Unit Twelve - Ecology, Human Impact, NYS and 4 State Labs Flashcards
(40 cards)
1
Q
Definition of Ecosystem
A
A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
2
Q
Definition of Biome
A
A large geographic area characterized by specific climate, plants, and animals
3
Q
Definition of Producer
A
An organism, like plants or algae, that creates its own food through photosynthesis
4
Q
Definition of Primary Consumer
A
An organism that eats producers, typically herbivores.
5
Q
Definition of Secondary Consumer
A
An organism that eats primary consumers, usually carnivores or omnivores.
6
Q
Definition of Tertiary Consumer
A
An organism that eats secondary consumers, often top predators.
7
Q
Definition of Limiting Factors
A
Environmental condition that restrict population growth
Ex: Food, Water, Space
8
Q
Definition of Carrying Capacity
A
Max. Num. of organisms an env. can support
9
Q
How does energy relate to the feeding level? (4)
A
- As E moves thru each feeding level
- Amount of E decreases by factor of 10
- Lost E is transformed as heat
- Explains why predators must eat a lot more
10
Q
Definition of Abiotic Factors
A
Non-living component that influence the survival of organisms
Ex: Food, Water, Space
11
Q
Definition of Biotic Factors
A
Living component that influence the survival of organisms
Ex: Food, Water, Space
12
Q
Definition of Density - Independent Factors
A
Impact populations equally, no matter the size
Ex: Natural Disasters
13
Q
What are the four components of each graph? (5)
A
- Exponential Growth
- Overshoot
- Decline
- Recovery
- Carrying Capacity
14
Q
Definition of Overshoot
A
When a population exceeds the environment’s carrying capacity, leading to resource depletion and eventual decline of the population
15
Q
Definition of Ecological Succession (4)
A
- Natural Process - Ecosystems Change over Time
- Gradual replacement of community of organisms
- New species interact and modify their environment
- Leads to a Climax Community - Stable ecosystem
16
Q
Definition of Climax Community (2)
A
- Final, stable stage of ecological succession
- Ecosystem reaches equilibrium & remains unchanged unless disrupted by external forces
17
Q
What are the different types of succession? (2)
A
- Primary Succession
- Secondary Succession
18
Q
Definition of Pioneer Organism (3)
A
- First to colonize ecosystem
- Adaptable, Modifies Environment, Fast Reproduction
- Breakdown bare rock & forms first layer of soil
19
Q
Definition of Primary Succession (4)
A
- Newly formed ecosystem
- No Soil/Soil Removed
- PS break bare rock to form 1st layer of soil
- Volcanic Islands/Retreating Glaciers/Tsunamis
20
Q
Definition of Secondary Succession
A
- Ecosystem was disturbed
- Soil remains/left behind
- After a wildfire/flood
21
Q
How is climax community reached once a new ecosystem is formed?
A
- Organisms succeed each other
- Lichen & Algae - Pioneer Organisms
- Grasses establish once soil forms
- Conifers then thrive in early forests
- Deciduous Trees form mature forests in temperate regions
- Leads to the climax community
22
Q
What has been the impact of human exponential growth? (3)
A
- Drainage of Resources
- Loss of Biodiversity
- Global Climate Change
23
Q
What causes climate change? (3)
A
- Global Tempe Rise: Increased heat melts ice caps, causing sea levels to rise & extreme weather shifts
- Deforestation: Reducing trees lowers CO₂ absorption, increasing atmospheric levels, and burning of trees is a combustion rxn that releases CO2
- Burning Fossil Fuels: Coal, oil, & gas combustion releases CO₂
24
Q
Definition of Biodiversity (4)
A
- More Biodiversity = More Stability in an Ecosystem
- Less likely to collapse if one species declines bc other species can compensate for lost function
- Ecosystems w/ low diversity take longer to recover from environmental changes
- Allows ecosystems to better survive a catastrophic environmental event
25
What causes loss of biodiversity? (4)
1. Habitat destruction leads to the extinction of many species
2. Invasive species thrive and outcompete keystone species
3. Overhunting & Poaching
4. Habitat destruction, invasive species and overhunting causes endangered species
26
Definiton of Keystone Species (3)
- Maintains balance ecosystem
- If removed, devestating result in overpopulation or extinction
- Alter habitats, forcing migration or die
27
What is the role of decomposers? (4)
- Break down dead material
- Releasing & recycling lost nutrients into the soil
- Supporting plant growth
- w/o D, waste would accumulate, and nutrients won't be recycled
28
Definition of the Greenhouse Effect (4)
1. Sunlight reaches Earth
2. Some is absorbed & some radiates back as heat
3. Greenhouse gases traps this heat
4. Warming the atmosphere
29
What is the result of increasing the overall temperature of Earth? (3)
- Melting of icecaps, increasing sea levels
- Habitats change too quickly, species cannot adapt at that rate (mass extinction!)
