Term
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Definition
| Fundamental and dynamic science; dedicated to exploring the causes of relationships and similarities among organisms. |
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Term
| Who is the "father of Taxonomy"? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the Hierarchal classifications? |
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Definition
| Kingdom, phyla (phylum), classes, orders, families, genus and species. |
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Term
| What is phylogenetic systematics? |
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Definition
| formal name for the field within biology that reconstructs evolutionary history and studies the patterns |
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Term
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Definition
| a group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all descendants of the ancestor. |
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Term
| What is the difference between phylogeny, an evolutionary tree, phylogenetic tree and a cladogram |
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Definition
| not too much. All of them mean a trees structure that represents the evolutionary relationships within a group of organisms. |
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Term
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Definition
| The scientific study of the interactions of organisms and their environments Both abiotic and biotic factors are included in an organism's environment. |
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Term
| What are the 4 levels of inquiry in ecology? |
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Definition
1) organismal ecology: Studies how individual organisms tolerate environmental stresses that determine where they can live.
2) population ecology: studies groups of individuals of the same species in a particular geographic area.
3) Community ecology: studies all organisms that inhabit a particular area.
4) Ecosystem ecology: studies all abiotic factors as well as communities in an area. |
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Term
| What is landscape ecology? |
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Definition
| focuses on the factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials and organisms across multiple ecosystems |
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Term
| What did darwin realize about short term and long term interactions? |
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Definition
| Short term interactions of organisms with their environments could have long term effects through natural selection. |
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Term
| Important abiotic factors that affect distribution of species |
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Definition
Temperature: affects biological processes and the ability of most organisms to regulate their temperature.
Water: Essential and adaptations for water balance and conservation help determine a species habitat range.
Sunlight: Provides energy that nearly all ecosystems although only photosynthetic organisms use it directly as an energy source.
Rocks and soil: The physical structure, pH, and mineral composition of soil limit distribution of plant and hence animals that feed on those plants.
Wind: amplifies the effects of temperature by increasing heat loss by evaporation and convection. Wind also increase evaporation rate of enamels and transpiration rate of plants resulting in more rapid water loss.
Periodic disturbances: fire, hurricanes, typhoons and volcanic eruptions can devastate biological communities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Prevailing weather conditions at a locality. The major components of climate are temperature , water, light and wind. |
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Term
| how much of earth's solar energy is absorbed before it reaches the surface? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does the heat absorbed by the atmosphere, land and water establish? |
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Definition
| temperature variations, air movement cycles, and evaporation of water responsible for the latitudinal variations in climate. |
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Term
| What is the cause of the seasonal variation in solar radiation in the northern and southern hemispheres? |
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Definition
| the tilt of the earth. 23.5 degrees. |
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Term
What area receives the least amount of variation?
Which receives the most? |
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Definition
least= tropic's.
most = poles (north and south) |
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Term
| Explains the great ocean conveyor belt |
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Definition
| Earth's predictable wind patterns are established by air flowing in the circulation cells. The rotation of the earth deflects winds from a vertical path since land near the equator is moving faster than at the poles. Tropical and subtropical trade winds blow from east to west. In temperature zones, the predominating winds flow from west to east. |
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Term
| What causes local variations? |
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Definition
| bodies of water and topographical features. This leads to the creation of regional patchiness. |
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Term
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Definition
| a portion of Earth that is inhabited by life and represents the sum of all communities and ecosystems. Thin layer consisting of seas, lakes, rivers, streams, the land to a soil depth of a few meters, and the atmosphere to an altitude of a few kilometres. |
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Term
| how are terrestrial biomes named? |
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Definition
| often for the predominant vegetation but each is also characterized by animals adapted to that particular environment. |
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Term
| What is the most important factor is determining what kind of biome develops? |
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Definition
| the prevailing climate, particularly temperature and rainfall. |
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Term
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Definition
1) Tropical forest
2) Savanna
3)Desert
4)Chaparral
5)temperate grasslands
6)temperate deciduous forest
7) Taiga
8)Tundra |
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Term
| Name and explain the 2 types of tundra. |
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Definition
1)Arctic tundra: encircles the north pole and is very cold with little light for long periods. has brief warm summers marked by nearly 24 hrs of daylight; plant growth and reproduction occur rapidly during the summer. Some areas of the tundra are characterized by permafrost which contributes to the absence of taller plant forms. soil is continuously saturated further restricting plant forms.
