3B5 Ecology Flashcards
Explore how ecology encompasses biosphere levels, species interactions, and ecosystem functions, focusing on stability and impacts.
What is the biosphere?
The zone where life exists on Earth.
This includes land, water, and air, where all living organisms are found.
What is an organism?
A single living entity.
Organisms include plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
Define:
Population
A group of individuals of the same species in a specific area.
Populations interact and reproduce within their environment.
True or False:
A population can consist of different species.
False
A population consists of individuals of the same species.
What is a community?
A group of interacting species in a specific area.
Communities are formed by various populations coexisting in a habitat.
What is an ecosystem composed of?
A community interacting with its environment.
Ecosystems include both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors like water, temperature, and sunlight.
Fill in the blank:
The ________ biome is the largest biome on Earth.
oceanic
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and are the largest biome.
What determines the type of biome found in a region?
Climate factors like temperature and precipitation.
The climate influences the types of plants and animals that can thrive in a biome.
What role do primary producers play in an ecosystem?
They produce energy through photosynthesis.
Producers, like plants and algae, are the foundation of the food chain.
True or False:
All ecosystems are the same size.
False
Ecosystems can vary greatly in size, from small ponds to large forests.
What is a niche in an ecosystem?
An organism’s role and interactions within its environment.
This includes how it obtains food, reproduces, and interacts with other species.
What is the main function of decomposers in an ecosystem?
To break down dead organic matter.
Fungi and bacteria recycle nutrients, maintaining the flow of energy.
Fill in the blanks:
An ecosystem consists of both ________ and ________ factors.
biotic; abiotic
Biotic factors are living components, while abiotic factors are non-living elements like water and soil.
What is the relationship between populations and communities?
Populations make up communities.
A community consists of multiple populations of different species living and interacting in the same area.
True or False:
A community includes only populations of the same species.
False
A community includes populations of different species.
What are intraspecific relationships?
Interactions between individuals of the same species.
These relationships can be positive, negative, or neutral, affecting the survival and reproduction of the individuals involved.
What is competition in intraspecific relationships?
It is when individuals of the same species compete for limited resources.
Resources such as food, shelter, and mates are often limited, leading to competition for their acquisition.
True or False:
Intraspecific competition can lead to the elimination of weaker individuals.
True
Individuals that cannot access resources may not survive or reproduce, reducing their numbers.
What is altruism?
When an individual helps another at a cost to itself.
This behavior is often seen in cooperative species where helping others improves the overall survival of the group or species.
How does altruism benefit a species?
It can boost group survival and improve the chances of passing on genes.
Altruistic behaviors can increase the fitness of relatives, known as kin selection, or of the group as a whole.
Fill in the blank:
Altruistic behavior often involves __________ to help others at the cost of an individual’s own resources or safety.
self-sacrifice
This self-sacrifice may increase the reproductive success of others in the group, particularly relatives.
True or False:
Altruistic behavior can sometimes be directed toward non-relatives in some species.
True
In some cases, individuals may help non-relatives, which can indirectly increase the chances of their own survival or future reproductive success.
What is territoriality?
The defense of a specific area against others of the same species.
This behavior is often related to securing resources like food, mating opportunities, or nesting sites.
How does territoriality impact intraspecific interactions?
It reduces competition by granting exclusive access to resources.
Territorial behaviors can help individuals avoid costly conflicts over resources.
Fill in the blank:
_________ is a behavior in which one individual helps another, sometimes at a cost to itself, in hopes that the favor will be returned.
Reciprocity
Reciprocity in intraspecific relationships is common in social species where individuals exchange favors.
True or False:
Competition only occurs during times of resource scarcity.
False
Competition can occur anytime resources are limited or when individuals vie for mates or territory.
What is the outcome of intense intraspecific competition?
It may lead to natural selection.
Intense competition drives evolutionary changes as individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Define:
Interspecific relationships
Interactions between individuals of different species.
These relationships can affect the survival, reproduction, and distribution of species in an ecosystem.
What is mutualism?
A relationship where both species benefit.
Both species provide something beneficial to each other, such as food or protection.
How does mutualism benefit both species?
Both species gain resources or protection, enhancing survival.
