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Conservation Biology Unit 1 > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

(56 cards)

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1
Q

3 species concepts to consider

A

species diversity

genetic diversity

ecosystem diversity

**All are necessary for continued survival of species and natural communities

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2
Q

Components of species diversity

A

species concepts
classications
origin of species
measuring species diversity

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3
Q

Components of genetic diversity

A

gene pools

differences among populations

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4
Q

Components of ecosystem diversity

A

physical environments
species interactions
trophic levels
keystone species and resources

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5
Q

What is included in species diversity?

A

all species on earth

represent range of evolutionary adaptations to particular environments

provide many plants and animal products that can be used as food, shelter, and medicine.

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6
Q

What are the 2 common definitions of species concepts?

A

morphological species definition

biological species definition

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7
Q

Species concepts: What is the morphological species definition

A

a group of individuals that is morphologically or biochemically distinct from other groups

  • not helpful with scale
  • ex. all birds distinct from mammals and reptiles
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8
Q

Species concepts: what is the biological species definition

A

a group of individuals that actually or potentially breed among themselves and do not breed with individuals of other groups

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9
Q

What are the issues with the biological species definition?

A
  • unambiguous
  • operationally difficult to determine
  • not generally useful
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10
Q

What are two general problems with trying to classify species?

A

cryptic biodiversity

hybrids

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11
Q

What are the 5 kingdoms that are generally recognized?

A 
plants
animals
fungi
protists
monerans (bacteria)
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12
Q

How are species classified, from biggest to smallest classification?

A 
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus, species
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13
Q

Name two theories of how new species originate.

A

transformation of species (phyletic evolution= cladogenesis = speciation)

adaptive radiation

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14
Q

What is adaptive radiation?

A

the evolution of many species from a single ancestor in response to many different environments

seen and studied on islands

general phenomenon

  • marsupials (australia)
  • mammals (s. am.)
  • flowering plants
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15
Q

Define the transformation of species

A

multiplication of species via phyletic evolution/cladogenesis/speciation

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16
Q

Can speciation maintain current levels of biodiversity? Why?

A

no.

rate= higher for extinction than speciation by 1000x

area of habitat = smaller areas prevent speciation.
-less of Earth’s surface supports natural communities = less opportunity for speciation and evolution

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17
Q

Why can’t speciation of most threatened species maintain the current level of biodiversity?

A

because many threatened species are the sole remaining representatives of their genus or family.

ex. coelacanth in Indian Ocean
Giant panda in China

extinction of these could not be balance by appearance of new species.

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18
Q

Three ways to measure species diversity

A

alpha diversity (species richness)
gamma diversity
beta diversity

*In practice, these are often correlated.

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19
Q

What is species richness/ alpha diversity?

A

a way to measure sp. diversity

“the number of species in a community”

ex. a forest in wisconsin vs. the amazon which would have greater # of species

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20
Q

What is gamma diversity

A

the number of species in a large region (or continent)

includes diverse biological communities or wide geographic areas

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21
Q

What is beta diversity?

A

variability of sp. composition along environmental or geographical gradients

gamma diversity/ alpha diversity = variability

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22
Q

Define genetic diversity

A

the genetic variation within species

  • among individuals of a single population
  • among geographically separate populations
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23
Q

Why is genetic diversity in a gene pool important? (2)

Study These Flashcards
A
  • genetically variable individuals and populations appear to have higher fitness (better survival and reproduction)
  • genetic variation is required for evolution in response to a changing environment
24
Q

