BIOL 1020

Biology

The scientific study of how life works.

Reductionism

The scientific approach of reducing complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable.

Inductive reasoning

collecting lots of information to later determine a hypothesis (long term studies)

Deductive reasoning

The logical process of using general premises to make specific predictions.

Hypothetico-deductive method (scientific method)

scientific method. identifying a problem, developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting the results.

Population

All individuals of a single species that live and reproduce in a particular place.

Density

The number of individuals per unit area in a population.

Ecological niche

The role and position of a species in its environment, including its interactions with other species and its use of resources.

Interspecific interactions

Interactions between two or more different species.

Predation

A type of interspecific interaction where one species (predator) hunts and kills another species (prey) for food.

Mutualism

A type of interspecific interaction where both species benefit from their interaction.

Competition

A type of interspecific interaction where two or more species compete for limited resources.

Competitive exclusion

The concept that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist permanently in the same place.

Partial predation

When a predator consumes only a portion of its prey, leaving the prey alive.

Herbivory

When an organism eats part or all of a plant.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term interaction between two species, where one or both species benefit.

Biodiversity

The variety of species in a community or ecosystem.

Species richness

The number of different species present in a community or ecosystem.

Energy

can limit the number of species and food chain length

Ecological succession

The sequence of community and ecosystem changes that occur after a disturbance.

Mobile animals

their population has additional adjectives; non-breeding, migratory

The key features of a population

1. population size

2. geographic range

3. population density

calculating population size

population size = (total on second capture/recapture) x total marked first day

carrying capacity

reaching max individuals a habitat can support. growth rate plateaus when resources are affected

density independent factors

when population at 2 sites change in parallel (great tit)

density dependent

when population at 2 sites fluctuate oppositely (lemming)

age structure population growth

age of females entering fertility is declining or increasing

three curves

Type I - adult mortality (humans)

Type II - stable mortality (birds)

Type III - infant mortality (tree)

R-strategists

short life

many offspring, often

early reproduction

K-strategists

not may offspring, later

long life

meta-population

population linked through immigration

niche

where a species is and what they do there

fundamental niche

all habitat potentially available to a population

realized niche

where the population actually is

niche partitioning

competing species use the environment differently in a way that helps them to coexist.

phylogenetic conservatism

species constrained of what they can do because of genetic evolution (woodpeckers drill holes, bears are carnivores etc)

inter and intra specific interactions

interacting with other species and same species

interference competition

direct physical competition

exploitative competition

indirectly reducing resources for another species

competitive exclusion principle

two species competing for the same resources cant coexist in same place

cryptic coloration

camouflaging to avoid predation

aposematic coloration

more colourful to make self look distasteful

batesian mimicry

harmless species mimics a harmful one

mullerian mimicry

two unpalitable species mimic each other

anti herbivory adaptations

plant makes themselves not taste good (kale)

commensalism

positive for one, does not affect the other

facilitation

both positive for species

parasites

harms host to complete life cycle but does not kill them

community

collection of species occur together in the same place (tree stump)

biodiversity

measure of number of species

increase in sampling

increase in species discovery

relative abundance

more rare species, less common

energy between trophic levels

10%

more precipitation

more species

disturbance

fewer species into the forest

bigger area

more species, more resources, bigger organisms

bigger reserve size

is better, to reduce impact from natural disasters

keystone species

a species that is relied on, if removed, things could go wrong

higher wealth countries

have higher CO2 emissions

mismatch in timing

white rabbits in the summer dies because temperature changed before they wee ready to change colour

coral bleaching cause

sudden drop in temperatures

1-2 degree increase for 5 weeks

spike of 3 degrees for several hours

positive feedback system

increasingly good conditions

assisted migration

last resort when species is declining. trans locates species to where they will thrive