Lecture on Species Interactions and Ecosystem Responses

Flashcards covering species interactions, ecosystem responses, and the impact of global change stressors.

What are the different types of species interactions?

Mutualism, Commensalism, Neutralism, Exploitation, Amensalism, Competition.

What is Mutualism?

A relationship between two or more species that is beneficial to all interacting partners.

Can you give an example of Commensalism?

An example would be barnacles on whales; barnacles benefit from being transported without harming the whale.

What is the impact of Species Loss on ecosystems?

It reduces abundance of species in the community and can have negative cascading effects.

What are ecological consequences of Species Gain?

Can spread pathogens, parasites, and lead to the spread of disease.

What does Coextinction refer to?

The extinction of one species leading to the extinction of another species that is dependent on it.

What is a Keystone Species?

A species with a disproportionate impact on its ecosystem, whose loss has dramatic effects.

What are top-down and bottom-up effects in ecosystems?

Top-down effects are imposed by higher trophic levels; bottom-up effects are imposed by resource availability.

Define the Water Cycle and its major processes.

The movement of water through different phases: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

How do human activities affect the Nitrogen Cycle?

Addition of fertilizers alters the nitrogen profile of soil.

What contributes to Ecosystem Resilience?

Species diversity, functional redundancy, and connectivity.

What is the Albedo effect?

The fraction of sunlight reflected by a surface; snow and ice have a high albedo.

What are Tipping Points in ecosystems?

Abrupt transitions to a new state when an ecosystem can no longer recover.

What is the lag effect in ecological responses?

The time delay between an action taken and the observed effect in the ecosystem.