BIO-111 Exam 1

step 1 of scientific research

make observations, use prior knowledge and readings

step 2 of scientific research

develop a hypothesis

step 3 of scientific research

design a study (methodology)

step 4 of scientific research

collect and analyze data

• create graphs and figures

step 5 of scientific research

form evidence-based conclusions

• questions:

  • what kind of study?

  • how was it carried out?

  • what are the treatments, controls, sample size?

  • what were the main findings?

step 6 of scientific research

publish in peer review and share experiment

research hypothesis (alternative)

plausible + testable general explanation for a phenomena (H_A)

null hypothesis

if the study doesn’t support the alternative hypothesis, it must support the null (H₀)

prediction

specific outcome for a particular experiment/study designed to test the alternative hypothesis

• there are typically multiple predictions per experiment

study type: experiment

manipulating a group and comparing it to the control

study type: observational

no intervention within study

study type: meta-analysis

process of looking at multiple studies and data to come to a conclusion

study type: modeling

create a mathematical expectation

treatment

the independent variable

the subject being manipulated and what is being used to manipulate

control group

group used to test efficacy of treatments

• does not recieve treatment co

constant

all parts of study that are not changing

• ie. same color, size, predator, temperature, etc.

dependent variable

what we are measuring

__ depends on __

• ex: test score depends on amnt of time studying

challenges an organism faces

• obtaining nutrients/water/energy

• surviving weather and extremes

• competition

• predation

• avoiding pathogens and parasites

• produce offspring

Ecology

study of how organisms interact with the environment

biotic

living

• predators/prey

• parasites

• competitors

• mutualists

• mates

  • conspecifics

  • heterospecifics

abiotic

not giving (environment)

• sunlight

• precipitation

• temperature

• seasonality

• substrate type

conspecifics

same species

heterospecifics

different species

why do we have seasons?

the earth is tilted

Why is the equator hot and the poles are cold?

the planet is round (latitudinal temperature gradient)

characteristics of rainfall

• humid, hot air with low pressure

  • latitudinal bands of wet (low pressure) and dry (high pressure) climates

coriolis effect

deflection of moving object (wind current or projectile) due to earth’s rotation

ocean currents are influenced by

earth’s rotation and temperature gradient

• water temp affect surrounding land tempsq

questions to ask to determine ocean currents

• which direction is the water going?

  • how far away is it from the equator?

on a mountain, rainfall is greater…

near costs and on the windward side of mountain

true or false: species facing similar environments have evolved similar traits over time

true :)

what primarily determines terrestrial biomes?

temperature and percipitation

most critical abiotic factors defining aquatic biomes

• salinity

• water flow

• sunlight

  • temperature

individual

single living thing

population

all individuals of the same species, in the same area, at the same time

community

populations of all species in the same area

ecosystem

all species in an area including it’s abiotic aspects of their environment

biome

major assemblages of similar oganisms over wide geographical areasb

biosphere

the layer of earth in which organisms live

species requirements

• all aspects and conditions necessary for successful life and reproduction of individuals

• niche (3 flashcards)

niche

total combined requirements of a species, including its “role” in the ecosystem

• based on unique needs, limitations, and interactions

fundamental niche

space in which a species could survive inf there were no other facts or limitations

• ideal environment

realized niche

space in which species actually occurs due to its interactions and history

• competition, predation, abiotic enviornment, etc.

