Chapter 14: Ecology

what defines a species

can interbreed, have viable and fertile offspring

population

specific species living in specific location

habitat

environment type of where organism lives and physical aspects

ecological community

all populations in given area interecting

ecosystem

system of organisms and interactions with surrounding abiotic factors

density-dependent factors examples

disease, resource, competition

density-independent factors examples

climate, weather

biome

area defied by biotic factors adapted to climate and geography of region

niche types

fundamental, realized

fundamental niche

full range of ecological condition a species could theoretically survive

realized niche

environment where species actually lives

gause’s law

two species cannot occupy the same niche and maintain population levels as one will outcompete the other

another name for gause’s law

competitive exclusion principle

how do you overcome gause’s law

resource partitioning

resource partitioning

allows species to coexist by utilizing resources in different ways/times/places/

types of biological interactions

competition, symbiosis

types of biological interaction competitions

intraspecific, exploitation, apparent, interference

apparent competition

indirect, between 2 species of prey sharing 1 predator

allelopathy

plants secret toxic chemical to prevent establishment of other organisms

what type of competition is allelopathy

interference

types of symbiosis

mutualism, commensalism, parasitism

how much energy is stored when a trophic level is converted into organic tissue in the next trophic level

10%

how much energy is lost as heat due to inefficient energy transfer when a trophic level is converted into organic tissue in the next trophic level

90%

fungi scientific name

saprophytes

worms scientific name

detritivores

what does detritus mean

decomposing organic matter

energy source of photoautotrophs

light

carbon source of autotrophs

CO2

energy source of chemoautotrophs

inorganic compounds

energy source of photoheterotrophs

light

carbon source of heterotrophs

organic compounds

energy source of chemoheterotrophs

organic compounds

population dynamics factors

biotic potential, carrying capacity

biotic potential

ability to undergo highest population growth when conditions are ideal

principle of population theory

living species increases exponentially while food production increases linearly and will not be able to keep up with population growth

what type of survivorship curve are K-selected species

I

what type of survivorship curve are r-selected species

III

lifespan of K-selected species

long, slow

lifespan of r-selected species

fluctuates

lifespan of type II survivorship species

constant

order of organisms colonizing in ecological succession

pioneer species, thin soil, vascular plants, larger plants, animals

what is the process where body of water becomes enriched with minerals and nutrients

eutrophication

what can eutrophication lead to

algal bloom

types of organisms that are apart of algal bloom

algae, cyanobacteria

what type of organism is algae

photosynthetic eukaryote

what type of organism is cyanobacteria

photosynthesis prokaryotes

what can algal blooms lead to

depletion of oxygen in water

what is the outcome of algal blooms depleting oxygen in water

kill aerobic organisms, damage natural aquatic ecosystems

what is eutrophication a result of

industrial N-rich fertilizer use

how can nitrogen-rich fertilizer cause eutrophication

dissolves in rain water eventually accumulating in an aquatic biome, supports growth of algal blooms

how are layers of the ocean divided

based on amount of sunlight received

layers of the ocean

euphotic zone, disphotic zone, aphotic zone

euphotic zone

strong irradiance for plant survival and photosynthesis, closest to surface

which layer of the ocean is the littoral zone apart of

euphotic zone

littoral zone

sunlight penetrates all the wall to ocean floor (shore)

disphotic zone

semi-irradiated with sun, not sufficient for plants

which layer of the ocean do bioluminescent species produce light

disphotic zone

aphotic zone

no light or photosynthetic species, some bioluminescent species

how do select fish survive in the aphotic zone

eat dead matter descending to ocean floor

which terrestrial biome has consistent, hot, high temperatures

tropical rainforests, savannas

which terrestrial biome has consistent, heavy rainfall

tropical rainforests

which terrestrial biome has the greatest amount of diversity

tropical rainforests

which terrestrial biome has seasonal rainfall (small amount)

savannas, temperate grasslands

how is the rainfall in temperate grasslands compared to

savannas

which terrestrial biome are tropical grasslands with diffuse trees

savannas

which terrestrial biome has seasonal droughts and fires

savannas, temperate grasslands

which terrestrial biome has cool winters

temperate grasslands

which terrestrial biome has hot, dry summers

temperate grasslands, chaparral

which terrestrial biome has warm summers

temperate deciduous forests

which terrestrial biome has cold winters with snowfall

temperate deciduous forests, taiga, tundra

which terrestrial biome has moderate precipitation

temperate deciduous forests

which terrestrial biome has trees that shed leaves in winter from poor growing conditions

temperate deciduous forests

which terrestrial biome has mild winters

chaparral

which terrestrial biome has scattered vegetation

chaparral

what are the tough leaves in chaparrals for

conserve water

which terrestrial biome has common droughts and fires

chaparral

which terrestrial biome has hot days and cold nights

deserts

which terrestrial biome has extreme temperature fluctuations

deserts

which terrestrial biome has very little precipitation

deserts, tundra

which terrestrial biome has plant growth occurring after rainfall

deserts

which terrestrial biome has animals that are often nocturnal and water conservative with concentrated urine

deserts

which terrestrial biome has plants with leather leaves or spines to conserve water

deserts

which terrestrial biome has warm, rainy summers

taiga

which terrestrial biome is the largest

taiga

which terrestrial biome has the ground freeze during winters

tundra

which terrestrial biome has the topsoil thaw during summer but deeper soil is permafrost

tundra