Ecology test

Behavior

everything an animal does and how it does it

• link between genetics and environment

ethology

study of behavior

innate

inherited or developmentally fixed

• despite different environments, all individuals exhibit the behavior

• triggered by a stimuls

  • able to perform without being taught

learned

develop during an animal’s lifetime

• modified by experience

• variable

• triggered by a stimulus

proximate causes

immediate stimulus and mechanism

• how and what questions

• how a behavior occurs or is modified

ultimate causes

evolutionary significance

• how does behavior contribute to survival and reproduction

• why questions

Fixed action patterns

sequence of behaviors essentially unchangeable and usually conducted to completion once started

sign stimulus

releaser that triggers FAP

imprinting

a form of learning in which an animal forms a strong attachment to another individual or object during a critical period early in life.

taxis

change in direction

• movement toward or away from a stimulus

phototaxis

plant moving toward light

chemotaxis

termite moving along pen ink

kinesis

change in rate of movement in response to a stimulus

• random or undirected motion

migration

complex behavior that is still under genetic control

• following ancient fly-ways - navigate by sun, stars and magnetic fields

associative learning

learning to associate 1 feature of the invironment with another

oclassical conditioning

A type of learning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, resulting in a learned response.

Example: Pavlov's dogs salivating at the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) because it was paired with food (meaningful stimulus).

operant conditioning

Type of learning where behavior is strengthened or weakened by rewards or punishments - trial and error

habituation

loss of response to stimulus

• cry wolf effect

• decrease in response to repeated occurrences of stimulus

social behaviors

interactions between individuals

agonistic behaviors

Behaviors displayed by animals during conflicts or competitions for resources, such as territory or mates. Examples include threats, displays, and physical fights.

signal

stimulus transmitted from one animal to another

communication

transmission and reception of signals

pheromones

chemical signal that stimulates a response from other individuals

promiscuity

no bonds of lasting relationship

polygyny

a male mates with many females

polyandry

a female mates with several males

monogomy

mating with a singular partner

sexual dimorphism

male and female appearances are different

dominance hierarchy

social ranking within a group

territoriality

The behavior of an organism defending and occupying a specific area as its own. It helps establish boundaries and secure resources for survival and reproduction.

altruistic behavior

selfless action that benefits others at a cost to oneself. It promotes the well-being of others without expecting anything in return.

when animals behave in ways that reduce their individual fitness, but increases the fitness of other individuals in the population

inclusive fitness

part of altruism - the total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing offspring then aiding and protecting them and close relatives

kin selection

part of altruism - this natural selection of increasing survival of close relatives and being able to now pass those genes on to the generation

ecology

the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment

evolution link

differential survival and reproductive success based on the individual interactions of organisms and their environment lead to evolution

abiotic factors

nonliving

biotic factors

living

biomes

very large regions of earth that are defined by the amount of precipitation and temperature of the area

• each region has its own dominant vegetation and animal life

aquatic biomes

freshwater, marine, estuaries

• defined by the salinity of the water

benthic zone

bottom - organisms that live here can be used as biological indicators

grouped as filter feeders or deposit feeders

photic

receives light

aphotic

does not receive light

thermoclines

narrow layers of fast temperature change that separate a warm upper layer of water and cold deeper waters

littoral zone

well-lit shallow waters near the shore

• rooted and floating aquatic plants

limnetic zone

well - lit open surface water farther from shore

• phytoplankton

oligotrohpic lakes

deep lakes that are nutrient poor and oxygen rich and contain sparse phytoplankton

eutrophic lakes

shallower and have high nutrient content and lower oxygen content with a high concentration of phytoplankton

• organic material accumulates on the lake bottom and reduces the depth of the lake

detrivores

use up oxygen as they decompose the dead organic matter

• lower DO means fish can’t survive

population

group of individuals of the same species in the same area at the same time

• rely on the same resources

• interact

• interbreed

equation to estimate population size

N = mn/x

N - population size

m - # of individuals marked and released in first sampling

n - total number of individuals recaptured

x - # of marked individuals recaptured in first sampling

clumped

resource availability, mating capacity, effective survivor

uniform

territorial, lots of competition

random

absence of strong attractions or repulsions

exponential growth

j curve, characteristic of a population without a limiting factor

• introduced to a new or unfilled environment

• rebounding from a catastrophic event

factors that affect growth rate

sex ration, generation time, age structure

carrying capacity

maximum population size that an environment can support with no degradation of habitat (not fixed; varies with changes in resources)

