Bio 111 - Biodiversity and Conservation ecology

bio111

what is biodiversity?

encompasses the genetic diversity of species, the variety of different species, and the different ecosystems they form

what is conservation biology?

uses molecular biology, genetics, and ecology to protect and sustain biodiversity

what are the three levels of biodiversity?

genetic diversity

species diversity

ecosystem diversity

what is genetic diversity?

the amount of genetic variation within and between populations

what is species diversity?

number and relative abundance of species in a community

what is ecosystem diversity?

diversity of structure and function within an ecosystem

what are market values in an ecosystem?

raw materials, controlling erosion, and recreation

what are sine nonmarket values in an ecosystem?

scientific research, cultural value, teaching, and learning resources.

what is biophilia?

humans' innate attachment with species and natural habitats because of close associations with them over millions of years

Environments with increased diversity also showed increased ______________

productivity

what is one way Tilman et al. discovered to reduce the amount of invasive plant species and fungal diseases in an environment?

increase the richness of the environment

what is an introduced species?

a species moved by humans from a native location to a new one (often for agricultural purposes, sometimes by accident)

introduced species that spread and outcompete native species become ________________

an invasive species

what is biological control?

the intentional release of a natural enemy

what are some major things climate change can negatively affect?

the timing of plant and animal life-cycle events (migration, flowering, hibernation emergence)

what are greenhouse gases?

airborne chemicals that capture and hold heat within earth's atmosphere

the _______________________ is vital to life on Earth; without it, most of Earth's surface would be too cold to support life

greenhouse effect

what will global warming do to coral reefs?

warming oceans can cause coral to lose their symbiotic algae. Without it, they die

small populations are vulnerable to loss of genetic diversity through which three factors?

inbreeding, genetic drift, and limited mating

what is 'effective population size'?

individuals that will contribute genes to future generations

what is an ecological footprint?

an estimate of the amount of land and water required to sustain one person

what is the goal of sustainable development?

to maintain the productivity of Earth's ecosystems indefinitely

what are two examples of dramatic species recovery that we talked about?

Bald eagle recovery

american alligator recovery

what is one way to slow population growth and ease competition for resources?

Educating girls in developing countries (staying in school delays reproduction)

what are biodiversity hot spots?

relatively small areas with unusually high concentrations of endemic species and endangered species

what are endemic species?

species that are only found in a relatively small geographic area

what is fragmentation?

the splitting of habitats that causes populations to become isolated from each other

Why might a circular park be preferred to an oblong or rectangular park?

to minimize edge effects (circles have less surface area than squares or rectangles). The center of a forest is always shadier, cooler, less windy, and supports more life

what is an indicator species?

species whose status gives clues to overall habitat health (coral, polar bears)

what is an umbrella species?

habitat requirements are so large that protecting them also protects other species

what is a flagship species?

charming, recognizable species that people care about

what is a keystone species?

disproportionately affect some ecosystem relative to their numbers (otters in alaska, beavers)

what are a few factors that contribute to coastal land loss in louisiana?

lack of sediment added to marsh

oil exploration

sea level rise

what is bioremediation?

the use of living organisms to detoxify polluted ecosystems

Which of these would be an example of an ecosystem undergoing primary succession?

Glacier shifting across a valley, scraping away the topsoil

Some ant species protect aphids from predators in exchange for sugary secretions from the aphid’s abdomen. What type of mutualistic interaction would that be?

Defensive

Which is a method that ecologists use to estimate the size and diversity of plant populations in large areas?

Quadrant sampling

Planting sunflowers to remove radioactive isotopes from contaminated soil would be an example of what kind of habitat restoration?

Bioremediation

Which of these conservation programs would be focused on protecting genetic biodiversity?

A seed bank with hundreds of corn varieties

Which of these habitats would tend to have the lowest species richness?

A fallow field that used to be a sugarcane field last spring

Which of these behaviors is innate, but is also perfected by learning?

Birds adjusting their flight path after being blown off course during migration

In Simberloff and Wilson’s experiment testing island biogeography theory, what did they find out about the recolonization of islands by insect species?

Large islands that were closer to the mainland could support larger, more diverse insect populations

In the Girard park ecosystem, which of these animals would be an example of a primary consumer?

Grasshopper

What type of terrestrial biome is characterized by moderate rainfall, cold winters, hot summers, and can be found in much of north Louisiana?

Temperate deciduous forest 

The grasslands of the North America don't contain as many species as some habitats, why might it still be worthwhile to protect them?

Most of them have already been destroyed, and the last patches could disappear

In the interconnected food web of an African savannah ecosystem, which species would cause the most immediate impact if you removed it entirely?

grass

Which of these is a density independent factor limiting population growth?

weather conditions

Which of these would be an example of an ecosystem undergoing secondary succession?

Louisiana coastal marsh flooded by hurricane storm surge

Which of these ecosystems would have the highest species richness?

A rainforest with intense sunlight and high rainfall

What type pf mating system do you see most commonly when offspring are highly dependent on receiving lots of parental care?

monogamy

What type of terrestrial biome once dominated the Midwest, and is characterized by low to moderate rainfall, cold winters, mild summers, and occasional wildfires?

temperate grasslands

Which is a method that ecologists use to estimate the size of mobile animal populations over large areas

Mark-recapture trapping

Which of these studies would be an example of using a hypothesis driven approach to investigate ecology?

Exposing marsh plants to different levels of salinity and measuring growth

What is an example of an invasive species that is spreading in Louisiana?

island apple snails

Which area of behavioral ecology would study a Canada goose’s ability to recognize landmarks while flying?

migration

How is your ecological footprint related to preserving biodiversity?

It measures the amount of water and land resources consumed to maintain your lifestyle

Decreasing your ecological footprint eases the pressure on earth’s resources

Which would be an example of a species interaction that is positive for one species, but has no effect on the other?

commensalism