The Nature of Communities

Question 1

how are invasive species problematic

Answer 1

they compete with the native species

Question 2

How does one very abundant invasive species influence the other species in the community?

Question 3

communities (def.)

Answer 3

groups oof interacting species that occur together at the same place in time

Question 4

Community (def).

Answer 4

A number of species in a single space

Question 5

What might a physically defined community include?

Answer 5

All species in a sand dune, mountain stream, or desert.

Question 6

What may a Biologically defined community include?

Answer 6

all the species associated with a kelp forest, freshwater bog, or a coral reef

Question 7

Taxonomic affinity

Answer 7

all of a certain animal within a community

Question 8

Functional group

Answer 8

species that function in similar ways

Question 9

trophic level

Answer 9

describe the feeding positions of organisms in ecosystems

Question 10

How can organisms be grouped?

Answer 10

into trophic levels

Question 11

1st trophic level

Answer 11

autotrophs

Question 12

What is another name for auotroph?

Answer 12

producers

Question 13

second trophic level

Answer 13

herbivores that consume autotrophs, also include detritivores that consume dead organic matter

Question 14

3rd trophic levels

Answer 14

Carnivores that consume animals from the level below

Question 15

dead organisms and feces are consumed by organisms called

Answer 15

detritivores

Question 16

Decomposition

Answer 16

the breakdown of nutrients in decaying matter.

Question 17

Species diversity

Answer 17

combines species richness and species evenness

Question 18

Species richness

Answer 18

the number of species in a community

Question 19

Species evenness

Answer 19

relative abundance compared with one another

Question 20

Species accumulation curve

Answer 20

species richness plotted as a function of total number of individuals counted

Question 21

Direct interaction

Answer 21

between two species

Question 22

Indirect interactions

Answer 22

The relationship between two species is mediated by a third (or more) species.

Question 23

trophic cascade

Answer 23

carnivore eats an herbivore (a direct negative effect on the herbivore)

Question 24

trophic facilitation

Answer 24

A consumer is indirectly facilitated by a positive interaction between its prey and another species.

Question 25

another name for dominant species

Answer 25

foundation species

Question 26

keystone species

Answer 26

a species that has strong effects because of their role in a community