Theme Four Flashcards

Front 1

1st Law of Thermodynamics

Back 1

Conservation of energy; energy can neither be created nor destroyed - it just changes from one form to another

Front 2

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Back 2

entropy; energy always changes from higher quality, more useful form to a lower quality, less useful form; systems tend towards chaos over time if there is no energy input

Front 3

r-selected species

Back 3

Population size grows until resources run out. Have high biotic potentials. Shown as a J-curve. Examples are weeds, bacteria and pests. Also called oppurtunists. Live in many environments and aren't too picky about food and shelter.

Front 4

k-selected species

Back 4

k-selected species are controlled by a carrying capacity. Have low biotic potentials and high stability.The population growth of these organisms slows as resources run out, can be shown in a S-curve. Examples are whales, oak trees and large predators. These are specialized organisms.

Front 5

Net Productivity

Back 5

the amount of energy in trapped in organic matter excluding the energy lost in respiration during that time period

Front 6

Gross Productivity

Back 6

the total amount of energy trapped in a specific trophic level of organic matter during a specific time period

Front 7

facilitation

Back 7

During succession, one species prepares the way for the next. In some cases, that species may be necessary for the occurrence of the next. Early-successional species prepare the way for later-successional species. For example, a pine tree provides shade for an oak tre.

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interference

Back 8

Interference occurs when an early-successional species blocks or inhibits (interferes) with the entrance of another species. For example, grass can interfere with the entrance of a pine tree.

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tolerance

Back 9

Tolerance is the ability to resist or withstand stress resulting from exposure to a pollutant or harmful condition. There are three types of tolerance: behavioral, physiological, and genetic (adaptation). An example of behavioral tolerance: a mouse learns to avoid a trap.

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Biomass

Back 10

The mass of living organisms in a given area or habitat at a given time.

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Pioneer species

Back 11

Pioneer species are species which colonizes previously uncolonized land, usually leading to ecological succession. Since uncolonized land usually has thin, poor quality soils with few nutrients, pioneer species are typically very hearty plants with adaptations such as long roots, root nodes containing nitrogen fixing bacterias, and leaves that transpiration.

Front 12

Primary Succession

Back 12

Primary succession occurs in an environment in which pioneer species (mosses, lichen, algae) move into an environment devoid of vegetation and usually lacking soil (for example an area that has just been covered by lava). These pioneer species pave the way for other plant life and eventually animal life.

Front 13

Secondary Succession

Back 13

The reestablishment of an ecosystem where there are remnants of a previous biological community.

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Chronic Patchiness

Back 14

A situation where ecological succession does not occur. One species may replace another, or an individual of the first species may replace it, but no overall general temporal pattern is established. Characteristics of harsh environments such as deserts.

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early successional species

Back 15

communities are dominated by r-selected species; fast-growing, well-dispersed species

Front 16

late successional species

Back 16

communities are dominated by K-selected species; more competitive species

Front 17

Biological production

Back 17

the capture of usable energy from the environment to produce organic compunds in which that energy is stored.

Front 18

Ecosystem energy flow

Back 18

The movement of energy through an ecosystem from the external environment through a series of organisms and back to the external environment

Front 19

Yellowstone National Park

Back 19

the first national park in the United States; located in the border area between Wyoming and Montana and Idaho; spectacular wilderness; famous for Old Faithful geyser and for buffalo and bears

Front 20

Bureau of Lands Management

Back 20

an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately 264 million acres (1,070,000 km²) or one-eighth of the landmass of the country.

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wilderness areas

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region where the land is in a natural state, and human impact is minimal to none.

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National Park System

Back 22

The collection of all units managed by the Natural Park Service. The units are designed to protect the land and allow visitors to enjoy.

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National Wildlife Refuges

Back 23

System of lands and waters managed to protect the wildlife and their habitat

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Department of Interior

Back 24

A cabinet department that manages and conserves the federal land of the United States.

Front 25

USFWS

Back 25

Stands for: United States Fish and Wildlife Service. They are a sub-division of the Department of Interior that are dedicated to protecting the wildlife.

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USFS

Back 26

An agency of United States Department of Agriculture. Administers over 150 national forests and 20 national grasslands.

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ANWR

Back 27

A National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska

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Multiple- use lands

Back 28

A land that can literally be used for more than one purpose at a time.

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Restricted- use lands

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land that cannot be used for environmental reasons so it can be conserved or spared.

Front 30

National Forest

Back 30

a large piece of forest that the government protects. it is only allowed to be used usder controlled circumstances with no harm done.

Front 31

tolerance

Back 31

the ability to resist or withstand stress resulting from exposure to a pollutant or harmful condition.

Front 32

primary productivity

Back 32

autotrophs and chemoautotrophs that create their own organic matter from a source of energy and an inorganic compound

Front 33

Chemoautotrophs (166)

Back 33

Autotrophic organisms that can derive energy from inorganic sulfur compounds.

Front 34

Ecosystem Energy Flow (168)

Back 34

The movement of energy through and ecosystem from the external environment through a series of organisms and back to the external environment.

Front 35

Entropy (171)

Back 35

The measure of the decrease in order (the disorganization of energy).

Front 36

Thermodynamic System (170)

Back 36

The energy source, ecosystem, and energy sink together form a thermodynamic system.

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Secondary Productivity

Back 37

The rate at which consumers convert chemical energy (of their) food into biomass(and other forms) is called secondary productivity. (Rate of production of biomass by heterotrophs (animals, microorganisms), which feed on plant products or other heterotrophs).

Front 38

Tag and Recapture

Back 38

Mark and recapture is a method commonly used in ecology to estimate population size and population vital rates (i.e., survival, movement, and growth). This method is most valuable when a researcher isn't able to detect all individuals present within a population of interest/ study area. First the animals are tagged and then released back into the wild. Then the researchers will look for a survival rate after capture and tagging to estimate population numbers.

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USFS

Back 39

United States Forest Service protects and maintains the health of major forests

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biomass

Back 40

The total mass, at a given time, of living organisms of one or more species per unit area (species biomass) or of all the species in the community (community biomass).

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national forest

Back 41

National Forest is the eponymous debut album by National Forest.

Front 42

1st law of thermodynamics

Back 42

conservation of energy