AP Biology Unit 8 Terms

Ecology

Study of environment (including animals and how they behave with their surroundings).

Behavioral Ecology

He study of how behaviors arise due to ecology and evolution.

Behavior

All the ways animals interact in response to an internal and external stimulus.

Stimulus

Anything that causes a response or reaction.

Nature

Genetic, evolutionary

Nurture

Environmental (external factors)

Causation

What triggers a behavior?

What molecules and body parts are involved?

Development

Is it early in life?

Does it change? 

Are there necessary experiences?

Function

Does it change changes of survival/reproduction?

Phylogeny

How does the behavior relate to another species? What is the evolutionary history?

Learned Behaviors

Influenced by the environment/other organisms.

Innate Behaviors

Fixed - born with the behavior.

Signal

From one animal to another

Pheromones

Hormones from other organisms

Stimulus Response Change

Responding to another animal like mating dance

Kinesis

Random movement near a stimulus

Taxis

Movement towards stimulus (positive) or away from stimulus (negative) 

Phototaxis

Movement in response to light

Chemotaxis

Movement in response to chemical signals

Geotaxis

movement in response to gravity

Imprinting

A long-lasting behavioral response to an individual

Spatial Learning

Establishing memories based upon the spatial structure of the animal’s surroundings

Associative Learning

The ability to associate one environmental feature with another

Social Learning

Learning through observations and imitations of the observed behaviors

Proximate Cause

How an animal behaves; looks at immediate cause of behavior

Ultimate Cause

Why a behavior occurs

Fitness

Chances at survival and reproduction

Hibernation

A state that certain animals enter to save energy. Hibernation is characterized by considerable reduction in metabolic activity and lowered body temperatures.

Estivation

A state where some animals go through dormancy or lack of activity during the warm, arid season.

Migration

A behavior in which animals move from one location to another in a seasonal pattern.

Circadian Rhythm

Trigger by internal clock.

Mating Behaviors

Internal + external cues

Internal Cues

Hormones

External Cues

Opposite sex is around

Foraging

Food obtaining behavior

Altruism

Selfless behavior

Phototropism

A directional response that allows plants to grow towards (and in some cases away from) a source of light

Photoperiodism

Allows plants to develop in response to day length; plants flower only at certain times of the year

Physical Defenses

Thorns, trichomes (small plant like hairs) 

Chemical Defenses

Production of toxic or distasteful compounds

Learning

The modification of behavior based on specific experiences

Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs)

A sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a stimulus

Autotrophs

Makes energy on their own through light or chemicals

Heterotrophs

Needs other organisms to make energy

Chemoautotrophs

Uses chemicals to make energy

Photoautotrophs

Uses light

Saprotrophs

Externally digest organisms via enzymes and absorption

Detritvores

Eats waste of other animals

Consumers/Parasites

Feed on other consumers

Metabolism

Sum total of all the biochemical reactions in an organism’s body (to make or use energy)

Anabolism

Using energy to build molecules

Catabolism

Making energy by breaking down molecules

Metabolic Rate

How much energy is used. ALWAYS taken when the organism is not active, is at rest, and in a good environment. Determines how much food to consume to maintain body at a constant mass.

Endotherms

Use the heat from own (inside) metabolism to control inner temperature (measured through BMR)

Ectotherms

Relies on the outside/environment to control their internal temperature (measured through SMR)

Food Chain

Series of nutrient flow from organism to organism

Food Web

Many intersecting food chains 

Trophic Pyramid

Illustrates movement of nutrients and energy 

Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be made

Population Dynamics

How populations change in size over time

Carrying Capacity

Maximum amount of individuals in a population due to resource

Intraspecific Competition

Competition within the same species

Species Richness

The # of different species in the community

Species Diversity

Complexity of the community (# of species + # of how many is in each species)

Relative Abundance

Proportion of individuals related to all of the individuals 

Interspecific Interactions

Interactions between different species

Intraspecific Interactions

Interactions within the same species

Simpson’s Diversity Index

Calculate diversity based on species richness and relative abundance

Competition

Species compete/struggle for resources 

Competition Exclusion Principle

2 competing species cannot coexist permanently

Predation

One lives, one dies

Herbivory

Organism eats plant/algae 

Mutualism

Both species benefit

Commensalism and Facilitation

One-sided benefit. One benefits, the other stays the same (no benefit or loss)

Parasitism

One loss, the other benefits similar to predation but organisms don’t die

Brood Parasitism

Bird uses other bird to raise its young

Habitats

Physical areas where organisms live

Niches

“Roles” inside habitat

Biodiversity

Variety of many species

Foundation Species

A species that changes the environment so it can support other organisms in the community

Keystone Species

A species that has an extremely high impact on an ecosystem by changing another population. Removal of a keystone species could cause a collapse of an ecosystem.

Invasive Species

Species that is introduced to a non-native range and can cause harm or already has caused harm to the new location

Disturbances

An event that changes an ecosystem by removing organisms or changing resource availability

Ecological Succession

Process where specie composition in a community changes over time after a disturbance

Primary Succession

A series of changes on an entirely new (previously lifeless) habitat that has not been colonized

Secondary Succession

A series of changes that clears and existing community, but leaves the soil intact.

Biotic Factors

The living components (organisms) that shape up the environment.

Abiotic Factors

A non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment

Ecosystems

An ecosystem consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. (biotic + abiotic factors)

Biogeographical Factors

Latitude and area change specie composition 

Pathogens

Disease organisms and viruses