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Biology > Diversity of Animals II/Ecology > Flashcards

Diversity of Animals II/Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What class was the first vertebrates to move onto land?

A

Amphibia

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2
Q

Give three (3) examples of organisms that were already on land before the amphibians

A
  1. Plants
  2. Snails
  3. Arthropods
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3
Q

What are four (4) adaptions necessary for vertebrates to become terrestrial?

A
  1. Lungs
  2. Stronger limbs
  3. Thermoregulatory mechanism
  4. Reproductive strategies that don’t involve water
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4
Q

Why are stronger limbs required to be terrestrial?

A

Air is 1,000 times less buoyant than water so strong limbs are necessary to prevent being crushed under own weight.

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5
Q

What causes a large diversity of terrestrial organisms?

A

There are lots of habitats to move into and adapt to.

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6
Q

What does “amphibia” literally translate to?

A

Amphi: Both
Bia: (Bio) Lives

Both lives

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7
Q

What are the two (2) stages of a frog?

A
  1. Tadpole

2. Adult

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8
Q

What is the diet of a tadpole?

A

Herbivore

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9
Q

How does the tadpole move around?

A

Tail for swimming

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10
Q

Where does the tadpole live?

A

Aquatic

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11
Q

How does the adult frog move?

A

Legs

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12
Q

What does the adult frog eat?

A

Carnivore

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13
Q

How does the adult frog breathe?

A

Lungs

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14
Q

Describe “grasping” by a frog

A

The male grasps the female stimulating her to release eggs.

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15
Q

How are frog eggs fertilized?

A

The male releases sperm into the water where the eggs are fertilized.

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16
Q

Why must frog eggs be fertilized in water?

A

They have a jellycoat without a shell and would desiccate in air.

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17
Q

Describe the skeleton of amphibians

A

Bony skeleton

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18
Q

How many limbs to amphibians have?

A

Tetrapods (4 limbs)

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19
Q

Describe the skin of amphibians

A

Moist skin with mucous glands that are often toxic.

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20
Q

Describe three (3) ways that amphibians undergo gas exchange

A
  1. Skin
  2. Gills
  3. Lungs
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21
Q

Describe the number of chambers in an amphibian heart

A

3-chambered heart:

  1. 2 atria
  2. 1 ventricle
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22
Q

What does ectothermal mean?

A

Body temperature is regulated by the environment

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23
Q

How do amphibians regulate their body temperature?

A

Ectothermal

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24
Q

How can some amphibians hear?

A

External eardrums for sound carried through the air.

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25
Q

What are four (4) possible causes of the crashes in amphibian populations?

A
  1. Habitat alterations
  2. Global warming
  3. Acid rain
  4. Fungal (chytridia) infection
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26
Q

What are three orders of the class Amphibia?

A
  1. Caudata (aka Urodela)
  2. Anura
  3. Gymnophiona (aka Apoda)
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27
Q

What is the meaning of the word Caudata?

A

Tailed

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28
Q

What is the meaning of the word Anura?

A

Without tail

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29
Q

What is the meaning of the word Apoda?

A

Without feet

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30
Q

What is the meaning of the word Gymnophiona?

A

Naked Serpent

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31
Q

What are two examples of the Order Caudata?

A
  1. Salamanders

2. Newts

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32
Q

What are two examples of the Order Anura?

A
  1. Frogs

2. Toads

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33
Q

What is an example of the Order Gymnophiona?

A

Caecilians

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34
Q

What is the class animals that is the first truly terrestrial animals that can live far from water for their entire lives?

A

Class/Clade Reptilia

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35
Q

What is characteristic of the skin of Reptiles?

A

Dry skin covered in scales

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36
Q

What is the purpose of scales on a reptile?

A

To keep moisture inside their bodies

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37
Q

How do reptiles regulate their body temperature?

A

Ectothermic

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38
Q

Describe the eggs of reptiles

A

Covered in a leathery shell to prepare drying

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39
Q

How are reptile eggs fertilized?

A

Internal fertilization (egg must be fertilized before shell is formed)

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40
Q

Describe the chambers of the heart for most reptiles

A

3-chambered heart:

  1. 2 Atria
  2. 1 partially separated ventricle
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41
Q

What reptiles have a 4-chambered heart?