Define gene pool

Study These Flashcards
A

total array of genes and alleles in a population

25
How do different genetic alleles arise?
from genetic mutation. alleles are just a different form of a gene
26
Individuals can be _______ or ________ for a gene.
homozygous heterozygous genotype determines their phenotype
27
Monomorphic vs. polymorphic populations
a population has either one allele (monomorphic) or multiple alleles (polymorphic) for a trait ex. a tribe has only the allele for blonde hair.
28
What is the cause of genetic differences among populations?
Populations often differ genetically -esp. in widespread sp. that have a broad environmental range Cause: -some of the genetic differences may be adaptive and caused by selection (others may not be adaptive & caused by genetic drift)
29
Selection of an allele vs. genetic drift
selection: differential survival and reproduction of different genotypes genetic drift: random fluctuations of allele frequencies. not necessarily a good thing. Happens with small populations.
30
Define gene flow
transfer of alleles among populations through migration and mating. -individuals, seeds, pollen grains -reduces differences between populations (which means it opposes genetic drift)
31
What are the four concepts of evolution?
selection genetic drift gene flow gene pool i think.
32
Define ecosystem diversity
variety of ecosystems present in a place or geographic area -deserts, grasslands, wetlands, and forests supports proper ecosystem functioning - provides services such as flood control - protection from soil erosion - air and water filtering
33
What are the physical characteristics of an ecologically diverse environment?
ecosystem diversity/composition biological community organisms' impact on the physical environment limiting resources
34
Define biological community
species that occupy a certain place and their interactions
35
Define ecosystem
community plus physical and chemical features of the environment -species composition depends on sp. interactions and physical environments
36
Define limiting resource
any component of the niche that restricts population size ex. roosting sites, soil nitrogen - can include successional stage
37
Define succession
change in the species composition in a biological community
38
How does the physical environment impact ecosystem diversity?
determines whether a site will be a forest, grassland, desert, wetland, etc. terrestrial communities: depends primarily on temperature and precipitation aquatic communities: depends primarily on light and oxygen
39
How can organisms affect their physical environment on a small scale?
wind speed, humidity, temperature eg. more humid and constant temperature within a forest because of the plants.
40
Define species interactions and name its subcatergories
defined in terms of positive and negative effects on participants mutualism, competition, predation
41
What is mutualism? (also symbiosis)
interaction in which both species benefit flowering plants and pollinators losing one participant can endanger the other Symbiosis: extreme mutualism in which participants cannot survive without each other (ex. lichen = fungus + alga)
42
What is competition?
interaction with negative effect for both species may be a problem with introduced species
43
What is predation?
interaction with a positive effect on one species and a negative effect on another may indirectly affect the number of prey species - keeps density of each low enough to prevent competitive exclusion - ex. Pisaster (sea star) feeds on 15 sp. of mollusks, prevents one or two sp. from being dominant
44
Name the trophic levels
``` primary producers primary consumers secondary consumers tertiary consumers (ETC up to 7 levels) and detritivores ```
45
What are primary producers?
photosynthetic species that obtain energy directly from sun to build organic molecules necessary for growth - higher plants in terrestrial communities - single cell algae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in aquatic communities
46
What are primary consumers
herbivores eat photosynthetic species only small percentage of energy transferred to herbivore level (about 1/2) - respiration of photosynthetic species - much plant material is indigestible
47
What are secondary consumers?
carnivores, predators eat herbivores
48
What are tertiary consumers?
secondary carnivores eat carnivores
49
What are detritivores?
species that feed on dead plant and animal tissues and wastes - decomposers - break down complex tissue and organic molecules - release minerals back into environment where can be taken up again by primary producers (nitrates, phosphates) - usually fungi and bacteria, includes vultures and other scavengers, dung beetles, earthworms
50
What are parasites, pests, and pathogens in relation to trophic levels?
a subclass of secondary consumers (predators) protozoa, fungi, bacteria plants (mistletoe) animals (tapeworms, mosquitoes) trophic levels linked through food webs.
51
What are keystone species?
species that determine the ability of large numbers of other species to persist in the community
52
Four types of keystone species
top predators that control herbivore populations -gray wolves pollinators and seed dispersers -flying foxes in old world tropics and pacific islands species that modify physical environments -beavers, leaf cutter ants continuous food producers -fig trees
53
What happens when a keystone species goes extinct?
an extinction cascade= series of linked extinction events
54
What happens when we try to restore keystone species?
other species and aspects of the physical environment (soil cover) may already have been lost and are irreplaceable.
55
What are keystone resources?
resources that are crucial to many species in the community may occupy only a small portion of a conservation area
56
What are examples of keystone resources?
salt licks and mineral pools (provide essential minerals) deep pools in streams and springs - refuge for fish and aquatic sp. during dry season - refuge for terrestrial animals as drinking water hollow tree trunks -breeding sites for many bird and animal species

Conservation Biology Unit 1 (8 decks)

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