Community Ecology Lecture Study Guide

These flashcards cover key concepts from the community ecology lecture, including definitions of ecological terms, the roles of various species, and energy flow in ecosystems.

What is a community in ecology?

A community is a group of interacting organisms of different species living in the same habitat.

What is a niche?

A niche is the role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other organisms.

What are the categories of community interactions?

A) Competition B) Predation C) Symbiosis (mutualism and communalism) D) Parasitism.

How do camouflage, warning coloration, mimicry, and chemical defenses aid in predator-prey relationships?

They enhance the survival of prey by helping them avoid detection or making them unpalatable to predators.

What is the difference between dominant and keystone species?

Dominant species are the most abundant in a community, while keystone species have a disproportionate impact on their environment relative to their abundance.

What is a rain shadow and how is it formed?

A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountain that results from air loss moisture while ascending and descending mountains.

Why are most major deserts found at 30° latitude?

Air circulation patterns cause descending dry air at this latitude, resulting in low precipitation.

What are the conditions during an El Niño year?

El Niño causes changes in weather patterns, including warmer ocean temperatures and altered rainfall due to the weakening of trade winds.

What are the natural reservoirs for carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen?

The oceans, soil, and atmosphere are reservoirs, with phosphorus being most affected by human activities.

Why do nutrients cycle but energy does not?

Nutrients are reused within ecosystems, while energy flows in one direction through food webs, eventually dissipating as heat.

What is the ultimate source of energy for our planet?

The ultimate source of energy is the sun.

What would happen to ecosystems without decomposers?

Without decomposers, organic matter would accumulate, nutrients would not be recycled, and ecosystems would collapse.

What is the 10% rule of energy transfer in food webs?

Only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level flows to the next trophic level.