2)Alpine tundra: occurs at high elevations in all latitudes. When this biome occurs near the equator, daylight varies little from 12 hours throughout the year and vegetation exhibits slow, steady rates of photosynthesis all year round. |
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Term
| What distinguishes freshwater biomes from marine biomes? |
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Definition
| they are freshwater with a salt concentration of less than 1%. They are closely link with the terrestrial biomes that surround them or through which they flow. overall characteristics are influenced by the pattern and speed of water flow, and the local climate. |
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Term
| What are the names of the two layers that lakes and ponds get divided into? |
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Definition
1) Photic zone: is the upper layer where light is sufficient enough for photosynthesis.
2) Lower aphotic zone: Receives little light and no photosynthesis occurs. |
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Term
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Definition
| a narrow vertical zone between the warmer and colder waters where a rapid temperature change occurs. |
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Term
| What is the littoral zone? what types of animals live in it? |
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Definition
| littoral zone: Shallow, well-lighted and warm. very close to shore. HAs rooted and floating vegetation and a diverse attached algae community. also has clams, snails, herbivorous and carnivorous insects, crustaceans,fish amphibians along with reptiles, waterfowl and mammals. |
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Term
| What is the limnetic zone? What can be found in this zone? |
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Definition
| open, well-lighted waters away from shore. Occupants include phytoplankton, large fish, turtles, snakes and piscivorous birds. |
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Term
| What is the profundal zone? What occupies this zone? |
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Definition
| deep, aphotic zone lying beneath the limnetic zone. area where detritus is broken down. Water temp is usually cold and oxygen is low. |
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Term
| How are oligotrophic lakes and eutrophic lakes differentiated? |
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Definition
| depending on the amount of organic matter they produce. |
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Term
| What are some characteristics of oligotrophic lakes? |
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Definition
| deep, nutrient poor, phytoplankton not very productive, clear water, profundal zone has high oxygen concentration, little detritus produced in limnetic zone. |
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Term
| Characteristics of Eutrophic lakes |
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Definition
| shallow, nutrient rich lakes, very productive phytoplankton, murky waters due to large phytoplankton populations and the large amounts of detritus being decomposed may result in oxygen depletion in the profundal zone during summer. |
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Term
| What are streams and rivers? |
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Definition
| bodies of water that move continuously in one direction. |
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Term
| What does turbidity reflect? |
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Definition
| amount of material suspended in the water |
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Term
| How much of the Earth does the ocean cover? |
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Definition
| 75%. And greatly contributes to the conditions of the other 25%. |
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Term
| What accounts for most of the planets rainfall? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does salinity average? |
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Definition
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Term
| How are marine communities classified? |
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Definition
| Based on depth at which they occur, distance from shore, light penetration. |
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Term
| What does pelagic zones refer to? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does benthic zones refer to? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| the area where a freshwater stream or river merge with the ocean |
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Term
| Why does the daily salinity vary in estuaries? |
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Definition
| the rise and fall of tide |
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Term
| What are the intertidal zones? |
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Definition
| where land and sea meet. Alternately submerged and exposed by the daily tide cycles. |
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Term
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Definition
| individuals of one species simultaneously occupying the same general area, utilizing the same resources, and influenced by similar environmental factors. |
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Term
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Definition
| concerned with fluctuations in population size and the factors that regulate populations |
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Term
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Definition
| The number of individuals per unit area or volume |
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Term
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Definition
| the pattern of spacing for individuals within the boundaries of the population |
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Term
| estimating densities, total population size and other techniques |
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Definition
count all the individuals in a sample plot or quadrant.