A

Order Crocodilla

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42
Q

Describe the lungs of reptiles

A

More powerful than amphibian lungs

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43
Q

Describe the legs and jaws of reptiles

A

More powerful than amphibians

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44
Q

What are three (3) Orders of the Class/Clade Reptilia?

A
  1. Testudines
  2. Squamata
  3. Crocodilla
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45
Q

What is an example of the Order Testudines?

A

Turtles

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46
Q

What is are three (3) examples of the Order Squamata?

A
  1. Lizards
  2. Snakes
    3 Worm lizards
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47
Q

What are two (2) examples of the Order Crocodilla?

A
  1. Crocodiles

2. Alligators

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48
Q

Stem (ancestral) reptiles gave rise to what three major lineages of animals?

A
  1. Reptiles
  2. Birds
  3. Mammals
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49
Q

What class of vertebrates outnumbers all vertebrates except the fishes?

A

Class/Clade Aves

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50
Q

Which members of Class/Clade Aves have feathers?

A

All

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51
Q

Describe the legs of Class Aves

A

Scaled legs

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52
Q

Describe the forelimbs of Class/Clade Aves

A

Modified for flight, although not all birds can fly.

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53
Q

Why have birds not achieved the diversity of body forms that other terrestrial animals have?

A

Flight limits the potential body shapes

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54
Q

What is endothermic?

A

Body temperature is regulated internally

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55
Q

How do birds regulate their body temperature?

A

Endothermic

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56
Q

Describe the bones of Class/Clade Aves

A

Hollow with cross struts to make them light yet strong

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57
Q

Do birds have teeth?

A

No

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58
Q

Describe the tail of birds

A

Short tail but feather can make it appear long.

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59
Q

Describe the chambers of the heart of Class/Clade Aves

A

4-chambered heart

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60
Q

What is unique about the female gonad in Class/Clade Aves

A

Only the left ovary and oviduct are functional

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61
Q

Where does fertilization occur for class/clade Aves?

A

Internally

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62
Q

Describe the shells of Class/Clade Aves

A

Hard calcareous shells

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63
Q

Describe the blood cells of Class/Clade Aves

A

Nucleated red blood cells

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64
Q

What does heterogametic mean?

A

The gamete can be two different forms (e.g. male mammals have X and Y)

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65
Q

What letters are used to indicate Aves sex chromosomes

A

ZZ (Male)

ZW (Female)

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66
Q

What is the heterogametic sex in Class/Clade Aves?

A

Females:

Eggs can be Z or W

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67
Q

What is the significance of Archaeopteryx?

A

Ancestor of birds that was reptilian (teeth, claws, long bony tail) but also had feathers.

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68
Q

What are four (4) shared traits between modern birds and reptiles?

A
  1. Single occipital condyle
  2. Stapes
  3. 5-6 bones in lower jaw
  4. Waste is concentrated uric acid
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69
Q

Where dinosaur was the likely ancestor of bird?

A

Theropod NOT Pterosaur (e.g. pterodactyl)

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70
Q

What is the consequence of the modern belief that Reptiles and Birds are monophyletic?

A

It places birds in the Reptile clade

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71
Q

What are the two (non-taxonomic) groups of birds?

A
  1. Ratites

2. Carinates

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72
Q

Describe Ratites

A

Large, flightless birds with a flat sternum and weak pectoral muscles

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73
Q

Describe Carinates

A

Flying birds with a keeled sternum that gives a large surface area for flight muscle attachment

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74
Q

What are four (4) examples of ratites?

A
  1. Ostriches
  2. Emus
  3. Rheas
  4. Kiwi
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75
Q

What is the origin of flightless birds?

A

All modern-day birds evolved from flying ancestral birds. Flightless birds lost flight secondarily

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76
Q

What is the most diverse class of vertebrates?

A

Class Mammalia

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77
Q

What is the world’s smallest mammal?

A

Bumblebee bat (aka Kitti’s hog-nosed bat)

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78
Q

What is the world’s largest mammal?

A

Blue whales

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79
Q

Describe the appearance of the earliest mammals

A

Shrew-like

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80
Q

What covers the bodies of mammals?

A

Hair (reduced in some)

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81
Q

What are three types of glands present in mammals?

A
  1. Sweat glands
  2. Scent glands
  3. Sebaceous glands
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82
Q

What is the defining characteristic of mammals?

A

Mammary glands for nursing young (modified sweat glands)

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83
Q

How many occipital condyles attach the skull to the vertebral column in mammals?

