ecology exam three

group of individuals of a single species inhabiting a specific area

population

the role and position an organism occupies in its ecosystem

niche

defines the physical conditions under which a species might live, in the absence of interaction with other species.

fundamental niche

actual space a species occupies within an ecosystem, influenced by factors like predation, competition, and resource availability

realized niche

small distances in which there is little environmental change

small scale phenomena

large scale with subsantial environmental change

large scale phenomena

four reasons for ecologists to study populations

saves endangered species, controls pests, manages fish and game, understands/controls disease epidemics

two characteristics shared by populations

distribution and density

patterns of distribution are produced by what three factors?

interactions between individuals, structure of physical environment, combo of interactions and environmental structures

classification of rarity and commonness is based on three factors:

geographic range, habitat tolerance, local population size

density

the number of individuals in a population per unit area

rarity I

extrensive range, broad ht, small lp

rarity II

extensive range, narrow ht, large lp

extreme rarity

restricted range, narrow ht, small lp

what are the characteristics of a population

consists of a single species, has an age distribution, has a birth rate, has an emigration rate

In a ____ distribution, individuals have a much higher probability of being found in some areas than in others

clumped

what are the three types of pattern distribution seen on small scales?

clumped, regular, random

expansion, decline, and maintenance of populations

population dynamics

group of subpopulations connected by an exchange of individuals

metapopulation

summarrizes the pattern of survival in a population

survivorship curve

number of offspring produced per unit of time

birthrate

tabulation of birth rates for females of different ages in a population

fecundity schedule

3 patterns for estimating survival

Cohort, Static, Age distribution

Cohort

records of birth

Static

age of death

Age

difference in proportion of individuals in each age class

age distribution can be used to calculate

Survival

type one survivorship curve

mortality among elders

type two survivorship curve

constant rate of survival

type three survivorship curve

mortality among the young

the age distribution of a population can reveal

survivorship, reproduction, growth potential

features of a population that an ecologist can determine by studying the age distribution of the population

Population growth or decline, periods of unsuccessful reproduction, conditions with low survival rates

if the proportion of individuals in each age class is constant in a population, then the population would have what type of distribution

Stable

generations do not overlap

geometric growth

continuous population growth

exponential growth

population size that particular environment can support

carrying capacity (K)

____ factors are affected by population density and often includes _________ factors

density dependent, biotic 

______ is not affected by population density and often includes ______ factors

density independent, abiotic

three different types of population dynamics briefly describe each

exponential growth, logistic growth, population distribution patterns

study of expansion, decline, and maintenance of populations is called

population dynamics

an annual plant when initially colonizing an area will probably demonstrate which type of growth?

Geometric growth

the exponential population growth equation can be used for

populations experiencing continuous growth, overlapping generations, nonplussed

sequence of events from life to death that relates to an organisms survival and reproduction

life history

organisms have a finite amount of energy and resources to invest in life processes

principal of allocation

the total energy and resources an organism invests in reproduction over a given period

reproductive effort

historical record allow study of the timing of ecological events

phenology

three things that affect life history

number of offspring produced, survival, size and age at maturity

number of eggs laid by a female

fecundity

two factors influencing seed size and production

plant growth, dispersial mode

four plant forms and their descriptions

graminoids, forbs, woody plants, climbers

what are the six seed dispersal strategies

unassisted, adhesion-adapted, wind, ants, vertebrates, scatterhoarded

four environmental extremes for plants

low disturbance-low stress, low disturbance-high stress, high disturbance- low stress, high disturbance- high stress

three types of environments for plants and their life history

Ruderals grow rapidly and produce seeds quickly, stress tolerance grows slowly and conserves resources, and competitive has potential to grow well, but competes with others

three different life history strategies

Opportunistic, periodic, equilibrium

grimes classification of plant life histories focuses attention on

Stress and disturbance