An example is the relationship between bees and flowers: bees get nectar, and flowers get pollinated.
True or False:
Mutualism can only occur between plants and animals.
False
Mutualism can occur between different types of organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
Fill in the blank:
In parasitism, the ________ benefits at the expense of the host.
parasite
Parasitism is a harmful relationship for the host but beneficial for the parasite, which gains nutrition or shelter.
What type of relationship involves one species benefiting while the other is unaffected?
Commensalism
An example is barnacles attaching to the skin of whales; the barnacles gain mobility and access to nutrient-rich water, while the whale is unaffected.
How does commensalism differ from mutualism?
In commensalism, one species benefits, while in mutualism, both benefit.
Commensalism doesn’t provide any benefit or harm to the other species involved, unlike mutualism where both gain advantages.
What is an example of mutualism?
Birds eating ticks off large mammals.
The bird gains a food source (ticks), while the mammal benefits by having parasites removed, improving its health.
True or False:
In commensalism, the benefiting species always improves the survival of the other species.
False
In commensalism, the other species is neither helped nor harmed, so there is no impact on its survival.
What is predation?
A relationship where one species hunts and consumes another for food.
This is common in ecosystems and plays a crucial role in regulating populations.
Fill in the blank:
In predation, the ________ benefits from hunting and consuming the prey.
predator
Predators are usually adapted to capture and kill prey, often with specialized hunting techniques or physical features.
True or False:
Parasitism is always harmful to the host species.
True
Parasitism harms the host by taking resources or causing disease, which can reduce the host’s fitness.
What does the term coevolution refer to?
The process by which two species influence each other’s evolution.
Coevolution often occurs in predator-prey and mutualistic relationships, where changes in one species lead to adaptations in the other.
What is a predator’s role in an ecosystem?
They control prey populations, maintaining ecosystem balance.
By controlling prey numbers, predators prevent overpopulation and the depletion of resources.
What is a mutualistic relationship between fungi and plants called?
Mycorrhizal symbiosis.
Fungi provide plants with nutrients from the soil, and in return, plants supply fungi with sugars produced during photosynthesis.
True or False:
Commensalism is always a permanent relationship.
False
Commensal relationships can change over time, especially if environmental conditions change or if the relationship evolves into mutualism or parasitism.
What is an example of parasitism?
A tapeworm living in the intestines of a mammal.
The tapeworm absorbs nutrients from the host’s food, depriving the host of those nutrients.
How can parasitism lead to evolutionary changes in species?
Hosts develop defenses, while parasites improve exploitation.
This ongoing arms race can drive adaptations in both the parasite and host species.
What are the biotic components of an ecosystem?
The living components, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
Biotic components interact with each other and influence ecosystem dynamics through predation, competition, and symbiotic relationships.
What are the abiotic components of an ecosystem?
Non-living components, like sunlight, temperature, water, and soil.
Abiotic factors determine the types of organisms that can live in an ecosystem, as they influence survival and reproduction.
Fill in the blank:
Biotic and abiotic components interact in an ecosystem by __________ each other to regulate the ecosystem.
influencing
For example, plants (biotic) depend on water and sunlight (abiotic) for photosynthesis, while animals (biotic) rely on plants for food.
True or False:
Two species can have the same niche in an ecosystem without competing.
False
If two species occupy the same niche, they must compete for the same resources, which can lead to one species outcompeting the other.
What is resource availability in an ecosystem?
The availability of resources like food, water, and shelter to species.
Resource availability directly impacts population sizes, as species need these resources for survival and reproduction.
What are limiting factors in an ecosystem?
Factors that limit population growth, like food, predation, and climate.
Limiting factors determine the carrying capacity of an environment, meaning they control how many individuals the ecosystem can support.
True or False:
Only abiotic factors can limit population growth.
False
Both biotic (e.g., competition, predation) and abiotic (e.g., temperature, water availability) factors can limit population growth.
Define:
Carrying capacity
The largest population an environment can support.
When a population exceeds its carrying capacity, resources become strained, leading to competition and a decrease in population size.
Fill in the blank:
Critical population size is the ________ number of individuals required for a population to survive and reproduce successfully.
minimum
Below this size, a population may face a high risk of extinction due to inbreeding, reduced genetic diversity, or other environmental factors.
