Ecology and Conservation Biology Review

A set of flashcards covering key concepts related to ecology and conservation biology.

Closed Energy System

An energy system where energy is not exchanged with the environment.

Open Energy System

An energy system where energy is exchanged with the environment.

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food using light or chemical energy.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain their energy by consuming other organisms.

Decomposer

Organisms that break down dead organic material.

Detritivore

Organisms that feed on dead organic matter and help in the decomposition process.

Producers

Organisms that create energy-rich organic compounds through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Primary Consumers

Herbivores that eat producers.

Secondary Consumers

Carnivores that eat primary consumers.

Tertiary Consumers

Carnivores that eat secondary consumers.

Ecosystem Productivity

The rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of energy captured by photosynthesis.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy remaining after autotrophs have met their metabolic needs; NPP = GPP - respiration.

Trophic Level

Each level in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients.

Ecological Efficiency

The proportion of energy stored in biomass at one trophic level compared to the energy that was available at the previous level.

Biomass Pyramid

A graphical representation showing the distribution of biomass among trophic levels.

Energy Pyramid

A graphical representation showing the energy available at each trophic level.

Species Richness

The number of different species represented in a given ecological community.

Species Evenness

The relative abundance of each species in a community.

Species Diversity

A combination of species richness and evenness in a community.

Shannon-Weiner Index

A mathematical formula used to measure the diversity of a community.

Species Accumulation Curves

Graphs that indicate how species richness increases with the number of samples.

Community Structure

The organization of a community and the relationships among its species.

Pioneer Species

Species that are the first to colonize barren environments.

Late-Successional Species

Species that thrive in mature ecosystems and often have long lifespans.

Facilitation

A process where early successional species help modify the environment in a way that allows later species to thrive.

Primary Succession

The process of ecological change in an environment that was previously uninhabited.

Secondary Succession

The process of ecological recovery that occurs after a disturbance in an already established ecosystem.

Cultural Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment in water bodies, often due to human activity, leading to excessive plant growth.

Anthropocene

A proposed epoch that highlights the significant impact of human activity on the Earth's geology and ecosystems.

Wildlife Corridor

A protected passageway that connects isolated habitats to ensure species movement.

Adaptive Restoration

An approach to ecological restoration that incorporates ongoing learning and adaptation.

Conservation Biology

A discipline focused on understanding the factors that influence biodiversity and developing strategies for conservation.