat |
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What is an ecotone? |
Edges of habitat patches are often not sharp boundaries, but instead are physical and biological transitions from one ecosystem type to another |
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Explain how the structure of a landscape influences the inhabitants of that landscape. |
??? |
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ecotype |
Edges may have species common in both patches as well as species unique to the edge habitat and therefore edges of patches are often high diversity habitats |
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How do different species explore a patchy ocean environment? |
??? |
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Succession |
Seen relationship between disturbance and community dynamics |
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Flooding |
results in higher export of phosphorous and loss from the ecosystem |
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Eutrophication |
increased productivity and decreased biodiversity seasonal algal blooms, increased oxygen, kills fish |
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Water cycle |
Powered by energy from the sun and gravity, winds and air Humidity(amount of H2Ovapor in air) Winds& air masses Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Infiltration, Percolation, Runoff |
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Flooding |
results in higher export of phosphorous and loss from the ecosystem
Loss phosphorous=less photosynthesis and production |
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Transpiration |
evaporated from plant leaves |
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Condensation |
H2O vapor to liquid H2O |
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Precipitation |
rain, sleet, snow, hail |
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Infiltration |
H2O in soil |
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Percolation |
downward flow into groundwater aquifers |
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Runoff |
downward slope movement to the sea Increased runoff Less infiltration to soil &aquifers•Increased flooding•Increased erosion |
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Absolute humidity |
H2O vapor/unit air |
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Relative humidity |
-H2O vapor % maximum air could hold at ToC |
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Dew point |
temperature at which condensation occurs |
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Condensationnuclei |
Water cycle Particles for H2O vapor to collect precipitation Volcanic ash, Soil dust, Smoke Sea salt, Particulate matter (pollution) |
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purification |
Condensation/evaporation distillary Filtration in rivers, streams, soil, rockto aquifers |
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Erosion |
Moves soil, materials Sculpssurface of earth |
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Carbon Cycle |
Cycling of carbon in ecosystems between organisms through photosynthesis and cellular respiration, between the ocean and atmosphere which act as major carbon resevoirs, in geological processes through geologic cycles or burning fossil fuels, |
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Carbon |
central element in biological molecules |
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CO2 |
key part of biosphere thermostat –Too much CO2 removed = atm cools –Too much CO2 generated = atm warms (greenhouse |
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Carbon cycle amongst organisms |
Producers remove CO2 from atm and convert to glucose through consumers and convert it back to CO2 through photosynthesis and cellular respiration |
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Ocean and Atmosphere for Carbon |
Major carbon reservoir Regulates amount of CO2 inatmosphere CO2 isreadily soluble in water, some remains dissolved in ocean, some removed by photosynthesis, some reacts with water to form HCO3 Lost through evaporation Some removed in CaCO3(coral, coralinealgae, mollusks) |
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Geological Processes for Carbon |
CaCO3sediments deposited as limestone, dolomite and fossil fuels
Returnedin long-term geologic cycles or burning fossil fuels |
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Nitrogen Cycle |
NitrogenFixation Nitrification Assimilation Ammonification Denitrification |
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NitrogenFixation |
N from the atmosphere Bacteriaconverts gaseous N2 to NH3 (ammonia) Blue-greenalgae in soil & water–Bacteriain root nodules |
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Nitrification |
Conversion of ammonia to nitrate (NO3-) NH3 insoil converted in two-step process by aerobic bacteria –Tonitrite (NO2-)toxic to plants –Thento nitrate (NO3-)taken up by plants as nutrient |
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Assimilation |
Assimilation of nitrate by plants & conversion to organic-N Plantroots absorb NH3,NH4 &NO3- MakeN-containing organic molecules (DNA, AA’s, proteins) |
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Ammonification |
Recycling of organic-N by decomposers Decomposerbacteria convert N-rich wastes to inorganic: NH3,NH4 |
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Denitrification |
Conversion of ammonia to N2 Byother specialized bacteria (mostly anaerobic) Water-loggedsoil, sediments in lakes, oceans, swamps ConvertNH3,NH4 to: Nitrite (NO2-) andnitrate (NO3-) Theninto N2 gas –released into atmosphere to begin cycle |
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The Phosphorous Cycle |
Essentialelement: DNA, RNA, cell membranes, energy (ATP), bones, teeth Circulatesthrough water, earth, organisms Phosphorus often limits productivity Transformations |
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Transformations in Phosphorous Cycle |
Plants assimilate (PO43-)& incorporate into organic compounds Animals/bacteria break down organicphosphorus released as phosphate salts/ions |