estimate by indirect indicators such as number of nests or burrows
dropping tracks
mark-recapture method |
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Term
| What is the mark-recapture method? |
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Definition
| animals are trapped within boundaries, marked and after time retrapped. this method assumes that marked individuals have the same probability of being trapped as unmarked individuals. However this assumption is not always valid. |
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Term
| Patterns of dispersion: Range |
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Definition
| geographic limits within which a population lives. Local densities may vary substantially because not all area of a range provide equally suitable habitat. individuals exhibit a continuum of three general patterns of spacing in relation to other individuals. |
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Term
| 3 General patterns of spacing |
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Definition
1) clumping: individuals are aggregated in patches which may result from the environment being heterogenous, with resources concentrated in patches may be associated with mating or other social behaviours.
2) uniform: when the spacing of individuals is even. This may result from antagonistic interactions of individuals of the population.
3) Random: When individual spacing varies in an unpredictable way. This occurs in the absence of strong attractions or repulsions among individuals. It is not very common in nature. |
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Term
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Definition
| study of vital statistics affecting population size |
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Term
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Definition
| relative numbers of individuals of each age in a population |
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Term
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Definition
| population with more old, non-productive individuals will grow more slowly than a population with a larger percentage of young, reproductive age people. |
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Term
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Definition
| if the span between an individuals birth and that of their offspring is shorter the result will be faster growth, assuming birth rate is greater than death rate and all other factors being equal. |
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Term
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Definition
| of a population is the proportion of individuals of each sex. affects population growth since the number of females is usually directly related to the expected number of births; the number of males may be less significant since one male may mate with several females. In strictly monogamous species, the number of males may be more significant in effecting the birth rate. |
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Term
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Definition
| describe how mortality varies with age over a time period corresponding to maximum life span. Constructed by following the fate of a group, or cohort, of new organisms until all are dead or by using the age at death of a sample of individuals. |
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Term
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Definition
| plots the numbers in a cohort still alive at each age. organisms may follow a continuum of three general types of survival curves. |
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Term
| Genreal types of survival curve |
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Definition
Type 1: flat during early and middle life, drops suddenly as death rate increases among elderly. Associated with species such as humans and other large mammals that produce few offspring that are well cared for.
Type 2: intermediate, with morality more constant over life spans. This type is seen in hydra and the grey squirrel.
Type 3: Shows very high death rates for young, followed by lower death rates. Associated with organisms, such as oysters, that produce may offsprings but provide little or no care |
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Term
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Definition
| brief periods of high mortality during moots, followed by periods of lower mortality when the exoskeleton is hard. |
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Term
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Definition
| is the result of natural selection operating over evolutionary time |
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Term
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Definition
| the number of offspring produced at each reproductive episode. Generally, large clutch size means smaller eggs and offspring typical of organisms with a type 3 survivorship curve. Small clutch size usually produces larger offspring; found in organisms with type 1 and 2 survivorship curves. |
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Term
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Definition
| one reproductive episode. Some organisms only reproduce one time during their life span; organisms invest their entire energy budget into the production of a large number of offspring; reproducing organisms do not survive to reproduce again. |
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Term
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Definition
| many reproductive episodes. many plants and animals reproduce several times during their lifespan; partition their energy into maintenance, growth and reproduction; continue to live and have subsequent reproductive episodes |
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Term
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Definition
| age at first reproduction. reproduction at a younger than average age may reduce a females reproductive potential by reducing the amount of energy available for growth and maintenance. Females that delay reproduction tend to be large due to energy used for growth and maintenance; older and larger females produce larger clutches and appear to maximize their reproductive output delaying. |
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Term
| Opportunistic life history |
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Definition
