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Flashcards in Ecology Test Deck (99)
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0
Q

biotic factors

A

all the living thins that affect an ecosystem

1
Q

Ecology

A

study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment

2
Q

abiotic factors

A

non-living things that affect an ecosystem

3
Q

population

A

group of same species that breed and live in the same area

4
Q

community

A

all the different living populations in the same area

5
Q

ecosystem

A

all the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors in an area

6
Q

biome

A

environment defined by it’s limate and the biological communities

7
Q

biosphere

A

the Earth

8
Q

producers

A

organisms that make thier own energy (autotrophic)

9
Q

consumers

A

organisms that consume other living things for energy (heterotrophic)

10
Q

herbivore

A

consumer tjat eats plants

11
Q

carnivore

A

consumers that eats animmals

12
Q

omnivore

A

consumer that eats both plants and animals

13
Q

decompposer

A

consumer that breaks down living/dead organic matter

14
Q

detritivore

A

consumer that eats decaying organi matter and feces

15
Q

trophic level

A

energy level or step in a food chain/web

16
Q

succession

A

series of preditable changes in a community over time

17
Q

symbiosis

A

two organisms living together in a close relationship

18
Q

mutualism

A

symbiosis in which both organisms benefit

19
Q

commensalism

A

symbiosis in which one organism benefits and the other gets no benefit and is not harmed either

20
Q

Parasitism

A

symbiosis in which one organism benefits (parasite) and one is harmed (host). The parasite usually livres in or on the host

21
Q

Predation

A

when one organism kills and eats another

22
Q

competition

A

occurs two individuals try to use the same resource at the same time and place

23
Q

interspecific competition

A

competition between 2 members of different species

24
Q

intraspecific competition

A

competition between 2 members of the same species

25
Q

niche

A

an organisms way of life and role in an ecosystem. includes all the biotic ad abiotic factors that a specific organism needs to live

26
Q

immigration

A

occurs when individuals move IN to a population

27
Q

emigration

A

occurs when individuals lrave/move OUT of a population

28
Q

exponential growth

A

“J-Curve”- very fast, non linear growth

29
Q

Logistic growth

A

“S-Curve” very fast growth followed by stable population

30
Q

carrying capacity

A

hightest number of individuals that an ecosystem can support

31
Q

limiting factor

A

anything causing a population to stop growing/decrease in size

32
Q

density dependent

A

limiting factor that depends on population size and density

33
Q

densitty independent

A

limiting factor that affects popuulations eqully regardless of sizer or density

34
Q

What are the ecological levels of organization from smallest to largest?

A

individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

35
Q

What is an energy pyramid

A

shiows the energy available at each trophic level

36
Q

What is a biomass pyramid

A

shows the amount of living matter at each trophic level

37
Q

What is the pyramid of numbers?

A

shows numbers of living thins at each trophic level

38
Q

What is primary succession

A

occurs in areas where there is no soil. Pioneer species are the first to arrive and begin to break down rock into soil.

39
Q

What is secondary succession?

A

occurs in an area where there has been a disturbance or change in the ecosystem and the soil is still intact

40
Q

What is fundamental niche?

A

the full range of conditions an organism can live in

41
Q

What is a realized niche?

A

the conditions in which an organism is actually found in nature

42
Q

WHat is the competitive exclusion principle??

A

states that no two species can occupy the same niche

43
Q

WHat are the four factors that affect population growth?

A

birth ratem death rate, immigration, and emigration

44
Q

What is dynamic equilibrium?

A

the interaction between predator and prey, where the population sizes cycle back and forth in reaction to each other

45
Q

What way does energy flow in an ecosystem?

A

Energy flows in only one direction from lowest (trophic level) to the highest (trophic level)

46
Q

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

A

Only 10%

47
Q

What flows through an ecosystem Ina circular cycle?

A

Nutrients (such as carbon, water, and nitrogen) NOT energy

48
Q

What makes up the lowest trophic level Ina food chain or web?

A

Producers

49
Q

What makes up all the trophic levels beyond the lowest level in a food chain or web?

A

Consumers

50
Q

Each step in the food chain is a different….

A

Trophic level

51
Q

Who (in the food chain) get their energy from the sun?

A

Producers

52
Q

What do consumers depend on for energy?

A

Lower trophic levels

53
Q

What are the three types of ecological pyramids?

A

Energy pyramid
Biomass pyramid
Pyramid of numbers

54
Q

What is an energy pyramid?

A

It shows the energy available at each trophic level

55
Q

What is a biomass pyramid?

