ecology quiz1

ecology (word)

oekologie coined by Ernst Haeckel

derived from greek: oikos (household) and logos

study of the household of nature

ecology (definition)

study of distribution of living organisms and how this is affected by interactions between organisms and their environment

and transformation and flux of energy and matter

environmental science

study of how the Earth works and how we are affecting the environment and how to deal with environmental problems

characteristics of living things

organization

homeostasis

adaptation

reproduction and heredity

growth and development

energy acquisition and release

detection and response to stimuli

interactions

commoner’s 5 laws

everything is connected to everything else (food chain, web)

everything has to go somewhere (biogeochemical cycles, energy flow)

everything is always changing (succession, generations, natural selection, adaptation, dormancy)

there is no such thing as a free lunch (environmental and financial costs)

everything has limits (non-renewables, competition, predator-prey relations)

7 environmental principles

nature knows best

all forms of life are important

everything is connected to everything else

everything changes

everything must go somewhere

ours is a finite earth

nature is beautiful and we are stewards of god’s creation

species range

geographic range - range where a species is found. in the US, most species have a range of 4-24 states

cosmopolitan species - found globally in distribution

endemic species - found in a small, restricted area

properties of population

size - number

density - number per unit of area m²

patterns of dispersion
- clumped (patches because some areas are more suitable)
- regular (happens because of interactions between individuals like competition or territory)
- random (uncommon, happens because of absence of strong attraction or repulsion)

age structure

spatial structure - pattern of dispersion but bigger scale

sex ratio

variability - differences between individuals

growth rate = birth rate - death rate + immigration - emigration

population growth types

exponential growth - initial rapid growth, J shaped, births, deaths, emigration and immigration happen continuously

biotic potential - maximum rate of growth no limit

logistic growth - model sigmoid s shaped. carrying capacity is the top stationary phase, where limiting resources become rare enough as to inhibit reproduction

survivorship curves

type 1: convex. most live to adulthood (humans, elephants, whales)
type 2: straight line. chance of dying is independent to age (rodents, birds)
type 3: most perish before adulthood (fish, dandelions)

age structure pyramids

rapid growth - wider base, triangular

slow growth - wider middle

zero growth - generally more older people