| based on the production of a large number of offspring during a single reproductive episode. Usually exhibited by small species that mature rapidly. low numbers of offspring usually survive and population size fluctuate dramatically. Many reproduce when conditions are good. many die when conditions are bad. Natural selection has emphasized the production of large numbers of offsprings in these organisms rather than individual survival. Desert annuals and garden weeds are opportunistic species. |
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Term
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Definition
| based on repeated reproductive episodes that produce smaller numbers of well-endowed offspring likely to survive to adulthood. Usually found in larger species that mature slowly. High survival rate of offspring results in more stable population sizes that vary around an equilibrium point. well-developed mechanisms to maintain homeostasis reduce influence of environmental variation.most large terrestrial vertebrates are equilibrial species. |
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Term
| Where do most species sit on an opportunistic-equailibrial scale? |
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Definition
| sit on a continuum due to factors that influence the populations. |
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Term
| What may affect life history pattern? |
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Definition
| predation and other interspecific interactions. |
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Term
| Exponential population growth |
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Definition
| a population consisting of a few individuals which lives in an environment with no limiting factors (no restrictions on available energy, growth or reproduction) will increase over time in proportion to the birth and death rates. |
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Term
| equation for logistic population growth |
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Definition
K= carrying capacity; the maximum sustainable population
K-N = the number of new individuals the environment can accommodate
= percentage of K available for population growth
multiplying rmax by reduces the value of r as N increases |
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Term
| What are the implications of logistic growth equation at varying population sizes for a growing population? |
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Definition
when N is low, it large and r is only slightly changed from rmax
when N is large and resources are limiting, is small; this reduces r substantially from rmax
when N=K, is 0 and r=0; this means the number of births is equal to the number of deaths and zero population growth occurs. |
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Term
| What type of curve does a logistic model of population growth produce? |
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Definition
| sigmoid (s-shaped) growth curve |
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Term
| What species may experience population growth similar to that predicted by the logistic model? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the most common way to determine carrying capacity? name the other ways. |
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Definition
energy limitations is the most common.
others include: availability of specialized nesting sites required by some birds; roosting sites as for some bats; shelters and refuges from potential predators; accumulation of toxic metabolic wastes. |
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Term
| What is the PRIME implication of the logistic growth model? |
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Definition
| that increasing population density reduces resource availability and resource limitations ultimately limits populations growth |
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Term
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Definition
| behavioural mechanism ti reduce intraspecific competition since each individual protects resources only within their own territory, competition still occurs when individuals compete from space to establish their territories. |
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Term
| What are some assumptions made by the logistic model that do NOT hold true for all populations? |
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Definition
1) even at low levels, each individual added may have the same negative effect on population growth rate. When a population is at low levels, there is a greater possibility that chance events will eliminate all individuals or inbreeding will lead to reduction in fitness.
2) assumes that populations approach carrying capacity smoothly
3)populations do not necessarily remain at, or even reach levels where population density is an important factor; so in these cases, the idea of carrying capacity does not really apply. his is often seen in short-lived, quickly reproducing insects and opportunistic species. |
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Term
| what are populations regulated by? What factors deem how important they are? |
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Definition
| Regulated by either density dependent or density independent factors and they can be separately or in combination. They are important based on factors that vary between opportunistic and equilibrial species and their specific circumstances. |
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Term
| Who does density dependent factors affect? |
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Definition
| greater percentage of individuals in a population as the number of individuals increases. |
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Term
| How does high population densities cause a reduction in birth rate? |
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Definition
| stress and antagonisitic behaviors |
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Term
| Who does density-ipdenpendent factors affect? |
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Definition
| same percentage of individuals regardless of population size |
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Term
| Name three hypotheses that explain population cycles. |
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Definition
1) crowding affects the organisms endocrine system
2) caused by a time late response to density dependent factors.