True or False:
A population can thrive without reaching its critical population size.
False
If a population falls below its critical population size, it may not be able to recover and could face extinction.
How does predation impact population sizes?
It reduces prey populations and helps maintain ecosystem balance.
Predators regulate prey populations by removing individuals from the ecosystem, which can indirectly affect the growth of other species.
What is the process of energy transfer in an ecosystem?
Energy flow
Energy enters ecosystems through sunlight, which plants (producers) use for photosynthesis. Consumers and decomposers transfer energy through food webs.
True or False:
Energy flows in a circular pattern within an ecosystem.
False
Energy flows in one direction, from producers to consumers to decomposers, and is eventually lost as heat.
What is the variety of species, genes, and ecosystems in an area?
Biodiversity
High biodiversity promotes ecosystem stability by enhancing resilience to disturbances and supporting a variety of ecosystem services.
What is ecological succession?
The change in species structure of an ecological community over time.
Succession occurs in stages: primary succession starts in a barren environment, while secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in an existing community.
True or False:
Ecological succession always results in the same stable community.
False
Succession may lead to different stable communities depending on factors such as climate, soil, and species interactions.
What is phenology?
The study of the timing of natural events.
Phenological events are influenced by seasonal changes and climate, and shifts in phenology can indicate environmental changes.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The flow of nitrogen from the atmosphere to soil and organisms.
Nitrogen is fixed by bacteria, absorbed by plants, and passed on to animals. Decomposers return nitrogen to the soil in the form of ammonia.
Fill in the blank:
The carbon cycle involves the movement of ______ between the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms.
carbon
The carbon cycle is crucial for regulating Earth’s climate and involves processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
How does the carbon cycle impact global climate?
It regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide, affecting global temperatures.
Excess carbon in the atmosphere, from activities like burning fossil fuels, contributes to global warming by enhancing the greenhouse effect.
What is climate change?
Long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns.
Climate change is primarily driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases.
True or False:
Climate change can lead to more frequent droughts and floods.
True
The disruption of weather patterns due to climate change can lead to more extreme and unpredictable weather events.
What is ocean acidification?
Decrease in ocean pH due to absorbed carbon dioxide.
Ocean acidification impacts marine organisms like corals and shellfish, which rely on calcium carbonate.
What are cascading effects in ecosystems?
Secondary changes triggered by an initial disturbance.
An example is the loss of pollinators, leading to decreased plant reproduction, affecting herbivores and predators.
True or False:
Cascading effects occur only in large-scale disturbances.
False
They can occur in response to small or medium disturbances.
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem.
For example, sea otters control sea urchin populations, preventing overgrazing of kelp forests and preserving the marine ecosystem’s balance.
Fill in the blank:
Invasive species are ________ species that harm local ecosystems.
non-native
Invasive species can outcompete native species, reducing biodiversity.
How do invasive species alter ecosystems?
By outcompeting native species and altering environmental conditions.
They can change food webs and displace native organisms.
What causes ecosystem disturbances?
- Natural events
- Human activities
Both can disrupt habitats and species populations. Human activities can include pollution or deforestation, while natural events could include earthquakes or wildfires.
What is a direct consequence of deforestation on ecosystems?
Loss of habitat and decreased biodiversity.
Deforestation disrupts ecosystems by destroying habitats for many species, leading to population declines and loss of biodiversity.
What is the role of pollinators in ecosystems?
They facilitate plant reproduction by transferring pollen.
Pollinators are essential for the reproduction of many crops and wild plants.
True or False:
The loss of pollinators would have a massive effect on ecosystems.
True
It would severely disrupt plant reproduction and the food web.
How does ocean warming impact marine ecosystems?
It leads to coral bleaching and disrupts marine food webs.
Warmer waters cause corals to expel algae, vital for their survival and food.
Fill in the blank
________ species are those that naturally occur in a specific habitat or environment.
Native
Native species are adapted to the local environment and play important roles in maintaining ecosystem balance.
True or False:
Ecosystem disturbances always result in permanent damage.
False
Many ecosystems can recover over time, especially if disturbances are moderate and the area has high biodiversity.
