ecology final

Interference

Direct and aggressive interaction between individuals.

Intraspecific

Competition with members of the same species.

Self-thinning

Mortality among competing plants due to intense competition at higher population densities.

Gause's Principle of Competitive Exclusion

Two species with identical niches cannot coexist indefinitely.

Fundamental Niche

The full range of environmental conditions and resources a species can potentially use.

Realized Niche

The actual space a species occupies and the resources it can access due to competition.

Exploitative Interactions

Interactions that influence the distribution, abundance, and structure of prey and host populations.

Interference Competition

Direct inhibitory effects arising from reduced use of resources.

Mutualisms

Interactions beneficial to both species involved.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Intermediate levels of disturbance can positively impact diversity in ecosystems.

Tscharntke's Study

Investigated food webs in wetland reeds, focusing on the parasitic fly Giraudiella inclusa and its interactions with 14 parasitoid wasp species.

Indirect Interactions

Effects of one species on another through a third species, including trophic cascades, indirect commensalism, and complex relationships.

Keystone Species

Few influential community members, as per Paine's theory, which helps maintain species coexistence by controlling prey populations and reducing competitive exclusion.

Lubchenco's Snail Grazer Research

Explored the impact of snail density on algal diversity, showing how different densities affect competitive exclusion and algal diversity in intertidal communities.

Consumer Effects on Local Diversity

Understanding the impact of consumers on local diversity in intertidal communities, such as the role of snails in shaping algal diversity.

Connell's Hypothesis

Support for the hypothesis in intertidal communities, where disturbance and productivity influence species diversity and the presence of keystone species.

Power's Research

Investigated the influence of California roach and steelhead trout on food web structure, showing how predatory fish act as keystone species by regulating algal densities.

Sociality Evolution

Driven by the need for group defense, mate defense, and resource sharing, influenced by kin selection and ecological constraints.

Sexual Selection

Involves mate choice based on traits like brightness in guppies, influenced by intrasexual and intersexual selection pressures.

Population Distribution & Abundance

Describes the distribution patterns of species within populations, influenced by factors like organism size and habitat suitability.

Niche Concept

Grinnell and Elton's perspectives on niches, distinguishing between fundamental and realized niches that shape a species' distribution and interactions.

Rarity & Extinction

Discusses the rarity of species like the mountain gorilla and factors contributing to extinction risks, such as habitat loss and hunting.

Dispersal & Population Dynamics

Explores how dispersal affects population densities, the formation of metapopulations, and the survival patterns reflected in age distributions.

Lentic Ecosystems

Refers to standing water ecosystems like lakes, highlighting examples such as the Great Lakes, Lake Baikal, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Titicaca.

Lake Tanganyika

A lake with less than 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater.

Lake Titicaca

The highest navigable lake in terms of elevation.

Light in Lakes

Lake color depends on light absorption and biological activity.

Temperature in Lakes

Lakes stratify as they warm up.

Water Movement in Lakes

Wind-driven mixing is ecologically significant.

Seasonal Temperature Changes

Temperate lakes experience temperature variations throughout the year.

Oxygen in Lakes

Oligotrophic vs. Eutrophic lakes in terms of oxygen levels.

Human Influences on Lakes

Negative impacts of human activities on lakes.

Wetlands

Different types like marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens.

Microclimate Importance

Small-scale weather variations and its significance for organisms.

Acclimation

Reversible changes in morphology or physiology in response to environmental changes.

Adaptation

Evolutionary changes at the population level to suit environments.

Thermoregulation in Animals

Maintaining body temperature regardless of the environment.

Homeotherms and Endotherms

Most homeotherms are endotherms.

Ectotherms and Poikilotherms

Ectotherms rely on external heat sources.

Temperature Regulation in Ectothermic Animals

Strategies for temperature regulation in ectotherms.

Temperature Regulation in Endothermic Animals

Behavioral and physiological mechanisms in endotherms.

Temperature Regulation in Plants

Mechanisms like leaf size, growth form, and dormancy.

Plant Growth and Adaptation

Adaptations in plants for optimal growth.

Physiological Damage due to Anaerobic Conditions

Effects of lack of oxygen on organisms relying on aerobic respiration.

Lack of Oxygen

The absence of oxygen can lead to reduced ATP production, affecting cellular functions and causing physiological damage.

