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Biol 3400 MTSU Walck > Ecology Exam 1 > Flashcards

Ecology Exam 1 Flashcards

(79 cards)

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1
Q

Individual

A

The most fundamental unit of ecology

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2
Q

Species

A

Individuals that are capable of interbreeding or share genetic similarity

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3
Q

Population

A

Individuals of the same species living in a particular area

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4
Q

Community

A

Populations living together in a particular area

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5
Q

Ecosystem

A

One or more communities of living organisms interacting with their nonliving physical and Chemical environments

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6
Q

Biosphere

A

All ecosystems on earth

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7
Q

First law of thermodynamics

A

Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can change form

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8
Q

Natural selection

A

Fitness dictates future phenotype

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9
Q

Protists

A

Eukaryotes that include Protozoa, algae, and slime molds

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10
Q

Producers

A

Or autotrophs convert chemical energy into resources

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11
Q

Consumers

A

Or heterotrophs obtain their energy from other organisms

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12
Q

Mixotrophs

A

Can switch between being producers and consumers

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13
Q

Scavengers

A

Consume dead animals

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14
Q

Detritivores

A

Break down dead organic matter

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15
Q

Decomposers

A

Break down detritus into simpler elements

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16
Q

Predation

A

When an organism kills and consumes an individual

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17
Q

Parasitism

A

When one organism lives in or on another organism

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18
Q

Herbivory

A

When one organism consumes producers

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19
Q

Competition

A

When two organisms have a negative effect on each other

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20
Q

Mutualism

A

When two species benefit from each other

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21
Q

Commensalism

A

When two species has one receive benefit from the other while one is unaffected

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22
Q

Habitat

A

The place or physical setting where an organism lives

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23
Q

Niche

A

The range of conditions an organism can tolerate

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24
Q

Manipulative experiments

A

Where a hypothesis is tested by altering a factor hypothesized to be the cause of a phenomenon

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25
Treatment
The factor that we want to manipulate in a study
26
Control
A treatment that includes all aspects of an experiment except the factor of interest
27
Greenhouse gases
Compounds in atmosphere that absorb infrared heat energy then emit some back
28
Viscosity
The thickness of a fluid that causes objects to encounter resistance
29
Saturation
The upper limit of solubility in water
30
Acidity
The concentration of H+ ions in a solution
31
Low pH is
Acidic
32
High pH is
Basic
33
Acid rain
Sulfur and nitrogen dioxide emitted by smokestacks
34
Solutes
Dissolved substances in water
35
Semipermeable membranes
Membranes that allow only particular molecules to pass through
36
Osmosis
Movement of water across a semipermeable membrane
37
Osmotic potential
The force with which a solution attracts water by osmosis
38
Osmoregulation
Mechanisms organisms use to maintain a proper solute balance
39
Countercurrent circulation
Where blood and water flow in opposite directions so O2 concentration is greater in water than blood
40
Anaerobic environment
An environment devoid of oxygen
41
Thermophilic
Heat-loving (bacteria)
42
Thermal pollution
Changing the temperature of an environment with human discharges
43
Thermal optima
The range of temperatures in which an organism best performs
44
Glycerol and glycoproteins
Chemicals that prevent freezing by reducing strength of hydrogen bonds or via supercooling
45
Isozymes
Different forms of an enzyme that catalyze a reaction
46
Ecology
The scientific study of the abundance and distribution of organisms in relation to other organisms and environmental conditions
47
water potential
a measure of waters potential energy
48
matrix potential
the potential energy generated by the attractive forces between water molecules and soil particles
49
field capacity
the maximum amount of water held by soil against gravity
50
wilting point
the point plants cant extract more water
51
salinization
the process of repeated irrigation that causes increased soil salinity
52
cohesion
the mutual attraction of water molecules
53
root pressure
when osmotic potential in the roots of a plant draws in water
54
transpiration
the process by which leaves can generate water potential as water evaporates from leaves
55
cohesion-tension theory
the mechanism of water movement from roots to leaves due to water cohesion and water tension
56
stomata
small openings on leaf surfaces bordered by guard cells that open and close it
57
electromagnetic radiation
energy from the sun in photons
58
chloroplasts
specialized cell organelles found in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms
59
photosynthesis
process of combining CO2, H2O and solar energy to produce glucose
60
homeostasis
an organisms ability to maintain constant internal conditions
61
radiation
the emission of electromagnetic energy
62
conduction
the transfer of the kinetic energy of heat between substances that are in contact
63
convection
the transfer of heat by movement of liquids and gases
64
body size and heat
volume increases faster than surface area; large animals lose and gain heat less rapidly than small animals
65
thermoregulation
the ability of an organism to control the temperature of its body
66
homeotherms
organisms that maintain constant temperature
67
poikilotherms
organisms that do not have constant body temperatures
68
ectotherms
organisms with body temperatures determined by their external environment
69
endotherms
organisms that can generate metabolic heat to raise body temperature higher than the external environment
70
weather
the variation in temperature and precipitation over periods of hours or days
71
climate
the typical atmospheric conditions that occur through the year
72
phenotypic plasticity
the ability of a single genotype to produce multiple phenotypes
73
acclimation
environmentally induced change in an individuals psychology
74
microhabitats
locations within a habitat that differ in environmental conditions from the rest of the habitat
75
dormancy
condition in which organisms dramatically reduce their metabolic processes
76
diapause
involves a partial or complete physiological shutdown in response to unfavorable conditions
77
hibernation
individuals reduce the energetic costs of being active by lowering heart rate and decreasing body temperatures
78
torpor
a brief period of dormancy
79
aestivation
shutting down of metabolic processes during summer in hot or dry conditions

Biol 3400 MTSU Walck (8 decks)

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