AP Bio- Chapter 8 Ecology

Behavioral and physiological response

Responses of an organism related to changes in internal or external environment.

Signaling behaviors

Behaviors that produce changes in the behavior of other organisms and can result in differential reproductive success.

Communication mechanisms!

Various ways organisms exchange information in response to internal changes and external cues.

Natural selection

The process that favors innate and learned behaviors increasing survival and reproductive fitness.

Cooperative behavior

Behavior that tends to increase the fitness of the individual and the survival of the population.

Endotherms

Organisms that use thermal energy generated by metabolism to maintain homeostatic body temperatures.

Ectotherms

Organisms that lack efficient internal mechanisms for maintaining body temperature and may regulate it behaviorally.

Metabolic rate per unit body mass

The relationship where generally, the smaller the organism, the higher the metabolic rate.

Net gain in energy

Results in energy storage or the growth of an organism.

Net loss of energy

Results in loss of mass and, ultimately, the death of an organism!!!!!

Ecological levels of organization

Includes populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes.

Energy flow through ecosystems

The movement of energy through various trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Matter cycling

The process by which matter and nutrients cycle between the environment and organisms via biogeochemical cycles.

Biogeochemical cycles

Cycles that include abiotic and biotic reservoirs and processes that cycle matter between reservoirs.

Hydrologic cycle

Involves water movement and storage within the hydrosphere.

Reservoirs in the hydrologic cycle

Include oceans, surface water, the atmosphere, and living organisms.

Processes in the hydrologic cycle

Include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration.

Energy acquisition strategies

Methods organisms use to acquire and utilize energy for maintenance, growth, and reproduction.!!!

Temperature regulation strategies

Different strategies organisms use to regulate body temperature and metabolism.

Reproductive strategies

Various strategies organisms use in response to energy availability.

Survival and reproductive fitness

The success of individuals in passing on their genes to the next generation.

Differential reproductive success

The varying success of individuals in reproducing based on their behaviors and adaptations.

Carbon Cycle

Involves recycling carbon atoms through Earth's biosphere into organisms as carbohydrates and back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2).

Nitrogen Cycle

Involves several steps including nitrogen fixation, assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification, performed by microorganisms in the soil.

Phosphorus Cycle

Involves weathering rocks releasing phosphate (PO43-) into soil and groundwater, which is taken up by producers and returned to the soil via decomposition or excretion.

Nitrogen Fixation

The process where nitrogen gas (N2) is fixed into ammonia (NH3), which ionizes to ammonium (NH4+) by acquiring hydrogen ions from the soil solution.

Energy Availability

Changes in energy availability can result in changes in population size and disruptions to an ecosystem.

Trophic Levels

A change in energy resources such as sunlight can affect the number and size of the trophic levels.

Autotrophs

Organisms that capture energy from physical or chemical sources in the environment, including photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that capture energy present in carbon compounds produced by other organisms and may metabolize carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins as sources of energy.

Innate Behavior

Behavior that is genetically hardwired and does not require learning or experience.

Learned Behavior

Behavior that is acquired through experience and interaction with the environment.

Endotherm

An organism that can regulate its body temperature through internal mechanisms.

Ectotherm

An organism that relies on external environmental conditions to regulate its body temperature.

Food Web

A system of interrelated food chains in an ecosystem, showing the energy relationships among populations.

Population Size Changes

Changes in energy availability can lead to alterations in the size of populations within an ecosystem!

Decomposition

The process of breaking down organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and environment.

Photosynthesis

The process by which autotrophs, specifically photosynthetic organisms, capture energy from sunlight to produce carbohydrates.

Chemosynthesis

The process by which chemosynthetic organisms capture energy from small inorganic molecules, occurring in the absence of oxygen.

Hydrolysis

The chemical process by which heterotrophs metabolize carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins to obtain energy.

Scientific Models

Tools used to describe and explain organism behavior based on scientific knowledge.

Scientific Data

Information collected through scientific methods used to support or refute claims and make predictions about population size or organism behavior.

Trophic Level Indication

Determining the trophic level of an organism based on a food web diagram or background information.

Behavior Analysis

The process of analyzing background information to explain or rationalize organism behavior.