Studied by 17 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
What is the correct order of ecological organization from largest to smallest?
A: Biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, organism.
What is ecology?
A: The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.
Q: What are the levels of ecological study?
A: Organismal, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere.
Q: Define ecosystem ecology.
A: Focuses on energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
Q: What is population density?
A: Number of individuals of a species in a given area.
Q: Define carrying capacity (K).
A: The maximum population size that the environment can support.
Q: What are the three levels of biodiversity?
A: Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Q: Define species richness and species diversity.
A:
Species Richness: Number of species in a community.
Species Diversity: Combines richness and relative abundance.
Q: What is the latitudinal diversity gradient?
A: Biodiversity decreases with increasing distance from the equator.
Q: What hypotheses explain the latitudinal diversity gradient?
Species-productivity hypothesis
Species-time hypothesis
Species-area hypothesis
Q: What are biodiversity hotspots?
A: Areas with high species richness and endemism under significant threat.
Q: Why is biodiversity important?
A: It supports ecosystem services, resilience, and human welfare.
Q: What is exponential growth?
A: A rapid population increase under ideal conditions, forming a J-shaped curve.
Q: What is logistic growth?
A: Population growth that slows as it approaches carrying capacity, forming an S-shaped curve.
Q: What are density-dependent factors?
A: Factors like competition and predation that intensify as population density increases.
Q: What are density-independent factors?
A: Factors like natural disasters that affect populations regardless of density.
Q: What is a mark-recapture method?
A: A method for estimating population size using marked individuals in a sample.
Q: Arrange terrestrial biomes by precipitation (low to high):
A: Hot deserts, temperate grasslands, temperate deciduous forests, tropical rainforests.
Q: What are key abiotic factors in marine biomes?
A: Light and ocean currents.
: What is ocean upwelling?
A: The circulation of cold, nutrient-rich water from deep to shallow areas, supporting productivity.
Q: What are lentic and lotic systems?
Lentic: Standing water (e.g., lakes, ponds).
Lotic: Flowing water (e.g., rivers, streams).
Q: What are types of species interactions?
Mutualism: Both benefit (+/+)
Commensalism: One benefits, other unaffected (+/0)
Parasitism: One benefits, other harmed (+/-)
Herbivory: Animal eats plant (+/-)
Predation: Predator kills prey (+/-)
Competition: Both harmed (-/-)
Q: What is Batesian mimicry?
A: A harmless species mimics a harmful one for protection.
Q: Define primary succession.
A: Occurs on bare substrates (e.g., volcanic rock).
Q: Define secondary succession.
A: Follows disturbances that leave soil intact (e.g., after a fire).
Q: What are mechanisms of succession?
A:
Facilitation: Early species prepare the environment for later species.
Inhibition: Early species hinder the establishment of others.
Tolerance: Species that can establish despite competition.
Q: Where is carbon stored on Earth?
A: Atmosphere, rocks, sediments, living organisms, fossil fuels.
Q: Where is most nitrogen found on Earth?
A: In the atmosphere.
Q: What cycles are involved in agricultural runoff?
A: Water, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.
Q: What is conservation biology?
A: The scientific study aimed at protecting species, habitats, and ecosystems.
Q: What are flagship species?
A: Charismatic species used to promote conservation awareness (e.g., pandas).
Q: What is the correct order of ecological organization from smallest to largest?
A: Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere
Q: Define population density.
A: The number of individuals per unit area.
Q: Define carrying capacity (K).
A: The maximum population size that the environment can sustain indefinitely.
Q: What is the primary focus of ecosystem ecology?
A: Energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.
Q: What is species richness?
A: The number of species in a community.
Q: What is species diversity?
A: A measure combining species richness and relative abundance.
Q: What are the three levels of biodiversity?
A: Genetic diversity, species diversity, ecosystem diversity.
Q: Why is biodiversity important?
A:
Provides ecosystem services like clean water, air, and pollination.
Supports food, medicine, and industrial products.
Has ethical significance to protect life on Earth.
Q: What is an ecological footprint?
A: The amount of land and water required to sustain an individual's lifestyle, including resource consumption and waste absorption.
Q: What are ecosystem services?
A: Benefits provided by ecosystems, such as nutrient cycling, pollination, and pest control.
Q: What is the formula for mark-recapture population estimation?
A: N=M×CRN = \frac{M \times C}{R}N=RM×C, where:
MMM: Marked individuals in the first catch
CCC: Total individuals captured in the second catch
RRR: Recaptured marked individuals.
Q: What is exponential growth?
A: Population increase under ideal conditions, forming a J-shaped curve.
Q: What is logistic growth?
A: Growth that slows as it approaches carrying capacity, forming an S-shaped curve.
Q: Which characteristics are most commonly used to identify terrestrial biomes?
A: Temperature and precipitation.
Q: Arrange the following terrestrial biomes from lowest to highest temperatures:
A: Tundra → Taiga → Temperate Deciduous Forest → Tropical Grassland
Q: What is ocean upwelling?
A: A process where wind pushes surface waters offshore, causing nutrient-rich cold water to rise.
Q: What is eutrophication?
A: Excess nutrients (nitrogen/phosphorus) in water cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
Q: Which human activities impact the nitrogen cycle?
A: Fertilizer runoff, fossil fuel burning, and agricultural practices.
Q: What is the greenhouse effect?
A: Atmospheric gases trap heat, keeping Earth warm enough for life.
Q: How does global warming affect ecosystems?
A:
Rising sea levels
Altered precipitation patterns
Shifting species distributions
Q: Name strategies to lower atmospheric CO₂ levels.
A: Renewable energy, reforestation, energy conservation, carbon capture.
Q: What is fecundity?
A: The potential reproductive capacity of an individual within a population.
Q: What are r-selected species?
A: Species with high growth rates, early reproduction, and minimal parental care.
Q: What are K-selected species?
A: Species with slower growth, late reproduction, and high parental investment.
Q: What is a Type I survivorship curve?
A: High survival in early/middle life, with most mortality occurring in old age (e.g., humans).
Q: What is a Type III survivorship curve?
A: High mortality early in life, with few individuals reaching maturity (e.g., fish, insects).
