Ecology & Plant Taxonomy Vocabulary

Flashcards of key vocabulary terms from lecture notes.

Evolution

Changes in the genetic composition of a population over time (gene pool).

Variation

Differences that occur in offspring of an organism.

Natural Selection

Process by which, under environmental stress, individuals with more favorable characteristics (phenotypes) leave more surviving offspring.

Speciation

Formation of a new species; groups must be prevented from interbreeding.

Geographic isolation:

Some portion of the population becomes physically separated from original group.

Reproductive isolation:

Some mechanism(s) cause some portion of population to not be able to interbreed.

Classical Species concept:

Species are the smallest groups that are consistently and persistently distinct, and distinguishable from others.

Evolutionary Species concept:

Organisms which maintain their identity from others through time and space and has its own independent evolutionary fate and historical tendencies

Biological Species concept:

Group of related organisms that share attributes, sexually isolated from other species and interbreed with like organisms, to produce viable offspring.

Endemic

Unique to a particular area.

Cosmopolitan

Found worldwide

Taxonomy

Study of names of organisms and their classification

Kingdom

The most broad category- contains the most species.

Species

The most specific category in taxonomy.

Binomial nomenclature

Genus + specific epithet

Algae

Photosynthetic, little/no tissue differentiation (thallus); reproduction does not involve development of embryo within algae; no cell walls around sex cells.

Plants

Photosynthetic, tissue differentiation (dermal, ground and vascular tissues); during reproduction, embryo develops within plant; cell walls around sex cells.

Bryophytes

Reproduce by spores (no seeds), non-vascular plants – lack conducting tissues (xylem & phloem) [small plants], require external H2O for reproduction

Pteridophytes

Reproduce by spores (no seeds), vascular plants – contain conducting tissues xylem (conducts water/minerals) and phloem (conducts food/solutes), ‘true’ roots/stems/leaves due to vascularized, vascular tissues allow for large size, require external H2O for reproduction -

Gymnosperms

Vascular plants – contain conducting tissues xylem and phloem, but is more advanced than Pteridophytes, Seeds – advanced character; NOT enclosed inside a structure. Seed has ‘survival value’, Contains the following: embryo, stored food, integument, Does NOT require external H2O for reproduction –pollen tube delivers sperm to egg location

Angiosperms

Produce flowers, fruits, most advanced vascular tissues and seeds, Seeds – advanced character; Seed is enclosed in a vessel (fruit). Seed has ‘survival value’, Contains the following: embryo, stored food, 2 integuments,Does NOT require external H2O for repro. –pollen tube delivers sperm to egg location

Ecology

The study of the interactions that determine distribution and abundance of living organisms.

Biotic interactions

Interactions among living things

Abiotic interactions

Interactions between organisms and their nonliving environment

Populations

Same species

Communities

Different species

Ecosystems

Biotic and abiotic

Population

Group of individuals of a single species in a given area

Community

All of the living organisms (biotic factors) that live and interact in a given area.

Ecosystem

All of the biotic & abiotic (non-living) factors which these interact in a given area.

Producers (‘autotrophs’ – self feeding)

Make own food.

Macroconsumers (‘heterotrophs’ – ingest feeding)

Ingest feeding

Microconsumers (mostly ‘saprotrophs’ – absorb feeding)

Mostly absorb feeding.

Species Interactions

Between species, within species, between organism & abiotic factor(s)

Ecological succession

Replacement of species over time.

Physiological ecology

How organisms are physiologically adapted to their environment and how environment impacts species distribution

Behavioral ecology

How individual behavior contributes to survival and reproductive success

Community ecology

Studies how populations of species interact and form functional communities

Ecosystem ecology

Studies the flow of energy and cycling of chemical elements among organisms and the physical environment

Trophic levels

Levels in food chains.

Primary producers

Usually green plants, fix and store energy, usually from sunlight

Herbivores

First level of consumers that eat plants

Carnivores

Feed on herbivores or other carnivores

Decomposers

Mainly bacteria and fungi, Break dead organic matter into mineral components for reuse by plants to start the cycle over again

Climate

Prevailing weather pattern in a region

Weather

Day to day conditions that change a lot, in contrast to climate which is the long-term pattern that weather generally follows.

Tundra

"Treeless" land extending to the farthest northern limits of plant growth; accounts for about 20% of the earth's land surface in North America, found mostly north of Arctic Circle.

Taiga

Across most of Canada south of Arctic Circle.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Across most of eastern N.A. with patches west of MS river

Grassland (prairie)

Areas between deciduous forests and deserts

Desert

SM U.S./Mexico

Tropical Rain Forests

N.A.: only in southern Mexico