Unit 2: Community Ecology

Question 1

Community Ecology

Answer 1

Interspecific or intraspecific interations of a population in a given area

Question 2

What are the two types of competition?

Answer 2

• Resource
• Interference

Question 3

Resource Competition

Answer 3

Organisms compete indirectly through consumption of a limited resource

Question 4

Interference Competition

Answer 4

Individuals interact directly with one another by physical force or intimidation

Question 5

Ecological Niche

Answer 5

Sum of a species’ use of the biotic and abiotic resources in its environment

Question 6

In the Competitive Exclusion Principle, two species cannot occupy what?

Answer 6

Same ecological niche

Question 7

Fundamental Niche

Answer 7

Full niche of a species

Example: cheetahs can live in both shaded and unshaded areas of the savanna

Question 8

Realized Niche

Answer 8

Portion of the fundamental niche that is actually fulfilled

Example: competition from lions forces cheetahs to live in unshaded portion

Question 9

Resource Partitioning

Answer 9

Division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition in an ecological niche

Question 10

Within character displacement, what is the main difference between allopatric and sympatric populations?

Answer 10

Allopatric populations are related species that are geographically separate, whereas sympatric populations are related species that are geographically overlapping

Question 11

True or False: predation is when a predator kills a prey and the interaction is only beneficial for the predator

Answer 11

True

Question 12

Green World Hypothesis

Answer 12

Terrestrial herbivores consume less than 17% of the total net primary production of plants. This is checked by predation, parasitism, and disease.
Plants have developed defense that protects themselves, and are also nutrient-poor.

Question 13

Name the six types of prey defenses.

Answer 13

• Batesian and Mullerian
• Mimicry
• Coloration
• Intimidation
• Weaponry
• Schooling

Question 14

Batesian Defenses

Answer 14

a species develops the same coloration as a species that is poisonous/distasteful

Question 15

Mullerian Defenses

Answer 15

two unrelated species adapt to look like one another

Question 16

What are the three types of symbiotic relationships?

Answer 16

• Mutualism
• Commensalism
• Parasitism

Question 17

What are the three types of parasites?

Answer 17

• Ectoparasites
• Endoparasites
• Parasitoidism

Question 18

Ectoparasites

Answer 18

parasites that live outside the host

Question 19

Endoparasites

Answer 19

parasites that livewithin the host

Question 20

Parasitoidism

Answer 20

parasites that lay eggs on or inside the host

Question 21

Coevolution

Answer 21

Mutual evolutionary influence between two species in which the evolution of two species is totally dependent on one another

Question 22

Species Richness

Answer 22

Total number of different species

Question 23

Relative Abundance

Answer 23

Proportion each species represents

Question 24

What does the Shannon Diversity Index measure, and what is the range?

Answer 24

Species Diversity; usually falls between 1.5 and 3.5

Question 25

Dominant Species

Answer 25

species that is most abundant

Question 26

Keystone Species

Answer 26

Species that are most influential

Question 27

Foundation Species

Answer 27

species that allow other species to inhabit a given area

Question 28

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Answer 28

Moderate disturbances can create opportunities for greater species diversity

Question 29

Primary Ecological Succession

Answer 29

Succession that begins in an almost lifeless area where soil has been removed by volcanic eruptions, glaciers, floods, or landslides

Question 30

Secondary Ecological Succession

Answer 30

Succession that begins in areas where a disturbance has removed some or all of the organisms but left the soil intact

Question 31

What three things happen during an ecological succession?

Answer 31

Facilitation - early stages and promotes other species by improving the area Tolerance - does not hinder or promote Inhibition - some species prevent others