A

two

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84
Q

Describe the jaw of mammals

A

A single large bone on each side

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85
Q

What are ossicles?

A

Middle ear bones

86
Q

How many ossicles do mammals have?

A

Three

87
Q

Where are the malleus and incus that are present in mammals derived from?

A

Small bones in the reptilian jaw

88
Q

Describe the blood cells of mammals

A

Anucleate

89
Q

What separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities in mammals?

A

Diaphragm

90
Q

How do mammals regulate their body temperature?

A

Endothermic

91
Q

Describe the fertilization of eggs in mammals?

A

Internal fertilization

92
Q

How many chambers are in the hearts of mammals?

A

4-chambered heart

93
Q

Which sex is the heterogametic sex in mammals?

A

Male (XY)

94
Q

What does heterodont mean?

A

teeth of various types

95
Q

What are four types of teeth present in mammals?

A
  1. Incisors
  2. Cuspids (canines)
  3. Bicuspids (pre-molars)
  4. Molars
96
Q

What is a significantly developed region in the brains of mammals?

A

Large cerebral cortex

97
Q

What are two subclasses of the class mammalia?

A
  1. Prototheria

2. Theria

98
Q

What is an Order in the Subclass Prototheria?

A

Monotremata

99
Q

Describe the monotremata

A

Egg-laying mammals

100
Q

What are two (2) examples of monotremata?

A
  1. Duck-billed platypus

2. Spiny anteaters (echidnas)

101
Q

What are two Infraclasses in the Subclass Theria?

A
  1. Metatheria

2. Eutheria

102
Q

What mammals are contained in the subclass Metatheria?

A

7 orders of pouched mammals.

103
Q

Describe the development of Metatheria young

A

Young raised in the uterus for only a short time; finish development in the pouch.

104
Q

What mammals are contained in the subclass Metatheria?

A

All other orders of mammals that are not egg-laying or pouched.

105
Q

Describe the development of Eutheria young

A

Young develop completely in the uterus connected to the mother by the placenta

106
Q

Define Ecology

A

study of interactions between organisms and with their physical environment

107
Q

What is the hierarchy of ecological investigations from least to most inclusive?

A
  1. Population
  2. Community
  3. Ecosystem
  4. Biomes
108
Q

Define population [Ecology]

A

group of interbreeding members of the same species found in same location

109
Q

Define community [Ecology]

A

interactions among populations of different species (all living)

110
Q

Define Ecosystem [Ecology]

A

interactions between community and its physical environment (living and abiotic)

111
Q

Define Biomes [Ecology]

A

planetary perspective of ecosystem types (e.g. all Deserts in the world)

112
Q

What are three (3) ways to measure Population density?

A
  1. Plot samping
  2. Mark-recapture
  3. Population indices
113
Q

What is population density?

A

Number of individuals per unit of area or volume

114
Q

Describe plot sampling

A

Extrapolating entire range by counting all individuals in a few randomly-selected plots

115
Q

Describe mark-recapture

A

Animals are trapped, marked and released into population. At a later date traps are run again and estimates are made based on numbers of recaptures.

116
Q

What is the formula used for Mark-recapture estimations?

A

(# marked * # captured in second trapping) / #recaptured

117
Q

Describe population indices

A

Counting nests, tracks at scent posts, fecal droppings etc. to get information on population

118
Q

What is dispersion?

A

Spacing of individuals within a population

119
Q

What are three (3) types of dispersion?

A
  1. Clumped (most common)
  2. Uniform
  3. Random (least common)
120
Q

Describe clumped dispersion

A

individuals occur in patches

121
Q

Describe uniform dispersion

A

Individuals are evenly spaced, often the result of competition

122
Q

Describe random dispersion

A

individuals occur in unpredictable patterns

123
Q

What are survivorship curves?

A

relationship showing number of individuals in a cohort alive at each age category

124
Q

What is a cohort?

A

individuals that are the same age

125
Q

What are three types of survivorship?

A
  1. Type I
  2. Type II
  3. Type III
126
Q

Describe Type I survivorship

A

exhibit very little mortality in childhood; death occurs as a result of genetically programmed uniform age of mortality

127
Q

Describe Type II survivorship

A

The mortality rate is constant across all ages

128
Q

Type III survivorship

A

Mortality is extremely high during childhood but at adulthood the life expectancy levels off

129
Q

What is an example of an organism with Type I survivorship

A

Humans in developed countries

130
Q

What is an example of an organism with Type II survivorship

A

Hyrda and Squirrels

131
Q

What is an example of an organism with Type III survivorship

A

Oysters

132
Q

What are three (3) components to a population growth pattern?