- Extreme weather (heatwaves/droughts/hurricanes) increases in frequency & intensity
30
Definition of Ecological Footprint (3)
- Amount of landed needed to support one person
- Land must produce and maintain enough food, water, shelter, enervy & waste
- Factors that affect size: Amount of resource use & toxicity of waste produced
31
What causes ozone depletion? (Cause, Negative Effect, What Can be Done)
Cause: CFC's from plastics and refrigerants
Negative effect: more skin cancer and cataracts
What can be done: use materials which are CFC free
32
What can be done for global warming?
Carpool, recycle, plant trees
33
What can be done for loss biodiversity?
Enforce laws on hunting, quarantine for pests and education
34
Definition of Gel Electrophoresis (11)
1. DNA Fragments are separated by size
2. Allows us to observe different sized fragments
3. Gel (agarose) is placed in a gel box filled w/ buffer solution
4. DNA are loaded into wells (small depressions) at one end of the gel
5. Electric field is applied across gel
6. One end of gel is negative and other end is positive
7. DNA is negative (bc of phosphate backbone)
8. So, DNA moves towards positive end of the field
9. Smaller Fragments move faster & further thru gel pores
10. Larger Fragments move slower and do not travel as far
11. Later, molecules are sep.by size, forming distinct bands in gel
35
What were all of the tests used in the Relationships & Biodiversity lab? (7)
- Structural Characteristics of Plants
- Structural Characteristics of Seeds
- Structural Characteristics of Stems
- Paper Chromatography to Separate Plant Pigments
- Indicator Test for Enzyme M
- Gel Electrophoresis (Simulated) to Compare DNA
- Translating the DNA Code to Make a Protein
36
What concepts can be concluded from the Relationships & Biodiversity lab? (4)
- Endangered species should be protected because they may offer benefits to humans
- Scientists uses a variety of evidence to determine evolutionary relationships
- Best evidence is in genetic sequence, as many things can look structurally similar
- Gel electrophoresis separates DNA fragments
(Negatively charged DNA molecules migrate toward positively charged pole)
(Smaller molecules migrate more rapidly through the gel than larger ones)
37
What are restriction enzymes and how do they apply to gel electrophoresis? (3)
- Proteins that cut DNA at specific sequences
- Enzyme cuts dna between C and G to produce different sized portions of DNA
- This creates a unique sample of lengths in DNA (because locations and number of times C and G are located next to each other is very specific to the DNA)
38
How were the four components of natural selection simulated in the Beak of Finches lab? (4)
- Variation – different beaks, different size seeds
- Competition – more than one bird feeding at one bowl
- Struggle for survival – each bird trying to get enough food to survive
- Adaptation – particular characteristics of "beaks"
39
What is the analysis behind the diffusion lab? (8)
- Glucose and starch indicator may pass through the membrane
- Starch is too big to diffuse through the membrane and must be broken down
- CM, CW and Cytoplasm of the cell can be seen under the microscope
- A THIN layer of onion cell and a cover slip must be placed on top (by an angle)
- CM pulls away from the CW of a plant when placed in a 10% salt solution
- Hypotonic solutions make plant cells crisp bc CW prevents further expansion
- Freshwater organisms must manage excess water entering their cells
- Saltwater organisms have the opposite issue, needing to reclaim lost water.
40
What is the analysis behind "Making Connections" lab? (4)
- Organ systems interact to maintain homeostasis during exercise
- Respiratory takes in O2, and transported to cells via circulatory
- As cells use O2 at a higher rate, increased HR helps deliver O2 to cells more quickly
- As cells produce CO2 at a higher rate, there is CO2 buildup in the blood, changing its pH, so an increased BR allows more exhalation of CO2
