Unit Eight: Ecology- essential knowledge

How do organism responed to environmental changes

behavioral and physiological mechansims

When do organisms exchange information with one another

response to internal changes and external cues

What are communication mechanisms

signaling behaviors, visual, audible, tactile, electrical, and chemical signs

What communication does natural selection use

innate and learned behaviors through cooperative behavior

What are the strategies for regulating body temperature and metabolism

endotherms— thermal energy from metabolism

ectotherms- move into sun/shade

What is the relationship between size and metabolic rate

smaller the organism higher the metabolic rate

What is net gain of energy results

energy storage or growth

What is net loss of energy results

loss of mass or death

Where do photosynthetic organisms get energy

sunlight

Where do chemosynthetic organisms get energy

small inorganic molecules

Where do heterotrophic organisms get energy

metabolized charbohydrates, lipids, and proteins via hydrolyisis

What is the population growth equation

What is the exponential growth equation

When is a logistic growth model use

with limits to growth from density-dependent and density-independent factors are imposed

What is the logistic growth model equation

What is the Simpson’s Diversity Index

How can communites change

depending on interactions between populations

What does interactions among populations determine

access of energy and matter with a community

What interactions can drive population dynamics

competition, predation, symbioses (i.e parasitissm, mutualism, commensalism

What can result from cooperation or coordination etween organisms

increased movement of energy and matter

What ecosystems are least resilient to changes in environment

natural/artificial with fewer component parts, less diversity

What are keystone species

essential abiotic and biotic factors contribute to maintaining the diversity and function

What is an adaptation

genetic variation that is favored by selection

How do invasive species damge ecosystemes

disrupt energy balenance, overturn the ecosysteme

How does human impact facilitate environemntl

introduction of new diseeases