Accumulation of Toxic Substances:

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Formed in anaerobic conditions, toxic to cells, and disrupts physiological processes.

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Toxic gas produced in anaerobic conditions, damaging tissues and organs.

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Byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, displaces oxygen, exacerbating oxygen deficiency.

Drowning

Animals like mammals and birds can suffocate and die in anaerobic conditions without access to oxygen.

Loss of Insulation

Aquatic animals lose insulation in anaerobic conditions, making them vulnerable to temperature changes.

Loss of Nesting Sites

Anaerobic conditions can reduce suitable nesting sites for animals, impacting their habitat.

Eusociality

A complex level of sociality involving multiple generations co-habitating, cooperative care of young, and division into reproductive and non-reproductive castes, seen in species like ants and bees.

Comparative Method Experiment

Using different species or populations to isolate a variable of interest, such as comparing ant species to understand the evolution of sociality.

Kin Selection

Evolutionary force favoring helping behaviors among related individuals, explaining altruistic acts like cooperative nursing and protection of young.

Limited Breeding Opportunities

Drives the evolution of sociality, with benefits like inclusive fitness and cooperative breeding for raising offspring not their own.

Population Ecology

Study of how populations interact with the environment, focusing on population dynamics, growth, and distribution.

Dispersion

Pattern of spacing among individuals in a population, categorized as clumped, random, or regular.

Mortality/Survivorship

Death rate and proportion of individuals surviving to a given age within a population, classified into Type I, II, and III survivorship curves.

Age Structure

Distribution of individuals across different age groups within a population, providing insights into reproductive potential and future growth.

Birth Rate

Number of offspring produced per unit of time within a population, influenced by factors like reproductive age and environmental conditions.

Minimum Viable Population

Population size below which extinction cannot be avoided, influenced by resource limitation and competition among individuals.

Dispersal in Response to Changing Food Supply

Predators may disperse to areas with higher prey densities in response to increased prey availability.

Drift

Gradual passive downstream movement in rivers and streams.

Metapopulations

A group of subpopulations connected by individuals' exchange living on patches of habitat.

Life Tables

Used to study mortality and survival patterns, recording age at death in a population.

Survivorship Curve

Graphical representation of mortality and survival patterns in a population.

Age Distribution

Proportion of individuals in a population at different age classes.

Rates of Population Change

Estimation using life tables, including birth rate, net reproductive rate, and generation time.

Sexual Reproduction

Involves two parents contributing genetic material to produce offspring with genetic variation.

Asexual Reproduction

Single parent produces genetically identical offspring.

Logistic Population Growth

Population growth slows and stops as resources deplete, with a carrying capacity.

Limits to Population Growth

Environmental factors alter birth and death rates, including density-dependent and density-independent factors.

Semelparity vs Iteroparity

Semelparity reproduces once, while iteroparity reproduces multiple times in a lifetime.

Offspring Size and Number

Trade-offs between producing large or small offspring based on environmental conditions.

Fitness

Determined by multiple factors, not solely by offspring size or number.

Seed Size

The size of seeds produced by plants, influenced by plant growth form and dispersal mode.

Plant Growth Form

Different growth forms of plants (e.g., trees, shrubs) influencing seed size.

Dispersal Mode

Various modes of seed dispersal (e.g., wind, animal) affecting seed size.

Seed Size Variation

Plays a significant role in seedling performance and recruitment success.

Adult Survival and Reproductive Allocation

Energy allocation before and after sexual maturity affecting growth and reproduction.

Life History Variation Among Species

Differences in life history strategies influenced by factors like mortality rate and reproductive effort.

Life History Variation Within Species

Influence of adult survival on life history within species.

r-selection and K-selection

Classifying life history strategies based on growth rate and resource use efficiency.

Survivorship

Type III and Type I survivorship curves associated with r-selection and K-selection, respectively.

Environmental Extremes

Disturbance and stress levels influencing plant life histories.

Opportunistic Life History

Characteristics include rapid growth, short lifespan, and high reproductive output.

Equilibrium Life History

Characteristics include slow growth, long lifespan, and low reproductive output.

Periodic Life History

Combination of rapid and slow growth and reproduction periods.

Lifetime Reproductive Effort

Approach to life history classification based on dimensionless numbers.

Generalizations

Variations in life history influenced by the environment and contribute to ecological diversity.