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1
Q

Ecology

A

the scientific study of the abundance and distribution of organism in relation to other organisms and environmental conditions

2
Q

the scientific study of the abundance and distribution of organism in relation to other organisms and environmental conditions

A

Ecology

3
Q

What resembles business interactions among humans

A

the large number of interactions among species (hence “the economy of nature”)

4
Q

What did Darwin term ecology as?

A

the economy of nature

5
Q

Oikos

A

house-hold

6
Q

The study of the relationships among organisms of different species (biotic component), as well as their relationship with the abiotic (non-living) components of the environment

A

ecology

7
Q

What perspective does ecology have

A

holistic

8
Q

what do ecologists seek to understand

A

order in the natural world

9
Q

the science that seeks to understand the distribution and abundance of life on earth. this understanding is never complete or absolute, rather it is dynamic

A

ecology

10
Q

why are song birds disappearing rapidly

A
  1. loss of wintering habitat in central and south america
  2. habitat fragmentation and cowbird parasitism in north america
  3. climate change - reproductive phenology of flowering plants and insects
11
Q

The following are true

A
  1. the natural world is diverse, complex, and interconnected
  2. the natural world is dynamic but also stable and self-replenishing
  3. the natural world is organized by physical and biological processes
12
Q

How to ecological systems exist?

A

in a hierarchical organization

13
Q

What are ecological systems

A

biological entities that have their own internal processes and interact with their external surroundings

14
Q

Individual

A

the most fundamental unit of ecology

15
Q

the most fundamental unit of ecology

A

individual

16
Q

What do individuals acquire and produce

A

acquire: nutrients and energy
produce: waste

17
Q

What do individuals have

A

a membrane boundary that separates internal processes from the external environment

18
Q

Species

A

individuals that are capable of interbreeding or sharing genetic similarity

19
Q

individuals that are capable of interbreeding or sharing genetic similarity

A

species

20
Q

Population

A

individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

21
Q

individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

A

population

22
Q

boundaries

A

can be natural (e.g. forest edges) or political (e.g. state lines)

23
Q

Geographic range (distribution)

A

the extent of land or water within which a population lives

24
Q

the extent of land or water within which a population lives

A

geographic range (distribution)

25
Q

Abundance

A

total number of individuals

26
Q

total number of individuals

A

abundance

27
Q

Density

A

number of individuals per unit area and change in size

28
Q

number of individuals per unit area and change in size

A

density

29
Q

composition

A

the makeup in terms of age, gender, or genetics

30
Q

the makeup in terms of age, gender, or genetics

A

composition

31
Q

community

A

populations of species living together in a particular area

32
Q

populations of species living together in a particular area

A

Community

33
Q

Boundaries are not always _____, and may cover _____

A

rigid; small or large areas

34
Q

Interactions included in community

A

predation and competition

35
Q

ecosystem

A

one or more communities of living organisms interacting with their nonliving
physical and chemical environments

36
Q

one or more communities of living organisms interacting with their nonliving
physical and chemical environments

A

ecosystem

37
Q

what is research focused on

A

movement of energy and matter between physical and biological components

38
Q

What does research include

A

the “flow” of material from “pools” of elements, such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Also the flow of energy from producers to herbivores – to carnivores to –
detritivores. Some energy is passed along – much lost as heat.

39
Q

biosphere

A

all ecosystems on earth

40
Q

all ecosystems on earth

A

biosphere

41
Q

what are distant ecosystems linked together by

A

exchanges of wind and water and by the movement of organisms - the ultimate ecological system

42
Q

individual approach

A

understands how adaptations, or characteristics of an individual’s morphology, physiology, and behavior enable it to survive in an environment

43
Q

understands how adaptations, or characteristics of an individual’s morphology, physiology, and behavior enable it to survive in an environment

A

individual approach

44
Q

population approach

A

Examines variation in the number, density, and composition of individuals over time and space.

45
Q

Examines variation in the number, density, and composition of individuals over time and space.

A

population approach

46
Q

community approach

A

Understands the diversity and interactions of organisms living together in the same place.

47
Q

Understands the diversity and interactions of organisms living together in the same place.

