4 Ecology Flashcards
Define species
Groups of organisms who can produce fertile, viable offspring
Define population
Group of organisms of the same species
Define community
Group of populations interacting in a given area
Define autotrphs
Synthesis their own organic molecules
Undergo photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Define heterotrophs
Consume other organisms
Define mixotrophs
Consume other organisms but can also synthesis their own organic molecules
What are the 3 types of heterotroph?
Consumer
Detritivores
Saprotrophs
Describe the digestion of sapotrophs
Excrete digesting enzymes and then absorb nutrients
Describe a mesocosm
Enclosed environment that allows a small part of a natural environment to be observed, undisturbed
Describe a mesocosm
Enclosed environment that allows a small part of a natural environment to be observed, undisturbed
What is the chi squared test
Can be applied to data from quadrat sampling to determine statistical significance between the distributions of both species
What are the steps of a chi squared test?
- Identify hypothesis
- Construct a table of frequencies (observed vs expected)
- Apply the chi-squared formula
- Determine the degrees of freedom (df)
- Identify the p value
What are the rows and columns of a chi-squared table of frequencies?
One species is along the top and the other along the bottom with categories (such as present and absent) for each as well as totals observed
How is expected frequency calculated?
Expected frequency = (row total x column total) + grand total
What is the chi-squared equation?
x^2 = the sum of (observed frequency - expected frequency)^2 / expected frequency
