Ecology

Ecology End of Unit Test

Population Density

Number of organisms / unit of area

Ecological successions

The series of predictable changes that occur in an ecosystem

Disturbance

Changes in environmental conditions that cause a change in an ecosystem

Acquired response

Non-Specific

• 1st, 2nd, lines

• mucus - tears - skin - fever - macrophages

• innate

Specific

• 3rd line of defense

• T+B cells ← antibodies

• primary and secondary

• acquired

mRNA

Blueprint to produce antigens.

Live-Attenuated

Weakened, non-harmful portion of viruses

Inactivated

Killed version of virus

Vaccinations

Stimulate the immune response in body to viruses by producing antibodies and memory cells

• trains body to fight and respond quicker

• slows transmission

Immune System

Bodies defenses that attack and destroy pathogens

Disease Transmission

• Direct Contact

• Exchange of Fluids

• Contamination 

• Airborne

• Vector

Growth rate / change of population

Organisms per time

Density = # of organisms

Organism per area

Predator / Prey Cycle

Predation affects population size (density dependent)

Many show a cycle of increase/decrease over time (boom bust)

Fundamental to health of natural population and ecosystem

Limiting Factor

Causes population growth to decrease

Ecology

• study of organisms and their environment, relationships and interactions

Ecological Hierarchy

Organism - species - population - community - ecosystem - biome - bioshphere

Community

Two of more different species occupying the same geographical location.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area.

Ecosystem

A community or group of abiotic and biotic factors that live in and interact with each other in a specific environment.

Biosphere

The region on, above, and below the Earth's surface where life exists.

Biome

An area classified according to the species that live in that location. Temperature range, soil type, and the amount of light and water are unique to a particular place and form the niches for specific species

Autotroph

Gets energy by converting it themselves

Heterotroph

Gets energy from consuming other living things.

Trophic Levels

Consist of: primary producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and detritivores (decomposers)

Consumer

An organism that gets its energy by eating plants or animals

Producer

An organism that creates its own food or energy

10% rule

~10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels

90% is a heat emission

Biomass pyramid

Representation of total living biomass or organic matter present at different trophic levels in an ecosystem

Food chain

Direct map of what is eaten to what is doing the eating.

Food Web

Relationships of many different species consuming and crossing over one another.

Natality

Amount of births

Mortality

Amount of deaths

Emigration

Amount of organisms entering a location.

Immigration

Amount of organisms leaving a location

Exponential

Growth of a population means there are unlimited resources allowing the species to increase “infinitely.”

Logistic growth

Growth looks like an S and has a carrying capacity (K) which shows the maximum population an environment can maintain.

Density dependent

Impact is greater the more dense of population (predation)

Biotic factors - availability of food, space, disease, ect

Density independent

Impact is the same no matter the density

Abiotic factors - weather, natural disasters, ect.

Innate immunity

• Physical Barriers. such as skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, the nasopharynx, cilia, eyelashes and other body hair.

• Defense Mechanisms. such as secretions, mucous, bile, gastric acid, saliva, tears, and sweat.

• General Immune Responses.

Acquired immunity

A person's immune system responds to a foreign substance or microorganism, or that occurs after a person receives antibodies from another source.

Active immunity

Acquired through infection/vaccine.

Own immune system

Competition

Occurs between organisms in an ecosystem when their niches overlap, they both try to use the same resource and the resource is in short supply.

Vector

Any organism (vertebrate or invertebrate) that functions as a carrier of an infectious agent between organisms of a different species

The study of insects that transmit pathogens, their interaction with (vertebrate) hosts or with the disease-causing parasitic organisms

Zoonotic

Infectious disease that spreads between animals and humans (rabies - West Nile - plague )

Epidemic

The widespread of an infectious disease.

Primary Succession

Establishing life in an area where no soil exists

Secondary Succession

The changes that occur (every time) after a disturbance

Keystone Species

Species that, if removed, affects the entire ecosystem (important and unique roles)

Trophic Cascade

Ecological event that changes structure of ecosystem

Indirect interactions between species, control the entire ecosystem

Increase in population

• Birth rate (natality)

• Immigration

Decrease in population

• Death rate (mortality)

• Emigration

Pathogen

Agents that cause disease

Ways in which diseases can transmit

• Direct Contact

• Exchange of Fluids

• Contamination 

• Airborne

• Vector

Passive Immunity

Immunity which is gained from someone else.

T-Cells

• Helper T Cells - activates T + B cells

• Cellular immunity

• Killer T-cells - destroy infected cell

Both T & B Cells

• Memory cells

• Activated by helper T cells

• Acquired immunity 

• 3rd line or Specific

• White Blood Cells - Lymphocytes

• Primary AND Secondary immunity

B Cells

• Antibodies - plasma

• Proteins that “tag” antigen

• Humoral immunity - fluids in the body