A

community approach

48
Q

Ecosystem approach

A

describes the storage and transfer of energy and matter

49
Q

describes the storage and transfer of energy and matter

A

ecosystem approach

50
Q

biosphere approach

A

examines movements of energy and chemicals over the earth’s surface

51
Q

examines movements of energy and chemicals over the earth’s surface

A

biosphere approach

52
Q

what are ecosystems governed by

A

physical and biological principles

53
Q

first law of thermodynamics

A

matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can change form

54
Q

ecological systems…

A

gain and lose matter and energy

55
Q

when does a dynamic steady state occur

A

when gains and losses are in balance

56
Q

Input: food

A

output: energy expended, waste

57
Q

input: births, immigration

A

output: deaths, emigration

58
Q

input: colonization by new species

A

output: extinction of species

59
Q

input: solar energy and matter entering ecosystem

A

output: energy and matter leaving ecosystem

60
Q

input: solar energy entering system

A

output: energy re-radiated to space

61
Q

Phenotype

A

an attribute of an organism (e.g. behavior, morphology)

62
Q

an attribute of an organism (e.g. behavior, morphology)

A

Phenotype

63
Q

Genotype

A

the set of genes an organism carries; determines an organism’s phenotype

64
Q

the set of genes an organism carries; determines an organism’s phenotype

A

genotype

65
Q

Evolution

A

a change in the genetic composition of a population over time. In the long run common ancestry links all organisms through time (descent with modification).

66
Q

a change in the genetic composition of a population over time. In the long run common ancestry links all organisms through time (descent with modification).

A

evolution

67
Q

natural selection

A

a change in the frequency of genes in a population through differential survival and reproduction of individuals that possess certain phenotypes

68
Q

a change in the frequency of genes in a population through differential survival and reproduction of individuals that possess certain phenotypes

A

natural selection

69
Q

Three requirements

A
  1. individuals vary in their traits
  2. traits are heritable
  3. variation in traits causes some individuals to experience higher fitness (survival and reproduction)
70
Q

what do different organisms do

A

play diverse roles in ecological systems

71
Q

what were the first organisms

A

prokaryotes

72
Q

prokaryotes

A

single-celled bacteria and

archaea without distinct organelles

73
Q

energy that prokaryotes can utilize that other organisms cannot

A

N2, H2S gas

74
Q

how did the mitochondria come about

A

one bacterium engulfed another bacterium

75
Q

what did the mitochondria give rise to

A

all eukaryotes

76
Q

eukaryotes

A

organisms with distinct cell organelles

77
Q

what did mitochondria evolve into

A

photosynthetic chloroplasts that increased the abundance of oxygen in the atmosphere, allowing other plants and animals to survive

78
Q

Protists

A

eukaryotes that include protozoa, some algae, and slime molds

79
Q

what do plants convert CO2 and water into

A

organic molecules

80
Q

What do plants use roots for

A

extracting water from soil or air

81
Q

What do most fungi have

A

hyphae

82
Q

what do hyphae do

A

extract nutrients from dead or living tissues

83
Q

What do fungi do

A

secrete acids and have enzymes that digest food externally

84
Q

May fungi are

A

decomposers and plant mutualists

85
Q

What play a wide range of roles in ecological systems

A

animals

86
Q

what do animals rely on

A

the consumption of other organisms for resources

87
Q

producers (autotrophs)

A

convert chemical energy into resources

88
Q

convert chemical energy into resources

A

producers (autotrophs)

89
Q

consumers (heterotrophs)

A

obtain energy from other organisms

90
Q

obtain energy from other organisms

A

consumers (heterotrophs)

91
Q

mixotrophs

A

can switch between being producers and consumers

92
Q

can switch between being producers and consumers

A

mixotrophs

93
Q

scavengers

A

consume dead animals

94
Q

consume dead animals

A

scavengers

95
Q

detritivores

A

break down dead organic matter (i.e., detritus) into smaller particles

96
Q

break down dead organic matter (i.e., detritus) into smaller particles

A

detritivores

97
Q

decomposers

A

break down detritus into simpler elements that can be recycled (fungi and bacteria)

98
Q

Predation

A

when an organism kills and consumes an individual

99
Q

when an organism kills and consumes an individual

A

predation

100
Q

Parasitism

A

when one organism lives in or on another organism

101
Q

when one organism lives in or on another organism

A

parasitism

102
Q

herbivory

A

when one organism consumes a producer

103
Q

when one organism consumes a producer

A

herbivory

104
Q

competiton

A

when two organisms that depend on the same resource have a negative effect on each other

