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56 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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In ascending order of complexity, what are the steps in life's hierarchy of organization?
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Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
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What is a population?
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A group of organisms of the same species living in a specific geographic location
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What is carrying capacity?
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-The growth rate decreases as the population size nears carrying capacity because resources such as food, water, or space begin to run short
-Growth rate= zero |
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In the US, coastal counties account for __% of land area, but contain over __% of the population?
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~17% of land area, over 50% of total population
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What is a community?
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All Biotic components: All living organisms
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What is the main way species richness varies?
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With latitude
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What is the theory about small isolated islands compared to larger islands or islands closer to mainland?
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Small, isolated islands are predicted to have fewer species...than larger islands closer to a source of colonists.
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What inter-specific interactions?
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Relationships between different species
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What type of interaction is predation?
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(+,-)
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What type of interaction is herbivory?
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(+,-)
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What type of interaction is parasitism?
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(+,-)
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What type of interaction is mutualism?
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(+,+)
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What type of interaction is commensalism?
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(+,0)
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What type of interaction is competition?
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(-,-)
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What is coevolution?
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Coevolution= reciprocal adaptions in two species
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What is interaction strength?
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Effect of one species on abundance of another species
-Often difficult to measure because of multiple indirect interactions -Determines relative importance of a species in a community |
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What is an Ecosystem engineer?
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Species, create, modify, or maintain physical habitat for use by other species
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What is a keystone species?
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-Species with an effect on the community greater than would be expected based on its biomass or abundance
-Interacts with many other species in the community |
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What is a guild?
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-Group of species that use the same resource
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What is a functional group?
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-Function in a similar way but do not use the same resources
-Often have similar effects on ecosystem processes |
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What are two processes for primary production?
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Photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
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Are there more nutrients in tropical forests or boreal forests?
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-Nutrient pools in the soils of tropical forests are smaller than those in boreal forests
-Turnover rates of N and P are faster in tropical forest soils than in boreal forests |
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Does climate influence decomposition rates more or primary productivity?
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decomposition rates
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What is permafrost?
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-keeps rates of biological activity low
-blocks percolation of water, creating wet, anoxic conditions subsurface soil layer that remains frozen year- round – Prevents soil drainage- soils stay moist to saturated despite low precipitation – Slow decomposition rate |
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How do communities change over time?
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Resistance: to change
-Ability to prevent change -Biotic resistance to non-native species Resilience -Ability of community to recover following a disturbance +adaptions to disturances: fires in grasslands |
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What is succession?
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The observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
The community begins with relatively few pioneering plants and animals and develops through increasing complexity until it becomes stable or self-perpetuating as a climax community. |
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What is The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis?
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1. At low disturbance levels, competitive exclusion reduces diversity.
2. At intermediate disturbance levels, a balance between disruption of competition and mortality leads to high diversity. 3. At high disturbance levels, diversity declines as mortality rises |
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What is an ecosystem?
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Biotic + Abiotic factors
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What are 4 ecosystem services?
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1. Production of goods
2. Production of oxygen 3. Recycling of nutrients 4. Water filtration/ shoreline production |
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What is an estuary?
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Where the mouth of a river connects to ocean
-Brackish water = salinity of 0.5 to 34 ppt |
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What climate does tundra have?
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Climate: extremely cold, low levels of light during fall and winter, low rainfall, permafrost
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What plants does tundra have?
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-Small shrubs, grasses, mosses, lichens
-No trees do to permafrost |
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What adaptions do animals have in Tundra?
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Animals have adaption to extreme cold: large mammals, rodents, arctic fox
-migratory animals use during summer and leave during winters |
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What type of climate do boreal forests have?
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Subfreezing temperatures, low precipitation
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What type of plants are found in boreal forests?
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Plants= coniferous trees, such as pines, spruces, larches
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Where are boreal forests found?
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Only found in Northern Hemisphere. Most of Russia, Canada, Alaska, Northern Europe.
-The largest terrestrial system in land area -~1/3 of Earth's forested land |
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What are 3 characteristics of Grasslands?
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-Grass dominated ecosystems
1. seasonal rainfall 2. frequent fires 3. grazing |
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What are two types of grasslands?
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1. Temperate Grasslands
2. Savannah/ tropical grasslands |
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What climate do tropical rainforests have?
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Climate: high temps, 11 to 12 hour days year-round. --Little seasonal variation.
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What are 2 characteristics of tropical rain forests?
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High species diversity
~50% of Earth's species ~Low soil nutrients because of high decomposition rates |
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What are 5 threats to Global Diversity?
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1. Habitat loss
2. Non-native species 3. over harvesting 4. pollution 5. climate change |
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What is habitat fragmentation?
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Habitat destruction or alteration creates an "island" of natural habitat, surrounded by a "matrix" of unnatural habitat
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What has happened as humans have served as a dispersal vector for many species
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Spread of disease
Movement of species -intentional and accidental Removes biotic controls on population growth -predators, herbivores, pathogens, parasites -impacts species diversity and composition of community |
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What happened when North Elephant Seals were over-harvested?
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• Hunted for fur and blubber (used for oil) during 1700s and 1800s
• Thought to be extinct until a small population (30 individuals) was discovered on island in Pacific Ocean in 1892 • Hunting was banned in 1922 and population began to increase in size • Population is now estimated to be over 100,000 – Reduced genetic diversity- 20 genes had zero variability |
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What is Eutrophication?
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-Nutrient-rich water from terrestrial and human sources flows into local waterways
-Eutrophication can lead to phytoplankton blooms, decreasing water clarity |
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What is a dead zone and how is Mississippi River cause the dead zone in the gulf of Mexico?
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-Excess nutrients from Mississippi River going into Gulf causes algal bloom
-Hypoxia: water in bottom of the Gulf has less than 2 ppm dissolved oxygen |
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What is Ocean Acidification?
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-CO2 in air is absorbed by oceans
-CO2 + H2O= an increase in acidity of seawater Fish can only survive in a small pH range |
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What are 2 primary air pollutants?
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1. Nitrous oxide + hydrocarbons, methane, carbon monoxide (from cars) reacts with O2 and sunlight causing groundlevel ozone layers
2. NO2 + SO2 from power plants or factories reacts with O2 and H2O to form acid rain |
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What is the green house effect?
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When green house gases, such as Carbon, Methane trap heat in the atmosphere.
The enhanced green house effect warms the planet even more than usual...as increased gases trap more heat. |
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What is albedo?
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The ability of a surface to reflect solar radiation
White surface = Higher albedo |
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What is the positive feedback loop?
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Temps rise, more ice melts. More water absorbs (low albedo) more heat, which melts more ice.
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What are 3 ways risk of extinction is increased?
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– Decrease population size
– Decrease genetic diversity – Decrease ability of species to adapt to environmental change |
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Conservation Biology can focus on?
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1. Protecting endangered populations
2. Protecting ecosystems and landscapes 3. Decreasing threats to biodiversity |
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Why protect the Florida Panther?
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• Florida Panther is a flagship species
– Charismatic animal the public will want to protect • Florida Panther is an umbrella species – Conservation of one species benefits a variety of other species or ecosystems • Protecting the large territory for panther= other plants, animals, ecosystems protected |
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What way should reserves be designed? 6 ways
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1. Bigger is better
2. Less reserves (One bigger reserve is better) 3. Reserves closer together 4. Reserves connected 5. Reserve shape is important (Round is better than oval) 6. Buffer zones are important |
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What are 4 ways the Everglades are being restored?
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1 Removes barriers to restore water flow
2 Wetland restoration to remove excess nutrients 3 Genetics restoration of species 4 Remove non-native species |