ecological footprint

total land and water area needed for all the resources a person consumes in a population

sustainable - 1.7 hectares

US - 10 hectares

age structure

Relative number of individuals at each age

• diagrams can predict a population’s growth trends

• can illuminate social conditions and help us plan for the future

growth rate

birth rate - death rate

zero population growth

same number enters as leaves the population

k selection

Selects for life history traits that are sensitive to population density

• logistic

• live around the carrying capacity

• high prenatal care

• low birth numbers

• good survival of young

• density dependent

• type 1

R selection

selects for life history traits that maximize reproduction

• exponential

• little or no care

• high birth numbers

• poor survival of young

• density independent

• type 3

density dependent factors

regulate population growth by affecting a large proportion of the population as the population rises

• predation, disease, competition

density independent factors

limit population growth but are not influence by changes in population density

• natural disaster

predator prey interactions

population cycles - food shortage, predation and sunspots

• prey decreases, predator decreases, prey increases, predator increases - constant cycle with a lag

niche

ecological roles- 2 species cannot have the same

competitive exclusion principle

The principle stating that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely. One species will outcompete and exclude the other from the ecosystem.

resource partitioning

differentiation of ecological niches, enabling similar species to coexist in a community

competition

compete for limited resource, 2 species cannot coexist in a community if their niches are identical

predation

Interaction where one organism (predator) hunts, kills, and consumes another organism (prey) for food.

parasitism

One organism benefits at the expense of another, harming the host. Examples include ticks on dogs and fleas on cats.

mutualism

A type of symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from each other's presence and actions. It involves a mutually beneficial exchange of resources, such as food, shelter, or protection. Example includes the relationship between bees and flowers, where bees obtain nectar while aiding in pollination

commensalism

A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither harmed nor benefited.

food web

all of the food chains in an ecosystem

food chain

outlines who eats whom

predator adaptaions

locate and subdue prey

prey adaptations

elude and defend

pioneer species

species that move in first

climax community

developed community

cryptic coloration

Adaptive camouflage used by organisms to blend with their environment, making them difficult to detect.

aposomatic coloration

Warning coloration in animals that serves as a visual signal to predators, indicating that the animal is toxic, venomous, or dangerous. This adaptation helps deter predators from attacking, as they learn to associate certain colors or patterns with potential harm. Examples include bright colors in poisonous frogs and stripes on venomous snakes.

batesian mimicry

A type of mimicry in which a harmless species evolves to resemble a harmful or toxic species, gaining protection from predators.

mullerian mimicry

A form of mimicry where two or more harmful species resemble each other, sending a warning signal to predators.

dominant species

• most abundant or have the highest biomass

• exert control over the occurrence and distribution of other species

• they are the most competitive in exploiting resources or most successful in avoiding predators

invasive species

Species that are introduced to new environments and negatively impact native species and ecosystems. They can outcompete native species for resources, disrupt natural food chains, and cause ecological imbalances. often have no natural predators, allowing them to rapidly spread and multiply. Examples include zebra mussels and Asian carp.

keystone species

• exert strong control on a community by their niches

• they are not necessarily abundant in a community

• ex: sea otters

foundation species

• ecosystem engineers

• exert influence not through trophic interactions but cause physical changes in the environment that affect the community structure

• ex: beavers

ecological succession

the sequence or transition of community and ecosystem changes after a disturbance years to decades

primary succession

where no soil exists when succession begins

secondary succession

begins in an area where soil remains after a disturbance

disturbances

fire, weather, human

• not all are negative

  • often necessary for community development and survival

ecosystem

community of organisms plus the abiotic factors that exist in a certain area

energy inefficiency

energy transfer between trophic levels is typically only 10% efficient

• energy used in respiration is lost as heat

energy transfer

from the sun, to autotrophs, eaten and transferred through the food chain

primary production

amount of light energy that is converted to chemical energy

gross primary production

total primary production in an ecosystem

net primary production

storage of chemical energy available to consumers in an ecosystem.

• gross primary production minus the energy used by the primary producers for respiration

factors that affect primary production

light availability, nutrient availability, temperature and moisture

net productivity

light minus initial

respiration

initial minus dark