A
  1. Intrinsic rate of growth
  2. Carrying capacity
  3. Life history traits
133
Q

What are two (2) curves describing intrinsic rate of growth?

A
  1. Exponential growth curve

2. Biological growth curve

134
Q

Describe an exponential growth curve

A

The number of individuals increases at a constant rate

135
Q

What are examples of species with exponential growth?

A

weeds and insects (no restrictions on population size)

136
Q

Describe a biological growth curve

A

Sigmoid curve with three components:

  1. Establishment phase
  2. Exponential growth
  3. Curve is asymptotic to carrying capacity
137
Q

What is a limiting factor?

A

A factor that causes population growth to decrease

138
Q

What is a density-dependent limiting factor?

A

A limiting factor dependent on population size

139
Q

What is the carrying capacity?

A

Represented by K. The number of individuals at which the population stabilizes.

140
Q

What are life history traits?

A

Strategies by an organism that characterize its use of resources

141
Q

What are two types of life history traits?

A
  1. R-selection

2. K-selection

142
Q

What characterizes R-selection?

A

Favors productivity (having babies)

143
Q

What factors limit population growth for r-selection populations?

A

Density-independent limiting factors (harsh, unpredictable environments)

144
Q

Describe the life spans of r-selection organisms

A

Often less than 1 year

145
Q

Describe the body size of r-selection organisms

A

Small body size

146
Q

When do r-selection organisms reproduce?

A

Early, single-stage reproduction

147
Q

Describe the offspring of r-selection organisms

A

Lots of offspring are produced with low survival

148
Q

Describe the parenting of r-selection organisms

A

Minimal parental care of offspring

149
Q

What characterizes K-selection organisms?

A

favors efficient use of the environment

150
Q

What factors limit population growth for K-selection organisms?

A

Density-dependent limiting factors

151
Q

Describe the life span of K-selection organisms

A

Long-lived individuals

152
Q

Describe the body size of K-selection organisms

A

Relatively large body size

153
Q

When do K-selection organisms reproduce?

A

Delayed and repeated reproduction

154
Q

Describe the parenting of K-selection organisms

A

Young develop slower and there is increased parental care

155
Q

What are two ways Biodiversity is measured?

A
  1. species richness

2. relative abundance

156
Q

What is species richness?

A

the number of species present in a community

157
Q

What is relative abundance

A

The proportional representation of a species in a community

158
Q

What interspecific interaction can be detrimental to both species?

A

Competition

159
Q

What interspecific interaction can be beneficial to both species?

A

Mutualism

160
Q

What are four (4) interspecific interactions that are beneficial to one species and detrimental to the other?

A
  1. Predation
  2. Herbivory
  3. Parasitism
  4. Disease
161
Q

What interspecific interaction has one species that benefits and the other species is unaffected?

A

Commensalism

162
Q

What are two (2) possible results of competition?

A
  1. Competitive Exclusion Principle (Gause’s principle)

2. Resource partitioning

163
Q

Define the competitive exclusion principle

A

Two species with identical ecological niches cannot occupy the same area. One will be more efficient and eliminate the other.

164
Q

Describe resource partitioning

A

Competitive species will undergo character displacement to shift their niches

165
Q

Define character displacement

A

changes in behavior or morphology

166
Q

What are three (3) plant responses to herbivory?

A
  1. Physical barriers
  2. Chemical defenses
  3. Masting
167
Q

What are three (3) types of chemical defenses by a plant?

A
  1. Distasteful
  2. Hormone mimics
  3. Poisonous
168
Q

When are two (2) times a plant may use chemical defenses?

A
  1. Some plants produce chemical defenses that are present at all times.
  2. Others produce chemical defenses after initial attack.
169
Q

What is the downside of producing chemical defenses at all times? [herbivory]

A

Energy intensive and may reduce reproduction

170
Q

What is masting?

A

Producing many seeds so that some offspring will live on.

171
Q

What are two broad categories of animal responses to predation?

A
  1. Active defenses

2. Passive defenses

172
Q

What are three (3) examples of active defense? [predation]

A
  1. Fleeing
  2. Alarm calls for mobbing
  3. Defense posturing
173
Q

What are three (3) types of passive defenses?