3)periodical cicdas have population cycle of 13-17 years |
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Term
| how much has agriculture and industrial technology increased carrying capacity of earth? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| consists of all the organisms inhabiting a particular area. An assemblage of populations of different species living close enough together for potential interaction. |
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Term
| Name and explain the two community ecology hypotheses. |
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Definition
1) individualistic hypothesis: found together because of similar environmental needs
2) interactive hypothesis: integrated unit; superorganism. |
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Term
| What are interspecific interactions? |
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Definition
| interactions that occur between populations of different species living in a community. Can take a variety of forms. |
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Term
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Definition
| a change in one species acts as a new selective force on another species, and counteradaption of the second species, in turn affects selection of individuals in the first species. |
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Term
| Give an example of coevolution. |
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Definition
| passionflower vines and the butterfly heliconius |
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Term
| Interspecific competition |
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Definition
| occurs when two or more species rely on similar limiting resources. They may have a negative effect on one another. |
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Term
| Competitive exclusion principle |
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Definition
| concept that two species competing for the same limiting resources cannot coexist in the same community. |
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Term
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Definition
| sum total of an organism's use of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment, how it "fits into" an ecosystem. may apply to species, population or even individuals. |
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Term
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Definition
| is the resources of an organism or population is theoretically capable of using under ideal circumstances |
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Term
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Definition
| division of environmental resources by coexisting species populations such that the niche of each species differs by one or more significant factors from the niches of all coexisting species population |
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Term
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Definition
| divergence of overlapping characteristics in two species living in the same environment as a result of resource partitioning. |
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Term
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Definition
| community interaction where one species, the predator, eats another, the pretty. This can include both animal-animal interactions and animal-plant interactions |
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Term
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Definition
1) acute senses that are used to located ad identify prey items
2) structures such as claws, teeth, fangs, stingers and poisons that function to catch, subdue or chew the prey item.
3) speed and agility to pursue prey or camouflage which permits them to ambush prey. |
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Term
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Definition
1)mechanical defences: thorns, microscopic hooks, spines, crystals
2) chemical defences: distasteful, harmful |
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Term
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Definition
1) hiding, escaping and physical or chemical defence
2) cryptic coloration
3) large fake eyes
4) quills or skunk spray
5)distasteful
6)aposematic colouration |
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Term
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Definition
| phenomenon in which a mimic bears a superficial resemblance to another species, the model. Occurs in both predatory and prey species. Defence mimicry in prey usually involves aposematic model. |
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Term
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Definition
| palatable species mimics an unpalatable model. less abundant |
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Term
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Definition
| two or more unpalatable species resemble each other. Both gain additional advantage since predators learn more quickly which prey to avoid. |
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Term
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Definition
| form of interspecific interactions in which a host species and a symbiont maintain close association. |
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Term
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Definition
| form of symbiosis where one organism, the parasite, harms the host. |
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Term
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Definition
| form of symbiosis in which one partner benefits without significantly affecting the other. |
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Term
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Definition
| two-way evolutionary adaptations because change in one species is likely to affect the other since both benefit from the relationship |
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Term
| what two components make up species diversity in a community? |
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Definition
| species richness and relative abundance |
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Term
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Definition
| species in a community that are most abundant and have the highest biomass. Exert powerful control over the occurrence and distribution of other species. |
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Term
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Definition
| not necessarily the most abundant but they extra powerful influence not he structure of the community by their pivotal ecological roles. |
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Term
| name two models of community organization |
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Definition
| bottom-up control and top-down control |
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Term
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Definition
| any event such as a storm, fire, flood, drought, over grazing or human activity that changes a community by removing organisms from it or altering resources availability. Can be mild severe or intermediate. |
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Term
