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Ecology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

biosphere

A

Place where life exists on Earth.

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2
Q

biome

A

Area defined by location and types of plants and animals.

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3
Q

ecosystem

A

Part of the biosphere containing biotic and abiotic factors.

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4
Q

community

A

All of the interacting populations in an ecosystem.

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5
Q

population

A

Group of individuals in the same species.

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6
Q

niche

A

Organisms’ home or habitat.

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7
Q

individual

A

An organism.

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8
Q

tundra

A

Ground freezes, permafrost, little life, cold.

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9
Q

taiga

A

Coniferous trees (pines), winter is cold, ice thaws

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10
Q

temperate deciduous forests

A

Warm summers, cold winters, and moderate precipitation. Deciduous trees (oak) and small mammals.

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11
Q

savannas/grasslands

A

Grass, big climate changes, prairies, interiors

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12
Q

chaparral

A

Scrubs, usually dry

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13
Q

tropical rain forest

A

High temp and rainfall, tall trees form a canopy, stratified, diverse, many species

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14
Q

deserts

A

Usually hot and dry, few plants or animals.

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15
Q

photic zone

A

Top of aquatic biome, where photosynthesis occurs.

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16
Q

aphotic zone

A

Zone with no light.

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17
Q

aquatic biomes

A

freshwater, marine, and estuary.

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18
Q

intertidal zone

A

Where tides come in and out.

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19
Q

neritic zone

A

Low tide to the edge of the open sea (algae, lobsters, crabs, smaller fish).

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20
Q

open-sea zone (pelagic)

A

Far out ocean, deep, huge amounts of phytoplankton.

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21
Q

benthic realm

A

Ocean floor, little life, bottom dwellers, some fish.

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22
Q

estuary

A

Boundary of salt and fresh water, marshes, coast, fish nesting ground.

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23
Q

biotic potential

A

Maximum growth rate of a population under ideal conditions.

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24
Q

biotic potential factors

A

Age at reproductive maturity, clutch size, frequency of reproduction, reproductive lifetime, and survivorship.

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25
Q

carrying capacity

A

The number of individuals that can be sustained by a habitat.

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26
Q

limiting factors

A

Factors that prevent a population from obtaining its biotic potential.

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27
Q

density-dependent

A

Limiting factors that influence population because of size; for example, food, space, disease.

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28
Q

density-independent

A

Limiting factors that influence population independent of the density; for example, natural disasters and climate.

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29
Q

exponential growth

A

Ideal, unregulated, unlimited growth. Makes a J-shaped curve on graph (e.g. bacteria).

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30
Q

logistic growth

A

Limiting factors restrict the population size to its carrying capacity in this type of growth, which causes an S-shaped curve.

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31
Q

r-selected species

A

Rapid growth, quickly reproduce, then die (many offspring, small, no parent care).

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32
Q

K-selected species

A

Population size remains constant (constant number of offspring, extensive parental care; e.g. humans).

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33
Q

symbiosis

A

Species that live together during a portion of their lives.

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34
Q

mutualism

A

Both species benefit in this type of symbiosis; e.g. lichen or acadia tree and ants. Positive/positive relationship.

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35
Q

commensalism

A

One species benefits, the other is unaffected. (e.g. barnacle). Positive/neutral relationship.

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36
Q

parasitism

A

Type of symbiosis in which a parasite harms a host. (e.g. tapeworm). Negative/positive relationship.

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37
Q

climax community

A

The community that has replaced a previous community of another species.

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38
Q

pioneer species

A

Plants and animals that are first to colonize an area.

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39
Q

trophic levels

A

Groups of organisms that reflect their main energy source.

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40
Q

primary producers

A

Autotrophs who convert sun into chemical energy.

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41
Q

primary consumers

A

Herbivores that eat primary producers.

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42
Q

secondary consumers

A

First-degree carnivores that eat primary consumers.

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43
Q

tertiary consumers

A

Second-degree carnivores that eat secondary consumers.

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44
Q

detritivores

A

Decomposers that obtain energy by consuming dead organisms.

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45
Q

ecological efficiency

A

The amount of energy at one trophic level that is transferred to the next level (10%).

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46
Q

food chain

A

Chart of who eats whom.

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47
Q

food web

A

Expanded, more complete version of a food chain, showing interactions of all the major plants and animals in the ecosystem.

48
Q

coevolution

A

Evolution of one species in response to new adaptations that appear in another species.

49
Q

camouflage

A

Color, pattern, shape, or behavior that enables an animal to blend in with its surroundings.

50
Q

warning coloration

A

Warns predators that the strangely-colored animal will sting, bite, taste bad, etc.

51
Q

mimicry

A

When species resemble one another.

52
Q

biogeochemical cycles

A

Flow of elements from the environment to living things and back.

53
Q

water cycle

A

(Aka hydrologic cycle) Water that has been evaporated or transpired flows into the land.

54
Q

carbon cycle

A

Carbon from CO2, C6H12O6, and fossil fuels gets used by plants and animals, and then is released as CO2 or burned.

55
Q

nitrogen cycle

A

Nitrogen from air goes into soil, is fixed into NH3, and goes back into the air.

