Ecology Flashcards
God its me again, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (117 cards)
1
Q
What is Ecology?
A
How living things inside a space interact with their environment includes abiotic and biotic factors
2
Q
What are abiotic factors?
A
Non-living components
3
Q
What are biotic factors?
A
Living components
4
Q
What are the levels of ecology?
A
organismal, population, community, and ecosystem
5
Q
What are conspecifics?
A
members in the same species
6
Q
What are heterospecifics?
A
multiple different species
7
Q
What is in an ecosystem?
A
all living and non-living things
8
Q
What is biogeography?
A
study of geographic distribution of living things and abiotic factors that affect it
9
Q
What are endemic species?
A
Species that only exists in a specific location (like the Tasmanian Devil or Giant Galapagos Tortoise)
10
Q
What are generalist species?
A
Species found all over (like cockroaches, rats, raccoons)
11
Q
What are the three distribution patterns?
A
random, cluster, and uniform
12
Q
How does energy availability affect organisms?
A
It changes how animals interact with their environment and can drive plant growth strategies.
13
Q
What is ocean upwelling?
A
Cold winds cause surface water to sink and bring nutrients up from deeper layers.
14
Q
What is lake turnover?
A
Seasonal changes that mix water, bringing nutrients and oxygen to surface and bottom layers.
15
Q
Why do some plants have rapid growth?
A
To capture available nutrients, light, and space before other competitors can establish themselves
16
Q
How does temperature affect organisms?
A
It influences distribution and active time.
17
Q
What is hibernation?
A
Deep sleep to conserve energy in cold seasons.
18
Q
What is brumation?
A
Reptilian version of hibernation, low-energy but not sleep.
19
Q
What is estivation?
A
Dormancy during hot, dry periods. Animals burrow themselves and go into low energy mode to prevent producing too much body heat.
20
Q
What is migration?
A
Seasonal movement of animals.
21
Q
What are the eight other factors that can affect organisms?
A
water
nutrients
oxygen
wind
fire
net primary productivity
above ground biomass
annual biomass production
22
Q
What is net primary productivity?
A
energy that remains in organisms after metabolic processes
23
Q
What is above ground biomass?
A
biomass produced above ground
24
Q
What is annual biomass production?
A
biomass produced throughout the year
25
What are the eight terrestrial biomes?
tropical wet forest (tropical rainforest)
savanna
subtropical desert
chaparral (scrub forest)
temperate grassland
temperate forest
boreal forest
arctic tundra
26
Where are tropical wet forests found?
equatorial regions
27
What is the vegetation in tropical wet forests?
plants with broad leaves that fall and are replaced throughout the year, no seasonal loss of leaves
28
What is the temperature range of tropical wet forests?
68F-93F (higher temperatures year round)
29
What is the annual rainfall range of tropical wet forests?
50-200 in (high and very consisent rain)
30
What is the net primary productivity rate in tropical wet forests?
highest
31
Where are savannas found? 3
africa, south america, and northern australia
32
What is the vegetation in savannas?
grassland with scattered trees
33
What is the temperature range of savannas?
75F-84F (higher temps)
34
What is the annual rainfall of savannas?
3.9-15.7 in (have a dry and wet season)
35
What is the net primary productivity rate in savannas?
high
36
Where are subtropical deserts found?
between 15 North and 30 South latitudes, centered on tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
37
What is the vegetation in subtropical deserts?
drought-tolerant plants like cacti, shrubs, and succulents
38
What is the temperature range in subtropical deserts?
they experience wide swings from the day and night. surface temps can get up to 140F in the day and can get freezing at night
39
What is the annual rainfall in subtropical deserts?
its very dry, very very dry.
40
What is the net primary productivity rate in subtropical deserts?
low
41
Where are chaparral (scrub forests) found?
california, along the mediterranean sea and southern coast of australia
42
What is the vegetation in chaparral (scrub forest)?
shrubs and some trees, all adapted to fire
43
What is the temperature range in chaparral (scrub forests)?
30F-100F (colder in winter and warmer in summer)
44
What is the annual rainfall in chaparral (scrub forests)?
25.6-29.5 (lower, most rain falls in the winter and summers are dry)
45
What is the net primary productivity rate of chaparral (scrub forests)?
high
46
Where are temperate grasslands (prairies) found?
central north america and eurasia
47
What is the vegetation in temperate grasslands (prairies)?
Dominated by grasses with trees around rivers/streams. Adapted to fire
48
What is the temperature range of temperate grasslands (prairies)?
-40F-100F (large fluctuations in summer/winter months)
49
What is the annual rainfall in temperate grasslands (prairies)?
9.8-29.5 (moderate, rainfall is common in late spring/ early summer and recieve rainfall as snow in the winter)
50
What is the net primary productivity rate in temperate grasslands (prairies)?
high
51
Where are temperate forests found?
North america, western europe, eastern asia, chile, new zealand; mid-latitude regions
52
What is the vegetation in temperate forests?
deciduous trees with seasonal leaf loss which creates leaf litter
53
What is the temperature range in the temperate forests?
-22F-86F (mild and warm in summer, cold in winter)
54
What is the annual rainfall in the temperate forests?
29.5-59 in (regularly recieve rain)
55
What is the net primary productivity rates in temperate forests?
high
56
Where are boreal forests (taiga or coniferous forests) found?
south of the arctic circle, across canada, alaska, russia, and northern europe
57
What is the vegetation in boreal forests (taiga or coniferous forests)?
dominated by evergreen conifers
58
What is the temperate range in boreal forests (taiga or coniferous forests)?
