CH 7B Community Ecology

Question 1

What is Community Ecology?

Answer 1

The study of biotic components of an ecosystem, and related ecosystem functions

Question 2

What are 3 ecosystem functions?

Answer 2

1. How space is structured
2. Why certain species thrive
3. How species interact

Question 3

What are ecosystem services?

Answer 3

• pollination
• water purification
• nutrient cycling

Question 4

What does the Acadian forest provide?

Answer 4

• a habitat for many species
• a carbon dioxide sink
• climate regulation
• erosion prevention & water control

Question 5

What are the major biomes of Canada?

Answer 5

-find answers

Question 6

What is an indicator species?

Answer 6

Species that are particularly vulnerable to changes in the ecosystem and can warn ecologists of problems early on

Question 7

What is an important indicator species? (why)

Answer 7

Lichens. Lichens are important because they are very vulnerable to air pollution, which they ‘take up’ in rainwater. If they begin to disappear it is a warning sign that there is a problem in that ecosystem

Question 8

What is the foundation of every ecosystem?

Answer 8

ENERGY. It is captured through photosynthesis and passed to organisms through the food chain.

Question 9

Describe how energy is passed through the food chain.

Answer 9

Energy from sun is absorbed by plants through photosynthesis. Then primary consumers (herbivores & bugs) eat the plants. Secondary consumers like reptiles and birds eat primary consumers. Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers. And Quaternary consumers eat the tertiary consumers.

Question 10

Why are trophic food-chains always pyramid shaped?

Answer 10

Because of the law of conversation of energy- when the energy from plants and primary consumers at the bottom of the food chain gets transferred up some of that energy is ‘lost’ at it is transformed to different types of energy.

Question 11

What is a resilient ecosystem?

Answer 11

An ecosystem that has a good ability to adapt to environmental changes and return to its original state

Question 12

What is a keystone species? example and why they are?

Answer 12

Species that play a fundamental role in their ecosystem.
-Pileated Woodpecker is a keystone species as it excavates cavities in trees used by many other species who cannot create these cavities on their own. It helps create forest gaps by accelerating tree mortality, which stimulates new growth.

Question 13

Types of species interactions

Answer 13

1. Commensalism
2. Mutualism
3. Parasitism
4. Resource partitioning
5. Predation
6. Competition

Question 14

What is Commensalism?

Answer 14

A type of species interaction where one species benefits and the other is unaffected,
(ex: woodpecker makes habitats for flying squirrels)

Question 15

What is Mutualism?

Answer 15

a type of species interaction where both species benefit (ex: bees get nutrition, flowers get pollinated)

Question 16

What is Resource Partitioning?

Answer 16

A type of species interaction where different species of warblers forage in different areas of the tree when others are present (example)

Question 17

What is Parasitism?

Answer 17

A type of species interaction where one species benefits and the other is harmed (ex: an animal that has too many ticks is wakened whereas the ticks are fed)

Question 18

What is Competition?

Answer 18

A type of species interaction where organisms that via for the same resource compete with one another.

Question 19

What is Predation?

Answer 19

A type of species interaction where one organism is prey and the other is predator. (ex: red tailed hawk kills rabbit)

Question 20

What is ecological succession?

Answer 20

The progressive replacement of plant and animals species due to changing conditions the plants create…as conditions change, other species better adapted to those conditions move in and displace previous residents

Question 21

Describe the steps of primary ecological succession (4 steps)

Answer 21

1. Lichens attach to bare, uncolonized rock surfaces; as they grow and die over the years, soil begins to form and accumulate, allowing moss to move in.
2. Soil builds up. Large plants move in
3. Sun-tolerant trees move in where there is enough soil to support their roots.
4. Taller plants produce shade, changing conditions and favouring different plant species

Question 22

What is restoration ecology?

Answer 22

the science that deals with the repair of damaged or disturbed ecosystems (can’t literally restore ecology)

Question 23

What is the Nature Conservancy of Canada doing for Acadian forest?

Answer 23

It is trying to accelerate succession processes to help restore the Acadian forest. This includes panting shade-tolerant species that might not return without their intervention.