plant ecology exam 1

abiotic

non-living components of plant ecosystem

climatic

abiotic - rain, light, wind, temperature

edaphic

abiotic - soil, pH, minerals, topography

biotic

living components of plant ecosystem

biotic

producers, consumers, decomposers

autotrophs

producers - make their own food (ex: plants)

heterotrophs

consumers - cannot make their own food

saprotrophs

decomposers - get nutrients by breaking down dead matter (ex: fungi)

primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary

four levels of consumers

primary

consumer that eats producers (ex: grasshoppers)

secondary

consumer that eats primary (ex: frog)

tertiary

consumer that eats secondary (ex: snake)

quaternary

consumer that eats tertiary (ex: hawk)

individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome

ecology levels of organization

individual

one singular plant

population

same species living in the same place

community

various organisms living in the same place

ecosystem

community of organisms interacting with each other and their environment

biome

large area defined by its abiotic factors and the species that live there

dichotomous key

tool used to determine the identity of organisms

plants

produce oxygen though photosynthesis

plants

fix carbon by taking CO2 from the atmosphere

plants

help cool Earth’s atmospherep

plants

formed coal and soil

plants

provide food and shelter that helped insects and terrestrial animals evolve

plants

the source of essentially all food and oxygen on the planet and convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis

botany

important to society because of food, medicine, science, materials, agriculture

botany

the study of plant life

botany

-virtually all foods come directly from plants or indirectly from animals that eat plants

-plants occupy the first trophic level (primary producers)

botany

-plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years

-50-60% of new drugs come from or are inspired by natural sources

botany

-plants have been important model organisms for studying cell division, protein synthesis, genetics, etc.

-medel used pea plants to discover the laws of inheritance

-Barbara McClintock discovered transposable elements using maize

botany

-plants make materials like wood, bark, fibers, cotton, linen, rubber, paper, etc.

botany

-the Green Revolution introduced new crop varieties and greatly increased food production

dicots

-petiole attached to stem

-broad leaf blade

-vascular bundles forming a network of veins

monocots

-blade & sheath

-sheath surrounds the stem

-veins run parallel

normal stem

characteristics:

-main axis of shoot system

-bears leaves, flowers, fruits

-transports materials

-nodes

-internodes

nodes

where leaves attach

internodes

stem sections between nodes

bulb

modified stem for onion

runner

modified stem for strawberry

stolon

modified stem for tubers (potato)

rhizozome

modified stem root for iris

root

functions:

-anchor plant

-absorb water and nutrients

modified roots

used for:

-food storage

-propagation

-photosynthesis

-support

-parasitism (parasite benefits at expense of host)

-symbiosis (interaction between two species)

pneumatophores

modified root for black mangrove

prop roots

modified root

buttress roots

modified root

photosynthetic roots

modified root or orchids

parasitic roots

modified root

symbiotic roots

modified root

mycorrhizae

modified root; plant-fungus symbiosis where the fungus increases root surface area for nutrient absorption and can protect against pathogens

simple leaves

a leaf with an undivided single blade attached to the stem via a petiole (ex: cottonwood)

compound leaf

a leaf divided into multiple separate leaflets attached to a central stalk or axis

palmately compound

leaflets radiate outward from a single central point (ex: white clover)

pinnately compound

leaflets are attached along both sides of a central axis/rachis

double compound

leaflets themselves are further divided into secondary leaflets (ex: black walnut)

alternate

leaves attach singly at alternating levels along the stem (ex: ivy)

opposite

leaves attach in pairs directly across from each other at the same stem node (ex: periwinkle)

whorled

three or more leaves attach in a circular cluster at the same stem node (ex: sweet woodruff)

entire

smooth, continuous margin without any teeth, notches, or indentations

serrate

margin with sharp, forward-pointing, saw-like teeth

lobed

margin with distinct, deeply cut indentations or projections forming rounded or pointed lobes

spine

-modified leaf

-a sharp, protective structure modified directly from a leaf or leaf part (ex: Cactaceae)

bract/spathe

modified leaves associated with reproductive structures, such as the large leaf-like spathe surrounding a spadix

thorn

modified stem with prickles (outgrowths from the stem epidermis)

needle-like/scale-like

conifer leaf modifications adapted for reduced water loss (ex: Pinus, Cupressus)

actinomorphic (regular)

flower radial symmetry; can be divided into equal halves along multiple planes

zygomorphic (irregular)

bilateral symmetry; can only be divided into equal halves along a single vertical plane (ex: Papilionaceous flowers in Fabaceae)

peduncle

main stalk clusters of flowers are on

solitary

inflorescence type; single flower produced on a stem

spike

inflorescence type; unbranched stalk with sessile (stalkless) flowers directly attached

raceme

inflorescence type; unbranched stalk with flowers attached via individual pedicels (stalks)

panicle

inflorescence type; a branched raceme

corymb

inflorescence type; flat-topped or convex flower cluster where lower pedicels are longer, bringing all flowers to the same level (youngest flower in the center)

cyme

inflorescence type; flat-topped or rounded cluster where the central, oldest flower opens first

umbel

inflorescence type; pedicels arise from a single common central point

capitulum (head)

inflorescence type; dense cluster of ray and disk flowers, surrounded by a leafy spathe (ex: Arum family)

catkin

inflorescence type; a dropping, scaly spike of unisexual flowers (ex: hazel, alder, birch)

spikelet

inflorescence type; specialized unit of inflorescences in grasses, sedges, and rushes (Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae)

fleshy fruits

berry, hesperidium, pepo, drupe, pome

dry dehiscent

fruits that split open when mature

dry dehiscent fruits

legume, follicle, capsule, silique/silicle, loment

dry indehiscent

fruits that do not split open when mature

dry indehiscent fruits

achene, nut, samara, schizocarp, utricle

compound/complex fruits

aggregate, multiple, accessory

strobilus

a cone-like reproductive structure made of spirally arranged, seed-bearing scales found in gymnosperms (conifers), lacking a surrounding ovary/pericarp tissue

annual

a plant that completes its entire life cycle (germination, growth, reproduction, death) in one growing season or year

winter annuals

germinate in the fall, overwinter, and produce seeds in spring/summer

summer annuals

germinate in the spring, mature, and set seed by fallp

perennial

a plant that lives for more than two years

monocarpic

perennial plant that lives for multiple years (or 2-3 years like biennials) and reproduces only once in its lifetime, and dies after setting seed

polycarpic

perennial plant that lives for multiple years and reproduces repeatedly throughout its lifetime

berry

fleshy fruit; fleshy pericarp throughout with seeds embedded inside (ex: grape)

hesperidium

fleshy fruit; modified berry with a leathery rind containing flavedo and albedo sections (ex: citrus fruits)

pepo

fleshy fruit; modified verry with a tough, outer rind (ex: pumpkin)

drupe

fleshy fruit; fleshy outer layer with a hard, stony inner pit enclosing the seed (ex: peach)

pome

fleshy fruit; fleshy accessory fruit with a central cored chamber (ex: apple)

legume

dry dehiscent fruit; opens along two seams (ex: bean)

follicle

dry dehiscent fruit; opens along one seam (ex: delphinium)

capsule

dry dehiscent fruit; opens in various ways—loculicidal (Iris), septicidal (Yucca), or poricidal (Poppy)