Ecology and Ecosystems

Question 1

the study of interactions of organisms with each other and with their environment

Answer 1

ecology

Question 2

Three Basic Parts of Ecology

Answer 2

Interactions, organisms, environment

Question 3

any attribute of the surroundings of an organism with which it interacts in any way.

Answer 3

environment

Question 4

all living organisms in an area and their interactions with their abiotic environment

Answer 4

ecosystem

Question 5

understand the distribution and abundance of living things in the physical environment

Answer 5

goal of ecology

Question 6

how energy flows through them; minerals, such as nutrients, are reused over and over.

Answer 6

important aspects of ecosystems

Question 7

consists of the physical characteristics of the area.

Answer 7

abiotic environment

Question 8

composed of the resident organisms

Answer 8

biotic environment

Question 9

_________ of the energy entering the system is lost as heat from one trophic level to the next.

Answer 9

90%

Question 10

light energy is trapped and converted to chemical energy

Answer 10

photosynthesis

Question 11

Photosynthesis equation

Answer 11

Solar Energy + Carbon Dioxide + Water —-> Carbohydrate + Oxygen

Question 12

What can convert solar energy into usable chemical energy

Answer 12

photosynthetic organisms or producers

Question 13

Who can use solar energy?

Answer 13

Producers can convert solar energy into chemical energy.

Question 14

Who makes food for abiotic environments?

Answer 14

Producers/Autotrophs

Question 15

energy cannot be created or destroyed; however, it can be converted into different forms (light, chemicals)

Answer 15

First Law of Thermodynamics

Question 16

How does the first law influence energy use and the availability within an ecosystem?

Answer 16

Organisms use energy to remain organized and carry out life activities. Taking in energy and caring out life processes require changes in the form of energy. When the form of energy changes, some energy is lost.

Question 17

When energy is transferred, some of the energy is lost as heat.

Answer 17

Second Law of Thermodynamic:

Question 18

How does the second law influence energy used and the availability within an ecosystem?

Answer 18

The transformation of other forms of energy into heat constitutes a net increase in the randomness of the universe.

Question 19

90% of the energy entering the system (sunlight - carbohydrates) is lost as heat from one trophic level to the next. Only 10% of the energy in a lower trophic level is transferred to the next. The higher trophic levels don’t get as much energy so there are less of them because there isn’t enough to support viable populations.

Answer 19

Energy Flow

Question 20

5 common elements associated with organic molecules:

Answer 20

Carbon
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus

Question 21

Relationship between energy flow and nutrient cycling

Answer 21

Energy flows directionally through ecosystems, entering as sunlight (inorganic molecules for chemoautotrophs) and leaving as heat during the many transfers between tropic levels.
The matter that makes up living organisms is conserved and recycled.

Question 22

Geological processes (weathering, erosion, water drainage, and subduction of continental plates)

Answer 22

recycling of materials

Question 23

What drives biogeochemical cycles?

Answer 23

Energy Flow

Question 24

the recycling of inorganic matter between living organisms and their environment.

Answer 24

Biogeochemical Cycles

Question 25

convert solar energy into useable chemical energy, photosynthesis organisms.

Answer 25

Producers

Question 26

Produce their own food from inorganic materials.

Answer 26

Autotroph

Question 27

break down waste or dead organic matter. Fungi and bacteria.

Answer 27

Decomposer/detritivores

Question 28

Organisms that do need to consume other organisms in order to gain energy.

Answer 28

Consumer/Heterotroph

Question 29

linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass.

Answer 29

food chain

Question 30

Plants, Algae, Phytoplankton

Answer 30

Primary Producers

Question 31

organisms that feed directly on producers.

Answer 31

Primary Consumers

Question 32

organisms that feed on primary consumers.

Answer 32

Secondary Consumers

Question 33

carnivores that eat other carnivores.

Answer 33

Tertiary Consumers

Question 34

organisms at the top of the food chain.

Answer 34

Apex Consumers

Question 35

How much energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?

Answer 35

10%

Question 36

the total amount of energy that primary producers can pass to the second trophic level.

Answer 36

Net Primary Productivity

Question 37

Producers can use some of this energy for their own ______________ and ______________, and also use some to produce __________________ _____________ that they accumulate.

Answer 37

maintenance, metabolism, organic compounds

Question 38

NPP is measure in

Answer 38

Biomass

Question 39

An indirect measure of the amount of energy that was used to produce tissue

Answer 39

Biomass

Question 40

composed of organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.

Answer 40

Trophic Level

Question 41

How many tropic levels can a species be assigned to?

Answer 41

one or more.

Question 42

a graphic representation of a holistic, non-linear web of primary producers, primary consumers, and higher-level consumers used to describe ecosystem structure and dynamics. Interactions between different species and their complex interconnected relationships with each other and the environment.

Answer 42

Food Webs

Question 43

are more flexible for analytical modeling, easier to follow, and are easier to experiment with.

Answer 43

Food Chains

Question 44

linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass

Answer 44

Food Chain

Question 45

accurately represent ecosystem structure and dynamics, and data can be directly used as input for simulating modeling.

Answer 45

Food web models

Question 46

NPP 1912

Answer 46

Grassland

Question 47

NPP 550

Answer 47

Tundra

Question 48

NPP 3059

Answer 48

Forest

Question 49

NPP 271.5

Answer 49

Desert

Question 50

NPP 1912, 585, 7648

Answer 50

Water Provinces

Question 51

all organisms of one species living in the same area

Answer 51

Population

Question 52

a group of organisms of a single species inhabiting the same geographic area.

Answer 52

Population Ecology

Question 53

how many individuals of different age groups are in the population? – can lead to differences in present and future growth rates of populations.

