Chinook Salmon and Adaptations

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Chinook salmon, adaptation, ecological succession, and the effects of environmental change on biodiversity.

What role do Chinook salmon play in ecosystems?

Chinook salmon transport nutrients from the ocean to freshwater habitats and support sport and commercial fisheries.

What is a major threat to salmon populations due to climate change?

Warming waters in streams and rivers where they reproduce.

How does temperature affect salmon survival?

Warm temperatures can cause large salmon die-offs, but some individuals have higher thermal tolerance allowing them to survive.

What is thermal tolerance in salmon?

Thermal tolerance is the ability of some salmon individuals to withstand and live in warm temperatures.

What is the implication of identifying genes responsible for thermal tolerance in salmon?

Management agencies could screen for these genes in populations to breed individuals capable of surviving in warmer environments.

What are the two main types of ecological succession?

Primary succession and secondary succession.

Why is genetic diversity important for populations adapting to environmental change?

It increases the chances of having individuals with beneficial mutations that can survive changing conditions.

What is the Edge Effect in ecology?

Edge habitats where two ecosystems meet can have distinct characteristics and higher biodiversity due to the variety of food and resources.

What does HIPPCO stand for regarding threats to biodiversity?

HIPPCO refers to habitat destruction, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and over exploitation.

How does habitat fragmentation affect wildlife?

It creates smaller, isolated populations that may have reduced genetic diversity and be more prone to extinction.

What is the significance of keystone species?

Keystone species have a disproportionately large impact on their ecosystem's structure.

Describe the relationship between environmental change and evolution.

Rapid environmental changes make it difficult for species to adapt, potentially leading to migration or extinction.

What is natural selection?

Natural selection is the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more offspring.

Among the HIPPCO factors, which is generally considered the primary cause of biodiversity loss globally?

Habitat destruction is widely regarded as the leading cause of biodiversity loss.

What are natural disturbances in an ecosystem?

Natural disturbances are events caused by natural forces, such as fires, floods, hurricanes, or volcanic eruptions, that disrupt an ecosystem's structure and function.

How do natural disturbances, like wildfires, influence ecosystem dynamics and succession?

Natural disturbances can reset successional stages, create new habitats, release nutrients from dead organic matter, and promote the growth of disturbance-adapted species, thereby influencing ecosystem structure and biodiversity over time.