-65F-86F
59
What is the annual rainfall in boreal forests (taiga or coniferous forests)?
15.7-39 in
60
What is the net primary productivity rate in boreal forests (taiga or coniferous forests)?
medium
61
Where are arctic tundras found?
arctic regions of northern hemisphere
62
What is the vegetation in arctic tundras?
lichens and shrubs dominate, soil may be permafrost
63
What is the temperature range in arctic tundras?
-29.2F-44F
64
What is the annual rainfall in arctic tundras?
6-10 in
65
What is the net primary productivity rate in arctic tundras?
low
66
What abiotic factors affect aquatic biomes?
oxygen, chemistry (pH and available nutrients), light
67
What are the three types of marine biomes?
ocean, coral reef, estuary
68
What are the three types of freshwater biomes
lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, wetlands
69
What is an intertidal zone?
the "beach", shoreline area that is alternately exposed and submerged by tides
70
What is the neritic zone?
The shallow coastal region just beyond the beach with water depths up to about 60 feet
71
What is the pelagic zone?
the entire open ocean, from surface to the ocean floor
72
What is the photic zone?
The top layer of the pelagic zone where sunlight penetrates
73
What is the aphotic zone?
The middle layer of the pelagic zone with little to no sunlight, extreme pressure, low temperatures, and darkness
74
What is the abyssal zone?
The deepest part of the ocean, below 4000 meters, near-freezing temperatures, complete darkness, and immense pressure
75
Where are coral reefs found?
In the photic zone, typically within ±30° of the equator.
76
What are coral reefs made of?
Ocean ridges built by marine invertebrates (like corals).
77
Why are coral reefs important?
They are home to the most marine life, offering high biodiversity.
78
What is an estuary?
A region where freshwater from rivers meets the ocean, forming brackish water.
79
What is brackish water?
A mix of freshwater and saltwater found in estuaries.
80
Why are estuaries ecologically important?
They are protected areas where many animals spawn.
81
How do tides affect estuaries?
They cause frequent changes in water level and salinity.
82
What are halophytes?
Plants adapted to survive in high salt concentrations, often found in estuaries.
83
Do lakes and ponds have moving water?
No, the water is still and does not move significantly.
84
Are lakes and ponds open or enclosed systems?
They are fully enclosed bodies of freshwater.
85
What defines rivers and streams?
They are continuously moving bodies of freshwater.
86
What is the headwater of a river or stream?
The source or starting point where the water comes from.
87
Where do rivers and streams usually flow?
Toward lakes or oceans.
88
Can algal blooms occur in rivers and streams?
Yes, algal blooms can happen in both freshwater and marine environments, including rivers.
89
What defines a wetland?
An area where soil is permanently or periodically saturated with water.
90
Are wetlands deep or shallow bodies of water?
Shallow only.
91
What is emergent vegetation?
Plants rooted in underwater soil that grow upward to reach sunlight for photosynthesis.
92
What are the types of wetlands?
Marshes, swamps, bogs, mudflats, and sea marshes.
93
What are the shared characteristics of all wetlands?
Hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils.
94
What is fecundity?
An individual’s reproductive potential—basically, how fertile it is.
95
What is carrying capacity (K)?
The maximum number of individuals a given area can sustainably support.
96
What is density-dependent regulation?
A population control mechanism where growth slows as population size increases due to factors like competition and predation.
97
What environments do K-selected species thrive in?
Stable, predictable environments where they live close to carrying capacity.
98
What environments do R-selected species thrive in?
Unstable, unpredictable environments where they live far from carrying capacity.
99
What are key characteristics of K-selected species? 6
Mature late
Greater longevity
Increased parental care
Increased competition
Fewer offspring
Larger offspring
100
What are key characteristics of R-selected species? 6
Mature early
Lower longevity
Decreased parental care
Decreased competition
More offspring
Smaller offspring
101
How do predator-prey dynamics work?
As prey populations grow, predator numbers increase due to more available food. This leads to a decline in prey, which then causes predator numbers to decrease due to food scarcity. As predators decline, prey populations recover—restarting the cycle.
102
What is camouflage in ecology?
A defense mechanism where animals blend into their environment to avoid predators.
103
What is aposematism?
Bright coloration that warns predators an animal is toxic or dangerous (e.g., poison dart frogs).
104
What is Batesian mimicry?
When a harmless species mimics a harmful one to avoid predators.
105
What is Müllerian mimicry?
When two harmful species share similar warning signals to reinforce predator avoidance.
106
What is Emsleyan/Mertensian mimicry?
When a dangerous species mimics a harmless one (e.g., coral snake mimicking a non-venomous snake like the scarlet king snake).
107
What is the competitive exclusion principle?
Two species cannot coexist in the same niche indefinitely—one will outcompete the other for limited resources.
108
What is commensalism?
A relationship where one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
109
What is mutualism?
A relationship where both species benefit.
110
What is parasitism?
A relationship where one species benefits (the parasite) and the other is harmed (the host).
111
What is a foundation species?
A species that plays a major role in shaping an ecosystem; if removed, the ecosystem collapses.
112
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment and is essential for maintaining biodiversity.
113
What is species richness?
The number of different species in a particular area.
114
What is relative species abundance?
A measure of how common or rare each species is relative to others in a community.
115
What is primary succession?
The formation of an ecosystem in an area where no previous life existed (e.g., after a volcanic eruption).
116
What is a pioneer species?
The first species to colonize new or disturbed environments.
117
What is secondary succession?
The regrowth of an ecosystem after a disturbance that didn’t destroy all life or soil (e.g., after a fire or flood).
