Ch 20/22 - Succession + Geographic Ecology

What is ecological succession?

Change in species composition over time following disturbance or new substrate

What is primary succession?

Succession on newly exposed surfaces without soil

What is secondary succession?

Succession after disturbance where soil remains oai_citation:3‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is a pioneer species?

First species to colonize a disturbed area oai_citation:4‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is a climax community?

A later-stage community that persists until disturbed oai_citation:5‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Why is the idea of a climax community debated?

It assumes a fixed endpoint, which may not exist

What is a chronosequence?

A set of sites representing different stages of succession over time oai_citation:6‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Why are chronosequences useful?

They allow study of long-term ecological change

What happens to species diversity during succession?

It generally increases oai_citation:7‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What happens to biomass during succession?

It increases over time oai_citation:8‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What happens to nutrient retention during succession?

It increases

What happens to primary production during succession?

It increases then stabilizes

What is community stability?

The ability of a community to maintain structure over time oai_citation:9‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is resistance?

Ability to remain unchanged during disturbance oai_citation:10‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is resilience?

Ability to recover after disturbance oai_citation:11‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How do resistance and resilience differ?

Resistance prevents change; resilience recovers from change

What is ecological restoration?

Restoring ecosystems to desired structure and function oai_citation:12‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How is restoration related to succession?

It manipulates successional processes

What is an example of succession in grasslands?

Fire frequency controls woody plant invasion oai_citation:13‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Why might forests fail to recover after disturbance?

Loss of seeds or altered conditions oai_citation:14‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is geographic ecology?

Study of ecological patterns across spatial scales oai_citation:15‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How does isolation affect species richness?

Greater isolation reduces diversity oai_citation:16‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How does island size affect species richness?

Larger islands support more species oai_citation:17‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is a habitat patch?

A discrete area of suitable habitat within a larger landscape

How are habitat patches similar to islands?

Both are isolated areas supporting species communities

What is the equilibrium model of island biogeography?

Species richness is determined by immigration and extinction balance oai_citation:18‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What happens to immigration rate as species accumulate?

It decreases oai_citation:19‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Why does immigration decrease over time?

Fewer new species remain to colonize

What happens to extinction rate as species increase?

It increases oai_citation:20‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Why does extinction increase with more species?

Smaller populations and more competition

What determines immigration rate?

Distance from source populations oai_citation:21‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What determines extinction rate?

Island size oai_citation:22‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

Which islands have the most species?

Large and near islands

Which islands have the fewest species?

Small and far islands

What is species turnover?

Ongoing replacement of species due to immigration and extinction

What are “sky islands”?

Mountain habitats isolated like islands oai_citation:23‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How did sky islands form?

Climate warming isolated high-elevation habitats

How does area affect sky island diversity?

Larger areas support more species

How does distance affect sky island diversity?

Greater distance reduces colonization

What is remote sensing?

Collecting data without direct contact oai_citation:24‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What types of remote sensing exist?

Satellite, aerial (drones/planes), and ground-based oai_citation:25‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is satellite remote sensing used for?

Large-scale environmental monitoring

What is aerial remote sensing used for?

High-resolution targeted observations

What is ground-based sensing used for?

Local, high-frequency data collection

What is GIS (Geographic Information Systems)?

Tools for mapping and analyzing spatial data oai_citation:26‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What is GPS used for in ecology?

Accurate location tracking

What is predictive modeling?

Using data and algorithms to predict ecological patterns oai_citation:27‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

How does machine learning help ecology?

Improves predictions across landscapes

What is eddy covariance?

A method to measure gas and energy exchange oai_citation:28‡Biol_341_Ch20&22.pdf

What does eddy covariance measure?

Fluxes of carbon, water, and energy

Why are new technologies important in ecology?

They allow large-scale and precise data collection

What is the relationship between disturbance and succession?

Disturbance resets succession

What happens if disturbance is too frequent?

Communities cannot reach later stages

What happens if disturbance is absent?

Communities may stabilize or shift slowly

What is the main takeaway of Chapters 20 & 22?

Succession and spatial processes determine biodiversity patterns across landscapes