Exam 1 Flashcards
(16 cards)
Scientific method
- make an observation
- form a hypothesis
- come up with an experiment to test hypothesis
- collect data
- analyze data and draw a conclusion
- determine if hypothesis is supported
- re-evaluate hypothesis if needed
Define environmental science
A branch of biology that deals with the relationship between organisms and their environment
Define an ecosystem
Community of different species and their abiotic environment where energy flows and matter cycles
What’s an autotroph and heterotroph
Autotrophs can produce their own food from substances available in their surroundings using light or chemical reactions
-heterotrophs rely on other organisms for nutrition
What’s a trophic cascade
A cause of the addition or removal of predators or prey in a population. Can cause drastic changes in an ecosystem.
What is competition
When two or more organisms are competing for the same resources which usually has a negative impact on both.
What is a niche
A set of all environmental conditions under which a species can survive
What is niche partitioning
When competing species use the environment differently in a way that helps them coexist. It helps with competition because they would be living in different habitats and possibly having different food sources
Define evolution
Change in genetic composition over time
What is biodiversity
The variation of species that occupy an area or ecosystem
Why should we protect biodiversity
As biodiversity increases, so does ecosystem stability. Which is key to having a healthy ecosystem
Species richness vs species eveness
Richness is how many species there are in an area where evenness is who equal the relative number of species there are
Why do we have so many species on earth
Evolution has caused the large abundance. There have been many variations that have been able to form
What factors lead to increase and decrease of biodiversity
Increase: rich environments with abundant resources, environments with slight variations from year to year
Decrease: loss of land, invasive species, pollution
What evidence is there for evolution
Things like progression in fossil records, vestigial organs, and similar anatomy over varied species all show evidence in favor for evolution
What’s an exotic species and why do they take over areas
An exotic species is a species introduced to somewhere outside of its native range. They can be intentionally introduced or by accident. They can take over areas because there usually are no native predators.