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Phosphorous limits productivity |
Aquatic systems: phosphate only slightlysoluble in water Soils: only readily available between pHof 6-7 |
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Circulatesthrough water, earth, organisms |
Very little in atm Bacteria not very important (as in Ncycle) |
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HumanPerturbations Phosphorous Cycle |
Mining phosphate rock, removing trees, adding excess P to water |
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The Sulfur Cycle |
–Much stored in rocks, minerals, sedimentas sulfate SO42- –Enters atmosphere Transformations |
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How sulfur enters the atmosphere |
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from Volcanoes, decaying organic matter (swamps, bogs) Sulfur dioxide (SO2)from volcanoes Sulfate (SO42-) insea spray Dimethylsulfide from marine algae |
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How Sulfur is transformed |
–Sulfate assimilated to organic sulfur –Excess S excreted & decomposersoxidize to sulfate |
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•HumanPerturbations with the Sulfur Cycle |
- Acid Rain • Often associated with iron (FeS) – released when coal/oil burned • SO2 combines with O2 & H2O forming H2SO4 |
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chemoautotrophs |
not photosynthetic –Reduce inorganic carbon (from CO2)using energy obtained from oxidation of inorganic substrates: •methane (CH4) •hydrogen •ammonia (NH3) -nitrifying bacteria •nitrite (NO2-) -nitrifying bacteria •hydrogen sulfide (H2S),sulfate (SO42-),sulfur•ferrous iron salts |
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riffles |
•Fast flowwater with high primary productivity•Diatoms,moss, blue-green algae |
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Pools |
site of respiration and decomposition CO2 production supplies carbon for photosynthesis for organisms to other parts of the stream or river. |
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Headwaters |
shallow, cold, swift low productivity: 90% from surrounding vegetation |
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Nertic province |
Water over continental and island shelves Shallow – sunlight for photosynthesis Input of nutrients from land – forphotosynthesis Very productive waters – 8% of oceansurface but >80% of harvest from ocean |
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Oceanic Province |
Open ocean away from continents photosynthesis only on upper few 100 meters most ocean below photic zone: no photosynthesis in open waters plenty of sunlight but nutrients are limiting large amount of photosynthesis by plankton but low biomass energy diversity of open water lower than intertidal |
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Pelagic |
on the water column photic |
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Benthic |
on bottom |
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Epipelagic |
me |
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Abyssal |
deep sea |
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photic |
light |
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aphotic |
nonlight |
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Intertidal |
low and high tides main challenge: being outside of the water |
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standard answer for biodiversity |
all nature is in between and removing pieces affects the whole |
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Human benefits from biodiversity |
food, medicine, industrial products |
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Communities provide essential services |
maintenance of atmosphere composition maintenance of soil composition Reservoir of natural economics |
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Biodiversity maintains optimal community functions |
communities function best when they have full compliment of species |
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Factors responsible for for Extinction |
Habitat reduction and modification Fragmentation Edges Isolated Islands |
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Small population sizes |
Random extinctions |
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Introduction of Exotic Species |
Decreases in habitat quality frequently result from introduced predators |
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Overexploitation |
many species have succumbed to effect of direct exploitation by humans |
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Island Extinction |
DoDo Bird 80 years to go extinct destroyed forest habitat and introduced pigs dogs and rats |
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ICUN |
International Union for the conservation of Nature Red list |
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Biome |
climate, geological features, and soil continue to shape the physical environment |
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Climate Zones |
terrestrial biomes delineated based on annual patterns of water and temperature conditions of moisture and temp inflience plant forms present in different terrestrial regions |
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Characteristic Vegetation |
physical environment establishes limits of plant distribution RAINFALL |
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Biome boundaries |
boundaries correspond to climate zones (temp and rainfall) tropical temperate polar |
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Tropical Climate Zones |
close to equator temperature flux more annually warm climate and plants adapted to warm trop rainforest trop seasonal forest/savanah subtrop |
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Temperate Climates |
moderate climates limited growing season vegetation dominated by deciduous trees and no small trees or shrubs temp rainforest temp seasonal forest woodland/shrubery temp grassland |
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High Lattitude |
average temp below 5 C boreal forest develops between temps of 5 and -5 tundra develops |
