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Biology - Module 6 > Populations + sustainability > Flashcards

Populations + sustainability Flashcards

(61 cards)

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1
Q

carrying capacity

A

maximum stable population size of a species that an ecosystem can support

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2
Q

why is carrying capacity a thing

A

all individuals have potential to reproduce + grow population

BUT - abiotic + biotic factors that prevent every individual in a population from reaching adulthood and reproducing

Ensure population size limited – why no single population dominates earth

Except humans – overcome many abiotic / biotic factors

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3
Q

Environmental resistance

A

combined effects of limiting factors that prevent the further increase of a population

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4
Q

Types of limiting factors

A

Density dependent

Density independent

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5
Q

Density dependent

A

Factors that affect pop. the more they increase in size e.g resources, predators, intra and inter spp comp.

These limiting factors place the carrying capacity on population size

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6
Q

Density independent

A

Factors that affect the the same proportion of the population regardless of size

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7
Q

Abiotic factors affecting population size

A
  • Light availability
  • Water supply
  • Water mineral content
  • Temperature
  • Amount of space available
  • Soil pH
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8
Q

Biotic factors

A
  • Interspecific competition
  • Intraspecific competition
  • Predation
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9
Q

growth curve

A
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10
Q

describe growth curve

A
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11
Q

Types of strategists

A

k and r

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12
Q

K selection

A

Offspring have a high prob of survival

Heavy parental care and nurturing

Larger organisms

Much lower reproductive rate

Young are altricial, longer lifespans and have
overlapping generations

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13
Q

Altricial

A

Born in an undeveloped state and requiring care and feeding by the parents

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14
Q

R selection

A

Produce many low effort organisms

Species grow rapidly

Found in less competitive and low quality environments

Young are precocial

High of mortality so start reproducing earlier

Non overlapping generations, shorter lifespans

Boom and bust (cyclical)

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15
Q

Precocial

A

Born in an advanced state and able to feed itself almost immediately

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16
Q

Interspecific competition

A

between different species

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17
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

between members of the same species

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18
Q

Interspecific mechanism

A

Compete for same resource

Reduce availability to both species

If one is better adapted – outcompete the other

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19
Q

Competitive exclusion principle

A

where two species are competing for limited resource the better adapted one / the one that uses the resources more effectively will eliminate the other

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20
Q

example of interspecific competition

A

introduction of the grey squirrel into the southern UK caused the native red squirrel to be outcompeted for food and shelter

grey squirrel also carries a disease, parapoxvirus, that is harmless to itself but can be fatal to the red squirrel

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21
Q

intraspecific competition mechanism - 3 stages

A
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22
Q

effects of competition

A

competitive exclusion

resource partitioning

character displacement

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23
Q

competitive exclusion

A

two organisms occupy similar niches – competition

One species slightly better adapted to compete than the other

other species could starve or not find a habitat

second species would then move to find a different niche

possibly evolve over generations to adapt to its new niche

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24
Q

resource partitioning

A

A particular resource eg. a fruit tree is divided up (partitioned) to satisfy the needs of different feeders

The fruit may be grazed by one species, the leaves by another

The two species are not competing directly for the fruit tree but coexisting on different parts of it

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25
character displacement
Closely related species that inhabit the same geographical region and occupy similar niches differentiate in order to minimise niche overlap and avoid competitive exclusion
26
predation mechanism
Stage 1 – increase in prey population provides more food for predators + more to survive + reproduce Results in an increase in the predator population Stage 2 – increased predator population eats more prey Decline in the prey population Stage 3 – reduced prey population no longer supports predators . intraspecific competition occurs for food Decrease in predator population Stage 4 – reduced predator population result in less of the prey population being killed. More survive + reproduce Increase prey population – cycle repeats
27
predator-prey graph
28
Sustainability
the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its biodiversity + productivity over time despite humans deriving their needs from natural resources
29
Conservation
Active management of ecosystems by humans to maintain biodiversity Involves management of ecosystem so that natural resources can be used sustainably involves reclamation
30
Reclamation
Process of restoring ecosystems that have been damaged
31
Preservation
Protection of an area by restricting / banning human interference Ecosystem kept in original state Focuses on eliminating any human effects on ecosystems
32
types of reasons for conserving
economic social ethical ecological
33
economic
Ecotourism – major source of income Provide resources that human need to survive + provide income Medicinal drugs / clothes / food / timber
34
ethical
Many people believe we should not have right to decide which organisms survive Moral duty for future generations to conserve ecosystems
35
social
Natural beauty of wild ecosystem Use for activities beneficial to health – walking / climbing
36
ecological
more diverse ecosystem is better able to survive and adapt to environmental changes or threats keystone species
37
sustainable resource
renewable resource that is being economically exploited in a such a way that it will not run out
38
aims of sustainability
preserve environment ensure resources available to future generation enable less economically developed countries to develop
39
small scale timber production
coppicing rotational coppicing pollarding
40
coppicing
tree trunk cut close to ground more shoots form from cut + mature eventually shoots are cut + more shoots are produced shoots – used for fencing
41
rotational coppicing
woodland divided into sections trees only cut in 1 section until all have been coppiced then starts in another area
42
advantages for rotational coppicing
Light is still able to reach forest floor as tress never grow tall enough –> increasing diversity of species not blocking light - control succession (deflection - plagioclimax) - maintains biodiveristy allows time for newly coppice trees to grow quick
43
disadvantages of coppicing
can be eaten by herbivores
44
pollarding
similar to coppicing trees cut 2-3m above grand
45
advantages of pollarding
herbivores less likely to reach + consume new shoots
46
disadvantage of pollarding
less new shoots forming
47
large scale timber production
felling
48
felling
burning / cutting down large areas of forest selective cutting
49
disadvantages of felling
felled trees wont regrow habitats destroyed soil minerals reduced bare soil can be eroded
50
management of fishing
international agreements made about number of fish that can be caught – fishing quotas use of nets with larger mesh sizes – immature fish can escape – allow breeding to occur limiting the size of the fishing fleet by issuing licenses commercial / residential fishing only at certain times of year – prevent loss of wild species = protect breeding season = allows fish levels to increase back to sustainable level fish farming - sell larger fish + keep smaller ones and let reproduce - maintain protein supply - prevent loss of wild species
51
Why is preservation not enough to maintain biodiversity
Preservation only keeps the environment as it is If the ecosystem has already decreased preservation doesn’t prevent further loss Takes active intervention
52
masai mara
- ecotourism - conservation projects safari tours - provides funding for black rhino conservation project locals as park rangers - provided more jobs
53
ecotourism
sustainable tourism focused on observing natural environment that supports conservation efforts and the local people
54
ecotourism in masai mara
- supports conservation efforts - takes the needs of the locals into account - doesnt explot biodiveristy - balance between needs of local people and local wildlife
55
advantages of conservation - masai mara
helps protect biodiversity stops rare plants and animals becoming extinct deters poachers local people employed
56
terai region
sustainle forestry management sustainable agriculture - local forest cover has increased - local people employed and no longer exploiting ecosystem - biodiveristy protected multiple cropping introduced to reduce monoculture fruit and veg grown near mountains to prevent damage to forest
57
peat bogs
area of land formed from acidic and waterlogged soil important habitat for unique ecosystem carbon sink prevent flooding
58
conserve peat bogs
removing trees so water isnt lost controlled grazing - maintains biodiversity ditch blockinh - allows water to drain in
59
galapagos
national parks park rangers controlled migration
60
antartica
visiting heavily restricted managing tourism preventing hunting of whales
61
snowdonia / lake district
national park created park rangers hired

Biology - Module 6 (6 decks)

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