Unit 2 Vocab Terms

Question 1

Species

Answer 1

A group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in terms of size, shape and behavior

Question 2

Species Richness

Answer 2

Number of species in a given area

Question 3

Species Evenness

Answer 3

A relative portion of individuals within the different species in a given area (numerically dominated by one species or not)

Question 4

Phylogeny

Answer 4

Branching pattern of evolutionary relationships

Question 5

Evolution by Natural Selection

Answer 5

The environment determines which individuals survive and reproduce

Question 6

Fitness

Answer 6

Individuals ability to survive and reproduce

Question 7

Adaptation

Answer 7

Improves individuals fitness

Question 8

Gene Flow

Answer 8

Moving from one population to another and altering the genetic composition of both populations

Question 9

Genetic Drift

Answer 9

Change in the genetic composition of a population overtime as a result of random mating

Question 10

Bottleneck Effect

Answer 10

Reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by size reduction

Question 11

Founder Effect

Answer 11

Change in genetic composition of a population as a result of descending from a smaller number of colonizing individuals

Question 12

Sympatric Speciation

Answer 12

When one species splits into two species without geographic isolation

Question 13

Polyploidy

Answer 13

The number of chromosomes increases (3 or 4)

Question 14

Rapid Evolution

Answer 14

Natural Selection

Question 15

Slow Evolution

Answer 15

Artificial Selection

Question 16

Ecological Tolerance

Answer 16

The suite of abiotic conditions under which a species can survive, grow and reproduce

Question 17

Realized Niche

Answer 17

Range of abiotic and biotic factors under which a species actually lives

Question 18

Mass Extiction

Answer 18

When large numbers of animals go extinct in a very short amount of time

Question 19

Periodic Disruptions

Answer 19

Occur regularly like day and night or the moon and the ocean tides

Question 20

Episodic Disruptions

Answer 20

Occur somewhat regularly like high and low rain every 5-10 years

Question 21

Random Disruptions

Answer 21

Occur with no regular pattern like hurricanes and volcanic eruptions

Question 22

Resistance

Answer 22

The measure of how much a disruption can affect the flows of energy and matter

Question 23

Resilience

Answer 23

The rate at which an ecosystem returns to it’s original state after a disruption

Question 24

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Answer 24

Ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance will favor a higher level of diversity of species that those with high or low Disturbance levels

Question 25

Ecosystem Services

Answer 25

The process by which life-supporting resources (fisheries and timber) are produced

Question 26

Provisions

Answer 26

A good produced by an ecosystem that humans can use directly (Pacific Yew Tree = anticancer drug)

Question 27

Regulating Services

Answer 27

Carbon Emissions

Question 28

Ecological Succession

Answer 28

The predictable replacement of one group of species by another overtime

Question 29

Primary Succession

Answer 29

Occurs on surfaces of bare rock and no soil

Question 30

Pioneer Species

Answer 30

Species that can survive with little or no soil (algae)

Question 31

Secondary Succession

Answer 31

Occurs in areas that have been disturbed but have not lost soil

Question 32

Climax Community

Answer 32

The final stage of succession

Question 33

Indicator Species

Answer 33

Species that demonstrate a particular characteristic of an ecosystem

Question 34

Keystone Species

Answer 34

Species that are not very abundant but has very large effects on an ecological community