Exploring Ecosystems: Biotic and Abiotic Interactions

A set of QA-style flashcards covering key ecological concepts from the lecture notes, including biotic and abiotic factors, competition and niche dynamics, symbiosis, predator-prey cycles, keystone species, ecosystem engineers, and indicator species.

What are biotic factors?

Living components specialized for each ecosystem.

What are abiotic factors?

Non-living components such as temperature, sunlight, wind, humidity, and soil composition.

How do abiotic factors influence ecosystems?

They affect energy flow and matter recycling within ecosystems.

Give an example showing abiotic factors differ by environment.

More nutrient-rich soil in tropical zones than deserts.

Why do tropical regions often support larger populations?

Because of higher nutritional density leading to greater carrying capacity.

What are the primary types of species interactions mentioned?

Competition and cooperation.

How do meerkats illustrate cooperation?

They watch for predators, care for young, and divide labor.

What is an adaptation example mentioned?

Camels evolving humps to store fat for desert survival.

What are limiting factors?

Resources that limit population growth, driving competition.

Provide an example of competition for sunlight.

Trees competing for sunlight.

What is intraspecific competition?

Competition within the same species (e.g., deer fighting for mates).

What is interspecific competition?

Competition between different species (e.g., lion vs hyena for food).

What is the memory aid for intra vs inter competition?

a = single species (intra); e = everyone (inter).

What does the Competitive Exclusion Principle state?

Two species competing for the same niche cannot coexist indefinitely.

What is a niche?

The role and space a species occupies in an environment, including its niche types.

What is a fundamental niche?

The original, overlapping niche a species could potentially occupy.

What is a realized niche?

The actual niche a species occupies after competition and other factors.

What is resource partitioning?

Division of resources among coexisting species to reduce competition.

What is habitat loss and its impact?

Mass extinction rates highest since the ice age, mainly due to human activity.

Provide an example of habitat loss due to urban expansion

Cheetahs losing habitat, reducing prey availability.

What are the three types of symbiosis?

Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism.

What is an example of mutualism?

Clownfish and anemone; both benefit (shelter, protection, and food).

What is an example of commensalism?

Barnacles on whales; one benefits, the other is unaffected.

What is an example of parasitism?

Tick on a rodent; leech on a fish.

What is predator-prey dynamics?

Population cycles where prey increase leads to predator increase, then prey rebound; a negative feedback loop.

Why are predator-prey cycles important?

They help maintain population stability and drive natural selection and evolution.

What is a keystone species?

A species with a disproportionately large impact on the ecosystem.

What is an example of a keystone species?

Wolves in Yellowstone.

What are ecosystem engineers?

Organisms that modify their environment, changing resource availability; beavers are a classic example.

What are indicator species?

Species that signal ecosystem health by showing environmental conditions; examples include canaries and frogs.

What is the main takeaway about symbiosis in this lecture?

Be able to distinguish mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism with real-world examples.

What should you understand about predator-prey cycles and negative feedback loops?

They create cycles that stabilize populations and can drive evolution.

How should these ecological concepts be applied?

To real-world environmental issues and assignments.