56
Q

nitrogen fixation

A

N2 to NH4+ by bacteria (in soil and roots).

57
Q

nitrification

A

NH4+ to NO2 and NO3 by bacteria.

58
Q

denitrification

A

Bacteria change NO3 and NO2 back to N2.

59
Q

phosphorus cycle

A

Erosion of rocks puts phosphorus in water and soil. Plants absorb it and it is then released when they die and decompose.

60
Q

animal behavior

A

Ridley’s “Nature vs. Nurture”; what an how an animal does something based on genes and environment.

61
Q

greenhouse effect

A

When fossil fuels are burned and forests burned, increases CO2, thus more heat is trapped in the atmosphere, resulting in a rise in global temperature as well as possibly raising the sea level by melting polar ice caps.

62
Q

ozone depletion

A

Ozone absorbs UV radiation and prevents it from reaching the surface of the earth where it would damage the DNA of organisms. CFCs in aerosols break down ozone.

63
Q

acid rain

A

Burning of fossil fuels releases pollutants that contain SO2 and NO2. These react with water and produce sulfuric and nitric acid, killing plants and animals.

64
Q

predation

A

When a predator hunts its prey for food.

65
Q

biomass

A

The amount of living matter on the planet.

66
Q

Ecosystems

A

All the living and non-living things that interect in an area.

67
Q

Biotic Factors

A

Living things in an ecosystem

68
Q

Abiotic Factors

A

Non-living factors including temperature, water, sunlight, wind, rocks and soil

69
Q

Levels of ecological organization

A

Groups of organisms at progressive levels

70
Q

Organisms

A

Any living thing

71
Q

Species

A

Taxonomic group whose members can interbreed

72
Q

Population

A

A group of organisms of the same species populating a given area

73
Q

Communities

A

Different populations that live together in a defined area

74
Q

Habitats

A

Places where animals or plants naturally live and grow

75
Q

Invasive Species

A

Species that enter new ecosystems and multiply, harming native species and their habitats

76
Q

Symbiosis

A

The relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent

77
Q

Mutualism

A

A close relationship; both species benefit

78
Q

Commensalism

A

A close relationship; one species benefits, the other doesn’t benefit but isn’t harmed

79
Q

Parasitism

A

A close relationship; one species benefits, the other is harmed

80
Q

Potential Niche

A

The entire range of resource opportunities an organism is potentially able to occupy within an ecostystem

81
Q

Fundamental Niche

A

Niche where an organism is actually able to live

82
Q

Photosynthesis

A

Autotrophs convert light energy into chemical energy

83
Q

Producer

A

Organism that can make their own food

84
Q

Consumer

A

Organisms that take in food material and are above producers on the energy pyramid

85
Q

Herbivores

A

Consumers that eat only plants

86
Q

Carnivores

A

Consumers that eat only animals

87
Q

Omnivores

A

A consumer that eats both plants and animals

88
Q

Decomposers

A

organisms that break down wastes and dead organisms and return raw materials to the environment

89
Q

Cellular Respiration

A

Process that releases energy by breaking down food molecules in the presence of oxygen:

90
Q

Food Chain

A

A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten User-

91
Q

Food Web

A

Shows how food chains are related within an ecosystem

92
Q

Trophic Level

A

Organism in a food chain that represents a feeding step in the passage of energy and materials through an ecosystem

93
Q

Carbon Cycle

A

The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again

94
Q

Nitrogen Cycle

A

The cycle in which nitrogen gas is changed into forms of nitrogen that plants can use

95
Q

Phosphorus Cycle

A

The process by which phosphorus is recycled in the ecosystem

96
Q

Ecological Succession

A

The gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established

97
Q

Primary Succession

A

The series of changes that occur in an area where no ecosystem previously existed

98
Q

Secondary Succession

A

The series of changes that occur after a disturbance of an existing ecosystem

99
Q

Pioneer Species

A

The first species to live in an area of primary succession

100
Q

Climax Community

A

A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time.

101
Q

Growth Rate

A

Rate of increase or decrease of a population

102
Q

Generation Time

A

Average time between one generation of offspring and the next

103
Q

Exponential Growth

A

Occurs when the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate

104
Q

Carrying Capacity

A

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

105
Q

Competition

A

Interaction in which two or more species use the same limited resource

106
Q

Limiting Resource

A

A short supply of resources restricting the growth of a population

107
Q

Reproductive Potential

A

Rate at which a specices can increase population

108
Q

Tundra

A

Cold and largely treeless across northern North America

109
Q

Permafrost

A

Permanently frozen layer of soil under the surface

110
Q

Tropical Forest

A

Near the equator

111
Q

Temperate Forest

A

Distinct seasons and moderate climate

112
Q

Temperate Deciduous Forest

A

Trees lose their leaves in fall and regrow in spring

113
Q

Taiga

A

A forested biome dominated by coniferous trees

114
Q

Grasslands

A

Prairies, steppes, pampas, veldts; near the equator, characterized by treeless areas and tall grasses.

115
Q

Desert

A

Rainfall less than 9.9 inches per year

Ecology (1 decks)

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