Ecology Notes

What is the general relationship between latitude and species richness?

The closer you are to the equator, the greater the species richness.

What are the reasons for greater species richness near the equator?

Longer growing seasons lead to more plants, which provide more food and habitats.

What are the four primary causes of population decline known as HIPO?

Habitat loss, invasive species, pollution (including climate change), and overharvesting.

the current extinction event caused by humans

The Anthropocene.

What are some ways to protect ecosystems?

Conservation, restoring damaged ecosystems, reducing pollution, ecotourism, and captive breeding.

An organism's role in its environment, often described as its 'job'.

niche

A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend; its removal would drastically change the ecosystem.

keystone species

Non-native species that enter a new ecosystem and threaten existing native populations.

an invasive species

biodiversity

The variety of life in an area.

The number of species in a community.

species richness?

It compares the population sizes of all populations in a community.

species evenness

What is the water cycle?

The repeated movement of water between Earth's surface and atmosphere.

the water cycle

Evaporation & Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Collection.

1. In atmosphere as CO2 gas, 2. In ocean as dissolved CO2 gas, 3. On land in organisms, rocks, soil, 4. Underground as fossil fuels and calcium carbonate.

What are the four main carbon reservoirs?

Carbon is found in all the building blocks of cells (macromolecules) and is essential for glucose production during photosynthesis, which is the fuel for all living things.

Why is carbon important for living organisms?

Nitrogen bases are crucial for DNA and RNA, and adenine is used in ATP. Although 79% of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas (N2), it cannot be used directly by organisms.

What is the role of nitrogen in living organisms?

Lightning, volcanic activity, and a few special bacteria can break the bond in nitrogen gas.

What processes can break the strong bond in nitrogen gas (N2)?

Nitrogen fixation is the process by which bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere into ammonia (NH3), a form usable by plants.

nitrogen fixation

to the interconnectedness of all living and nonliving things in an ecosystem, where changes to one component can impact the entire system.

What is an ecological relationship?

occurs between the same or different kinds of organisms as they vie for available resources.

competition

is the interaction where one organism hunts and kills another to meet its energy needs.

predation?

occurs when the same kind of organisms live together and help each other.

cooperation

What is symbiosis?

a close association between different kinds of organisms.

What are the three kinds of symbiosis?

Mutualism commensalism and parasitism

a type of symbiosis where both organisms benefit from the interaction.

mutualism

Birds eat parasites from the hides of giraffes and rhinos; birds get food, while the rhinos/giraffes get cleaned.

example of mutualism.

a type of symbiosis where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

commensalism

a type of symbiosis where one organism benefits at the expense of the other.

parasitism

anything needed by an organism for life, such as nutrients, water, light, and space.

resources in an ecological context

a nutrient that is in short supply or cycles slowly, which limits the growth of the population.

a limiting factor

is a dramatic increase in population that occurs when an ecosystem receives a large input of a limiting nutrient, such as fertilizer runoff.

algal bloom

Examples include sharing food, childcare responsibilities, grooming each other, taking care of the sick, hunting in packs, and providing protection.

examples of cooperation

converting nitrogen into forms usable by living organisms, thus supporting the production of proteins, ATP, and nucleic acids.

the nitrogen cycle

The study of interactions between organisms and the living and nonliving parts of the environment.

ecology?

The living components, including animals, plants, and microorganisms.

biotic factors

The nonliving parts, such as sunlight, temperature, and soil condition.

abiotic factors

Organisms that make organic molecules (food), also known as autotrophs, primarily through photosynthesis.

producers

Organisms that eat other organisms for energy, also known as heterotrophs.

consumers

An herbivore that eats plants.

a primary consumer

A small carnivore that eats primary consumers.

a secondary consumer

An organism at the top of the food chain.

a tertiary consumer

Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms and return nutrients to the soil, often referred to as 'Nature's Recyclers'.

decomposers

0Fungi, bacteria, and earthworms.

ex: decomposers.

A linear representation of energy flow through different trophic levels.

a food chain

An illustration of all the complex, inter-related food chains in an ecosystem.

a food web?

An organism's position in a food chain.

trophic level

The amount of energy available at each trophic level, indicating that only about 10% of energy is transferred to the next level.

What does the energy pyramid show?

What happens to most of the energy consumed by organisms?

It is used up and lost as heat.

The smallest part of matter, which is non-living.

atom

Two or more bonded atoms that form compounds, which are non-living.

molecule

Very large molecules, such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, which are non-living.

macromolecules

Tiny organs made of macromolecules.

organelles

The basic unit of structure and function in living organisms, made of organelles.

a cell

A group of the same kind of cells working together.

a tissue

Tissues that work together.

organ

Organs that work together.

a system

An entire living thing, which may be made of systems or be a single cell.

organism

The same type of organisms living together.

a population

Several populations (species) living together and interacting.

community

A biotic community plus the abiotic features.

ecosystem

Similar ecosystems grouped together.

a biome

The whole living layer around the globe on Earth, including abiotic features.

the biosphere?