105
Q

when two organisms that depend on the same resource have a negative effect on each other

A

competition

106
Q

mutualism

A

when two species benefit from each other

107
Q

when two species benefit from each other

A

mutualism

108
Q

commensalism

A

when two species live in close association and one receives a benefit, whereas the other is unaffected

109
Q

+ -

A
  1. predation/parasitoidism
  2. parasitism
  3. herbivory
110
Q
  • -
A

competition

111
Q

+ +

A

mutualism

112
Q

+ 0

A

commensalism

113
Q

habitat

A

the place, or physical setting, where an organism lives

114
Q

the place, or physical setting, where an organism lives

A

habitat

115
Q

distinguished by physical features, such as dominate plant type

A

habitat

116
Q

Examples of a habitat

A

freshwater, marine, coastal, streams, forests, deserts, grasslands

117
Q

Niche

A

the range of abiotic and biotic conditions an organism can tolerate

118
Q

the range of abiotic and biotic conditions an organism can tolerate

A

niche

119
Q

Why does no two species have the same niche

A

each has unique phenotypes that determine the conditions it can tolerate

120
Q

what is the ecological niche of a species

A

the combination of its role in a community, its habitat, and interactions with other organisms

121
Q

hypotheses

A

ideas that potentially explain a repeated observation

122
Q

ideas that potentially explain a repeated observation

A

hypotheses

123
Q

address the cause of immediate changes in individual phenotypes or interactions

A

proximate hypotheses

124
Q

proximate hypotheses

A

address the cause of immediate changes in individual phenotypes or interactions

125
Q

Address the fitness costs and benefits of a response

A

ultimate hypotheses

126
Q

ultimate hypotheses

A

address the fitness costs and benefits of a response

127
Q

predictions

A

statements that arise logically from hypotheses

128
Q

statements that arise logically from hypotheses

A

predictions

129
Q

where a hypothesis is tested by altering a factor hypothesized to be the cause of a phenomenon

A

manipulative experiments

130
Q

manipulative experiments

A

where a hypothesis is tested by altering a factor hypothesized to be the cause of a phenomenon

131
Q

treatment

A

the factor that we want to manipulate in a study

132
Q

the factor that we want to manipulate in a study

A

treatment

133
Q

a treatment that includes all aspects of an experiment except the factor of interest

A

control

134
Q

control

A

a treatment that includes all aspects of an experiment except the factor of interest

135
Q

Experimental unit (unit of observation)

A

the object to which we apply a manipulation

136
Q

the object to which we apply a manipulation

A

Experimental unit (unit of observation)

137
Q

being able to produce a similar outcome multiple times (i.e., the number of experimental units per treatment).

A

Replication

138
Q

Replication

A

being able to produce a similar outcome multiple times (i.e., the number of experimental units per treatment).

139
Q

a requirement for manipulation experiments; every experimental unit must have an equal chance of being assigned to a particular treatment.

A

Randomization

140
Q

Randomization

A

a requirement for manipulation experiments; every experimental unit must have an equal chance of being assigned to a particular treatment.

141
Q

Natural experiments

A

an approach to hypothesis testing that relies on natural variation in the environment to test a hypothesis

142
Q

an approach to hypothesis testing that relies on natural variation in the environment to test a hypothesis

A

Natural experiments

143
Q

representations of a system with a set of equations that correspond to hypothesized relationships among the system’s components

A

Mathematical models

144
Q

Mathematical models

A

representations of a system with a set of equations that correspond to hypothesized relationships among the system’s components

145
Q

when do ecologists often test mathematic models

A

using natural or manipulative experiments

146
Q

Y=

A

dependent variable

147
Q

x

A

independent variable

148
Q

environments dominated by humans (cities, farms) are also ecological systems

A

humans depend on the proper functioning of these systems

149
Q

humans consume and produce

A

consume: massive amounts of energy and resources
produce
produce: large amounts of waste

150
Q

Greenhouse gases

A

compounds in the atmosphere that absorb infrared heat energy emitted by Earth and then emit some of the energy back toward Earth. High amounts of these gases can increase average Earth temperatures

151
Q

compounds in the atmosphere that absorb infrared heat energy emitted by Earth and then emit some of the energy back toward Earth. High amounts of these gases can increase average Earth temperatures

A

greenhouse gases