Biology 1106 Exam 4

Habituation

A progressive loss of behavioral response with repetition of a stimulus (non-associative learning)

Associative Learning

Association between two stimuli, or a behavior

Classical Conditioning

Association of two stimuli (involuntary)

Operant Conditioning

Association of behavior and reward (Involves reward or punishment = voluntary)

Instinct (Innate)

Innate predisposition to forming certain association (imprinting)

Altruism

Behavior that helps the survival of a species without benefiting the particular individual

Kin Selection

Are those benefiting your blood relative? (Not Altruism)

Mututalism

Do both have improved fitness? (Not Altruism)

Manipulation

You get someone else to do your work for you without them knowing (Not Altruism)

Example: Fish birthing/taking care of other species of fish

Reciprocity

Putting your self temporarily at risk but you might gain an edge if others do the same (Not Altruism)

Example: Fish cleaning barracuda's teeth

Batesian Mimicry

Looking more harmless then you actually are (fake)

Fecundity

The number of offspring produced per individual over time

Generation Time

The time between births from one generation to the next

Recruitment

The number of individuals replacing lost members of the population

Random Distribution

Cluster Distribution

Uniform Distribution

Metapopulations

Several distinct populations occupying suitable but separate habitats

Keystone Species

Create habitat for many other species and therefore have a crucial role in species diversity

Intermediate Disturbance

Improves species diversity (coincides with keystone species)

Density Independent

Weather

Catastrophes

Does not depend on population size

Chaotic change in population size

Lead to crashes => fast growth

Density Dependent

Directly related to population density

Food availability

Predators

Territories

Slow effects on growth rate

Encourage stability

Allopatric

Population separated by a barrier

Sympatric

No physical separation between a population

Carrying Capacity

The maximum stable population size sustainable by the environment

(Can be represented by both K and N)

Net Productivity

Energy that remains in the primary producers after accounting for the organisms respiration and heat loss

Carbon Cycle

Photosynthesis

Respiration

Combustion

Nitrogen Cycle

A cycle controlled by bacteria (most abundant gas)

Phosphorous Cycle

A cycle of geological proportions (no gaseous phase)

Geological upheavals

Food Web

Logistic Growth

G = rN*(K-N)/K

(K-N)

How many new individuals are added

(K-N)/K

How much of the environment is available for new individuals

Population

A group of randomly mating individuals of one species that are separate from other groups of that species that occupy a shared distribution

Exponential Growth

G = rN

G

Births - Deaths

rN

Number of individuals (population size) per individual

Rain Shadow Effect

An area having relatively little precipitation due to the effect of having a topographic barrier

Precipitation and Temperature

Correlate with primary productivity

Niche

Function/role of species in environment

Individual Adaptation

Helpful change within an individual; phenotypic plasticity (ability to change ones phenotype)

Evolutionary Adaptation

Inherited trait that improves the ability of individuals to survive and reproduce

Limitation

One factor stops growth

Regulation

Keeps population dynamically stable

Key/Sign Stimulus

Signals from the environment that triggers a stereotyped behavior

Cognitive Learning

Conscious planning ahead with information, memory, and knowledge of what it intends to do and the possible outcomes

Fields of Ecology

Individuals

Population

Community

Ecosystem

Age Structure

Distribution of individuals in different age groups

Survivorship Curve

Plot the number of individuals still alive at each age in the maximum life span

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of the same species for the same limited resources

Ecological Footprint

Describes the global acres of land one needs in order to consume and maintain their lifestyle

Community

Groups of different species occupying and interacting within an environment

Fundamental Niche

Possible set of conditions in which an animal can survive and reproduce

Realized Niche

Actual set of conditions used by a given animal after interactions with another species (competition)

Mullerian Mimicry

Two or more unrelated organisms exhibit closely related warning systems

Aposematic

Defensive/warning coloration

Allelopathy

Chemical signals (toxins)

______ % of freshwater available for human use

_____ % in streams/rivers

0.3, 0.06

Blacksburg (most US towns) obtain water from _____

Rivers

Groundwater

95% of freshwater on Earth

Transpiration

90% of Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Evaporation

Transpiration

Condensation

Precipitation

Groundwater

Primary Productivity

Rate at which different trophic groups move food/energy through the ecosystem

Trophic Cascades

The numbers of top carnivores (or absence of them) can influence two or more lower levels

Top Down Effects

Examines the food web disruption by the removal of a top predator, or top level consumer on herbivores and the food they eat

Bottom Up Effects

Examines the food web disruption when a primary producer, or primary consumer is removed which may diminish population size or functionality through the community

Species Diversity

The number of different species (richness) found in an ecosystem, and their abundance (density)

Biomes

A large region of environments defined by the plant, climate, geography, geology, etc

Biosphere

Earth's living realm

Resource Partitioning

Relates to evolutionary change in species in response to selection pressures generated by interspecific competition

Interspecific competition

Individuals of different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem

Character Displacement

An evolutionary divergence that occurs when two similar species inhabit the same environment

Proximate

Physiology

Ontogeny

(HOW)

Ultimate

Phylogeny

Adaptive Significance

(WHY)