A

It shows the amount of living matter at each trophic level

56
Q

What is the pyramid of numbers?

A

It shows the number of living things at each trophic level

57
Q

What is a biome?

A

Biomes are environmental and geographical regions defined by their climate and biological communities.

58
Q

What are the ten biomes you studies in class?

A

Tropical rain forest, desert, chaparral, temperate grassland, tropical savannah, temperate deciduous forest, northwestern coniferous forest, boreal forest/taiga, tundra, and estuaries (biotic biome)

59
Q

What are the two types of ecological succession you discussed?

A

Primary succession and secondary succession

60
Q

What is an example of primary succession?

A

After a glacier melts or volcano erupts, the first species to arrive and break down rock into soil

61
Q

What’s an example of secondary succession?

A

Forest fires, natural disasters, land clearing, McCrephys field-areas where there has been a disturbance or change in ecosystem and soil is intact

62
Q

Which is more common, primary or secondary succession?

A

Secondary succession is more common and leads to a stable climax community

63
Q

What is a symbiotic relationship?

A

Symbiotic relationships occur when two species live together Ina close relationship often to the benefit of both or one or the other.

64
Q

What are the three types of symbiotic relationships?

A

Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism

65
Q

In mutualism, who benefits? Organism A or B?

A

Both

66
Q

In commensalism, who benefits?

A

Organism A benefits, organism B is neutral

67
Q

In parasitism, who benefits?

A

Organism a benefits and organism B is harmed.

68
Q

When does “competition” occur?

A

Competition occurs when two organism try to use the se resource at the same time and place.

69
Q

What are the two types of competition?

A

IntERspecific and intRAspecific

70
Q

What is interspecific competition?

A

Competition between 2 members of the different species

71
Q

What is intraspecific competition?

A

Competition between members of the same species

72
Q

What is predation?

A

It occurs when one organism kills and eats another

73
Q

What is a predator?

A

An organism that kills and eats another organism

74
Q

What is prey?

A

An organism which is eaten by another (predator)

75
Q

What is a niche?

A

An organisms role/job and way of life in an ecosystem

76
Q

What is included i an ecological niche?

A

Everything an organism does or needs to live

77
Q

What is an example of an ecological niche?

A

What it eats, predators, when/how it reproduces, what biome it lives I, what habitat it lives in, what climate it lives in

78
Q

What are the two types of niches?

A

Fundamental niche and realized niche

79
Q

What is a fundamental niche?

A

The full range of conditions an organism can live in.

80
Q

What is included Ina fundamental niche?

A

Anywhere an organism could live, anything it could eat or do etc

81
Q

What is a realized niche?

A

The conditions in which an organism is actually found in nature.

82
Q

Which is smaller, a realized or fundamental niche?

A

A realized niche is smaller due to competition .

83
Q

What does the competitive exclusion principle state?

A

That no two species can occupy the same niche.

84
Q

What for factors affect population growth?

A

Birth rate
Death rate
Immigration
Emigration

85
Q

What ate the two TYPES of population growth?

A

Exponential growth

Logistic growth

86
Q

What is exponential growth?

A

J curve= Very fast growth, occurs when resources are abundant

87
Q

What is logistic growth?

A

S curve=fast growth followed by a plateau. ( this is what population growth tends to look like in nature)

88
Q

What is carrying capacity?

A

Describes the maximum number of individuals that an ecosystem can support

89
Q

What limits (or makes smaller) carrying capacity?

A

Limiting factors

90
Q

What are limiting factors?

A

They are things that cause a population to stop growing or et smaller. There are two types.

91
Q

What are the two types of limiting factors?

A

Density-dependent

Densîty-independant

92
Q

What does density-dependent mean?

A

A type of limiting factor affected by population size and density. Has greater affect on large/dense populations . Are usually biotic factors.

93
Q

What does density-independent mean?

A

A limiting factor not affected by population size/density. These affect all size/density populations equally. usually abiotic factors.

94
Q

What are some biotic factors?

A

Competition, predation, disease

95
Q

What are some abiotic factors?

A

Natural disasters, weather

96
Q

What is dynamic equilibrium?

A

The interaction between predator and prey where the population sizes cycle back and forth in reaction to each other.

97
Q

What does hare and lynx graph show?

A

1.Predators cause the population of prey to decrease
2. When population of prey falls, predictor population then decreases
3. This decrease in predators causes prey population to rise back up
4. When population of prey increases again, predator population increases again.
An example of dynamic equilibrium

98
Q

What are the ecological levels of organization from smallest to largest?

A

Starting after Individual>Population>Community>Ecosystem>Biome>Biosphere