APES TEST 2

Primary Succession

The process of recreating a climax community after a disturbance that removes all vegetation and soil, such as glacial retreat or lava flow.

Secondary Succession

The process of recreating a climax community after a disturbance that removes all the vegetation but leaves the soil intact, such as a forest fire or hurricane.

Pioneer Species

First organisms to colonize an area after a disturbance, typically tolerant of poor soil fertility, e.g., lichens and mosses.

Late Successional Species

Species that appear later in the succession process, such as Beech, Maple, and Hickory trees.

Species Richness

The number of different species living in an ecosystem.

Species Evenness

How similar the distribution of individuals is among various species in an ecosystem.

Island Biogeography

The study of ecological relationships and distribution of organisms on islands, and of community structures.

Biodiversity of Large Islands

Large islands tend to support more species diversity than smaller islands due to greater habitat diversity.

Biodiversity of Nearby Islands

Islands that are closer to species sources tend to have more species diversity than distant islands.

Extinction Conditions

Factors that can lead to extinction include lack of a favorable environment to move to and rapid environmental changes.

High Biodiversity Biomes

Wetlands and tropical rainforests are examples of terrestrial biomes with high biodiversity.

Low Biodiversity Biomes

Deserts and tundras are examples of terrestrial biomes with low biodiversity.

Selective Pressure

Environmental conditions that kill individuals without the adaptation, influencing the survival and reproduction of a population.

Bottleneck Effect

A reduction in genetic diversity of a population caused by a dramatic reduction in its size.

Provisioning Services

Ecosystem services that provide goods humans can use directly, such as food, water, and timber.

Regulating Services

Natural ecosystems help regulate environmental conditions, like forests removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Cultural Services

Ecosystem services related to the aesthetic beauty of environments and intellectual gains in studying them.

Supporting Services

Ecosystem services that include pollination of crops and natural pest control.

Effects of Low Genetic Diversity

Can cause genetic abnormalities in a population, as opposed to high genetic diversity where mutations can be bred out.

Range of Tolerance

The range of environmental conditions within which an organism can survive and thrive, between the upper and lower limits.

Selective Pressure (Evolutionary Force)

An evolutionary force that influences survival and reproduction, leading to natural selection and adaptations.

Keystone Species

An organism that plays a crucial role in the survival of other species in its ecosystem, maintaining the ecosystem's structure.

Lichens

An example of a pioneer species in primary succession that helps in soil formation.

Algae

An example of a pioneer species in aquatic environments.

Beech Trees

A type of late successional species that appears after primary or secondary succession.

Maple Trees

Another example of a late successional species found in temperate forests.

Hickory Trees

A late successional species that contributes to the development of mature ecosystems.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living environmental factors (like temperature and pH) that affect organism survival and distribution.

Succession

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

Community Structure

The composition and relative abundance of the different types of organisms in a community.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, such as supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services.

Genetic Abnormalities

Mutations that can become common in populations with low genetic diversity.