A
  1. Cryptic coloration
  2. Aposematic coloration
  3. Batesian mimicry
  4. Mullerian mimicry
174
Q

What is aposematic coloration?

A

Warning colors found in animals that are harmful

175
Q

What is batesian mimicry?

A

The mimic is a harmless, the model uses aposematic coloration.

176
Q

What is Mullerian mimicry?

A

both the mimic and the model are harmful. (many wasps and bees are yellow and black striped)

177
Q

What is a trophic structure?

A

feeding relationship between organisms in a community

178
Q

What is a food chain?

A

Relationship between organisms and their associated trophic level

179
Q

What is a trophic level?

A

Primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer etc.

180
Q

What is the 10% rule?

A

The energy is reduced by a magnitude of ten as it passes from one trophic level to the next.

181
Q

What is the consequence of the 10% rule on food chains?

A

The length of a food chain is limited to a maximum of five levels.

182
Q

What is a food web?

A

A more elaborate food chain that shows an organism at more than one trophic level simultaneously.

183
Q

What is a dominant species in a food web?

A

Species that are very abundant but have a surprisingly small role on the ecology if removed.

184
Q

What is a keystone species in a food web?

A

Less abundant species that exert a much greater impact on the ecology if removed.

185
Q

What is ecological succession?

A

the orderly change in species composition and community structure following an ecological disturbance

186
Q

What are two types of ecological succession?

A
  1. Primary succession

2. Secondary succession

187
Q

Define primary succession

A

Succession in a barren landscape where no soil has formed

188
Q

Define secondary succession

A

Succession in a landscape where the soil still remains although the rest of the community was wiped out

189
Q

How does soil develop in primary succession?

A

(1) Weathering of the rock and (2) organic accumulation of decomposed early colonizers.

190
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

the diversity of species found in a community

191
Q

Where in the world is species richness is the greatest?

A

In the tropics and decreases as one moves toward the polar regions

192
Q

What are two factors that result in the tropics having the greatest species richness?

A
  1. growing season in the tropics is 5 times longer (speciation runs five times faster)
  2. Geographic size
193
Q

What is a species-area curve?

A

A relationship between the area of a habitat and the number of species it can host.

194
Q

Describe the path of energy through an ecosystem

A

Enters ecosystem from the sun, flows through the trophic levels and exits the ecosystem as heat. [Energy flows]

195
Q

What are detritivores?

A

Bacteria, fungi and invertebrates that break down non-living organic material and release the components back into the system for use by plants.

196
Q

What are four (4) processes facilitating the Nitrogen cycle?

A
  1. Nitrogen fixation
  2. decay
  3. nitrification
  4. denitrification
197
Q

Describe nitrogen fixation [Nitrogen cycle]

A

Nitrogen fixing bacteria transform atmospheric N2 to ammonium NH4+

198
Q

Describe nitrification [Nitrogen cycle]

A

Nitrifying bacteria transform NH4+ into nitrites NO2- and nitrates NO3-

199
Q

Describe denitrification [Nitrogen cycle]

A

Denitrifying bacteria transform nitrates NO3- into N2 and release it into atmosphere

200
Q

What is assimilation? [Nitrogen cycle]

A

Plants use nitrates NO3- to make compounds that can be consumed by animals

201
Q

Describe decay

A

Nitrogen passes through the trophic levels and is metabolized by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi into ammonium NH4+

202
Q

What are two measurements of energy production in an Ecosystem?

A
  1. Gross primary production (GPP)

2. Net primary production (NPP)

203
Q

Define Gross primary production

A

The total amount of solar energy that is converted to chemical energy by primary producers

204
Q

Define Net primary production

A

Gross primary production minus the energy used by the primary producers for respiration

205
Q

Which measurement of energy production is available to the next trophic level?

A

Net primary production

206
Q

What is the most productive terrestrial ecosystem?

A

Tropical forests

207
Q

What are three (3) reasons why tropical forests are the most productive terrestrial ecosystem?

A
  1. large surface area
  2. large biomass of primary producers
  3. long growing seasons
208
Q

What is the most productive aquatic ecosystem?

A

Open oceans

209
Q

Why is the open ocean the most productive ecosystem?

A

Its large size

210
Q

What is the most productive aquatic ecosystem per unit area?

A

Estuaries and reefs

Biology (9 decks)

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