4 major perspectives of animal behavior

causation

development

function

evolution

causation perspective

how mechanisms within the body cause behavior

• internal drivers → physiology

• anatomy, neurons, hormones, genetics

  • static and proximate

development perspective

how the behavior changes in an animal’s lifetime

• learned or innate

• starts from when behavior is first exhibited

• can test with cross-fostering and breading experiments

  • proximate and dynamic

Function perspective

why is this behavior an adaptation

• compare variation between indiviudals of same species or related species

• compare unrelated species living in the same environment

  • ultimate and static

adaptation perspective

trait that increases survival and reproduction

evolution persective

why the behavior exists and how it has changed across different generations

• compare specieis→ shared behaviors due to a shared ancestor or independent evolution

  • dynamic and ultimate

static

one time

proximate

how, zoomed in

dynamic

change in time

ultimate

why, broad

areas of behavioral ecology

• foraging strategies

• predator defense

• resource competition

• habitat choice

• orientation, immigration, navigation

• courtship + mate behaviors

• reproduction

• play behavior

• personality

• emotions

• parental care

• social organization

• cooperation

• learning + cognition

demography

study of population growth and regulation

immigrations effect on population

+

emigrations effect on population

-

births effect on population

+

deaths effect on population

-

natality

rate of births

mortality

rate of deaths

Per capita

how quickly is the population changing? (per individual)

ΔN

births-deaths+immigration-emigration

(for class purposes, ignore migration)

equation: ΔN= N₁-N₀

N₀

initial population size

ΔN/Δt (bacteria)

x bacteria per y minutes

per capita growth rate equation

r=(ΔN/Δt)/N

• in this case, N represents initial population size

which equations would you use for discrete generation problems?

Growth Rate

• λ=N₁/N₀

• d_N/d_t=r(^(K-N)/K)N

Future population size:

• N_t=N₀(N₁/N₀)

which equations would you use for constant and continuous generations?

Growth rate:

• d_N/d_t=rN

• ΔN/Δt=rN

future population size

• N_t=N₀e^rt

double in size

• t_double=ln(2)/r

e

mathematical constant

2.718

predicting population size

N_t=N₀e^rt

r

intrinsic growth rate (per capita growth at that instant time)

invasive species

initially experience of ideal + unlimited environment (constant growth)

rebounding populations

recovering after a large population crash (ideal environment)

range

geographical area where a species occurs

abundance

number of individuals in a population

density

N/Area

spatial distribution

pattern of how individuals in a population

clumped distribution

• resources patchy

• defense

• seeking mates

random distribution

• resources random

• dispersal due to wind or water currents

uniform distribution

• resources limited

• territorial species

models for estimating population, density, abundance, etc..

• mark-recapture

• transects

• quadrats

mark-recapture

capture as many individuals as you can, then mark them, release them, then capture again the same area. Count how many individuals captured in the second round were already tagged.

transects

Drawing a line across a habitat

quadrat

using net-like sections, could individuals in each area or estimate the coverage of the net.

true or false: growth rate can change as population grows

true

true or false: if growth rate is changing as the population grows, natality and mortality are constant and the exponential growth of the population is never limited

false

density independent change in population

does not depend on how many individuals are present

• weather

• abiotic environment

density dependent

depends on amount of individuals in an area

• pathogens spreading

• competition

• predators

• stress

• hormone changes

true or false: density dependent factors slow growth as population size increases

true

carrying capacity equation

dN/dt = r ((K-N)/K) N

• predicting “one step” of growth within the above equation when ethe environment is not ideal

carrying capacity definition

(k) maximum population size that a given environment can support over a long term 

• many generations

growth rate (r) approaches 0 as population (n) approaches ___

carrying capacity (k)

what defines cyclical patterns in the population size of a species?

incredibly rapid growth and sociality

causes of rapid increase in growth rate

• dry and cool weather followed by a large amount of rain

• if pop. (N) was already high in previous generations

interspecific

relations between different species

• close relations regulate populations and can cause cyclic fluxuations (predator v prey)

intraspecific

relations between same species

interspecific competition is (more/same/less) intense than/as intraspecific competition?

less

Type I survivorship curve

Population begins high and slowly declines (7 shape)

• humans, large mammals, giant turtles, etc. 

type II survivorship curve

steady rate of decline (linear)

• birds, squirrels, rodents, lizards, etc. 

type III survivorship curve

Population begins high and rapidly crashes (L shape)

• most insects, fish, sea urchins, some plants, etc.