Answer 53

Age Structure

Question 54

% of female to males – for the population to grow quickly, there must be more females than males.

Answer 54

Sex Ratio

Question 55

are individuals randomly dispersed or do they live in groups? Are groups small and dispersed or large and concentrated?

Answer 55

Population Distribution

Question 56

Population Size (N)

Answer 56

number of individuals currently in the population

Question 57

Number of Births (B)

Answer 57

number of individuals born into the population

Question 58

Number of Deaths (D)

Answer 58

number of individuals who die in the population.

Question 59

Per Capita Growth Rate (r)

Answer 59

a measure of how much each individual in the population changes the population size.

Question 60

Population Size Equation

Answer 60

r = B-D/N

Question 61

if something is increasing quickly, the quantity present gets larger faster with each increment of time.

Answer 61

Exponential growth

Question 62

Exponential Growth Curve Shape

Answer 62

J Shaped Growth Curve

Question 63

Exponential Growth Circumstances

Answer 63

Populations grow like this if they have unlimited resources. The population growth (G = the number of organisms added in each reproductive generation) is increasing at a greater and greater rate.

Question 64

Equation for calculating future population size

Answer 64

population size in the future = population size now + change in population size

Question 65

Exponential Growth Equation

Answer 65

G (population growth) =r (B-D) N (population size) G=rN

Question 66

r = 0 r > 0 r < 0

Answer 66

Unchanged Increasing Decreasing

Question 67

population size that represents the maximum population size that a particular environment can support.

Answer 67

Carrying Capacity (K)

Question 68

How K limits population growth

Answer 68

If a population is at the maximum population size, then there can’t be anymore that are added to this population. There aren’t enough recourses to keep those additional organisms alive. Mathematical sanitization of the realities of famine, disease, and other causes of death.

Question 69

Logistic Population Growth Curve Shape

Answer 69

S Shaped Curve

Question 70

Logistic Population Growth

Answer 70

growth rate slows as it approaches carrying capacity.

Question 71

Logistic Population Growth Circumstances

Answer 71

When resources are limited. When the number of individuals gets large enough, resources will be depleted, slowing the growth rate.

Question 72

Logistical Population Growth Equation

Answer 72

G = rN * ((K – N) / K)

Question 73

When N is very small, (K-n)/K is closer to

Answer 73

K/K or 1

Question 74

Affect all individuals the same, no matter what the population size.

Answer 74

Density-Independent Factors

Question 75

Affect individuals differently depending on population size.

Answer 75

Density-Dependent Factors

Question 76

Density-Independent Factors Influence

Answer 76

All of the individuals are receiving the same factors no matter the population size, which allowed them to grow exponentially.

Question 77

Density-Dependent Factors Influence

Answer 77

Some individuals are more dependent on these resources which makes it difficult for the population size to grow.

Question 78

Why is human population growth look to be exponential and the implications of this for the future population?

Answer 78

It is taking less time to add a particular number of humans to the Earth. We are increasing rapidly. Because humans are increasing rapidly, people are worried that the ability of the earth’s environment to sustain this population will end up having potential risks of famine, disease, and large-scale death.

Question 79

a group of species that are commonly found together.

Answer 79

Ecological Community

Question 80

how species interact with each other and what processes determine the patterns of species coexistence, diversity, and distribution.

Answer 80

Community Ecology

Question 81

all populations of all species interacting within a particular environment.

Answer 81

Community

Question 82

Two factors that describe a community

Answer 82

Composition and Diversity

Question 83

Richness: How many different species? Evenness: How many individuals are in each population?

Answer 83

Diversity

Question 84

What species are present?

Answer 84

Composition

Question 85

interactions that occur between the population of the different species.

Answer 85

Interspecific Interactions

Question 86

interactions that occur between the population of the same species.

Answer 86

Intraspecific Interactions

Question 87

one species is benefited (+) and one species is neither harmed or benefited (O) (Remoras: + Sharks: O)

Answer 87

Commensalism

Question 88

both species benefited (+,+) (Termites: + Non-Woody Vascular Plants: +)

Answer 88

Mutualism

Question 89

both species are harmed (-,-) (Myrtle Warbler: - Cap May Warbler: -)

Answer 89

Competition

Question 90

One species benefited (+) and one species harmed (-) (Cat: + Mouse: -)

Answer 90

Predation

Question 91

parasite benefit (+) and host are harmed (-)

Answer 91

Parasitism

Question 92

one individual harmed (-) and the other isn’t harmed or benefited (O

Answer 92

Amensalism

Question 93

the subdivision of some category of similar resources.

Answer 93

Resource Partitioning

Question 94

Resource partitioning can reduce competition because

Answer 94

it allows organisms to realize that they have to share the resources with others. There has to be a carrying compacity so that there are enough resources for all of the organisms.

Question 95

the reciprocal genetic charge over time of two or more interacting species and it can take many forms.

Answer 95

Coevolution

Question 96

Examples of Coevolution

Answer 96

Predator/Pray Bats vs Frogs Frogs use songs to attract female frogs. One song (simple song) keeps the frogs safe from the bats, but it doesn’t attract as many females. The other song (sexy song) makes the frogs at risk from the bats, but it attracts more females.

Question 97

developmental process of communities.

Answer 97

Succession

Question 98

the process that occurs in an area that begins with no living organisms.

Answer 98

Primary Succession

Question 99

Examples of Primary Succession

Answer 99

newly created volcanic island or bare rock exposed after the retreat of glaciers.

Question 100

existing ecological communities are distributed and then allowed to return to their original state

Answer 100

Secondary Succession

Question 101

Examples of Secondary Succession

Answer 101

fires, human activities