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Definition
| defined as all organisms living in a given area along with the abiotic factors with which they interact, a community and its physical environment. these boundaries are usually not discrete. most inclusive level of biological organization. Invloves two processes that cannot be described at lower levels; energy flow and chemical cycling. |
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Term
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Definition
1)primary producers: support all other levels; pond plants
2)secondary consumers: carnivores that eat herbivores; frogs
3)tertiary consumers: carnivores that eat carnivores: hawk
4) Detritivores: get energy from organic wastes; fungi
5)primary consumers: herbivores that eat producers; snails |
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Term
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Definition
| transfer of food from trophic level to trophic level. rarely unbranched since several consumers may feed on the same plant species and a primary consumer may eat several species of plants. usually woven into elaborate food webs |
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Term
| What is energy required for in all organisms? |
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Definition
| growth. maintenance and reproduction |
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Term
| what is an ecosystems energy budget determined by? |
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Definition
| photosynthetic activity of the system |
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Term
| how many joules does the earth receive in solar radiation? |
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
| the rate at which light energy is converted to chemical energy by autotrophs of an ecosystem |
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Term
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Definition
| measuring the total oxygen produced by photosynthesis |
|
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Term
| what do factors in limiting productivity depend on? |
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Definition
| type of ecosystem and the temporal changes such as season |
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Term
| What factors tend to limit productivity? |
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Definition
| percipitation, temperature and light intensity, availability of inorganic nutrients, water temperature, |
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Term
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Definition
| ratio of net productivity at one trophic level compared to the net productivity at the level below. Can be greatly depending on the organisms involved but is roughly 10%. 90% of the energy will be available at the next level. |
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Term
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Definition
| nutrient circuits involving both biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems. |
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Term
| what two characteristics define a reservoir? |
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Definition
1) whether they contain organic or inorganic materials
2) whether or not the materials are directly available for use by organisms |
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Term
| difference between available and unavailable organic reservoirs |
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Definition
avaliable: contains the living nurtirnets that are readily available when organisms feed on one another
unavaliable: comprised of coal, oil and peat. These nutrients are unavailable since they cannot be directly assimilated. |
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Term
| unavaliable inorganic nutrients |
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Definition
| elements in this reservoir are tied up in limestone and minerals of other rocks. These nutrients cannot be assimilated until released by weathering or erosion. |
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Term
| how much more carbon does the ocean contain than the atmosphere? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| when do lakes reach an equilibrium? |
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Definition
| the nutrient input is balanced by losses due to overflow and sedimentation |
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Term
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Definition
| increased levels of inorganic nutrient levels in waters. caused by sewage, factory wastes, livestock runoff and fertilizer leaching. |
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Term
| why is dumping toxic chemicals such as unnatural synthetics bad for our lakes? |
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Definition
| many cannot be degraded by microbes and persist for years or decades. |
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Term
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Definition
| process by which toxins brome more concentrated with each link in a food chain. results from biomass at each trophic level being produced from a much larger biomass ingested from the level below. |
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Term
| what problems has human activities caused regarding our atmosphere? |
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Definition
1) rising levels of carbon dioxide
2)degration of atmospheric ozone |
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Term
| Effects of increased CO2 levels |
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Definition
1) increased productivity by vegetation
2)temperature increases with increased CO2 concentration |
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Term
| What 2 ways can acidic pollutants be deposited in the atmosphere? |
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Definition
|
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Term
|
Definition
| can be thought of as including three "levels" or components. |
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Term
| Name the three levels of biodiversity |
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Definition
1st level: diversity of the genes within a population, or a group of populations of a particular species.
2nd level: the "species diversity" of a given community. the total number (and relative abundance) of different species in a given community.
3rd level: diversity of "ecosystems" within a given land scape. |
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Term
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Definition
| is the number of species that exist. Bearing in mind that different ecosystems have differing species richness due to factors such as primary productivity, and climate, it seems reasonable to try to ensure that the species that exist today in various ecosystems are not put at risk of extinction |
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Term
| what is the first and most important cause for increased rate of extinction? |
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Definition
|
|
Term
| what is second to habitat destruction to being a leading cause of biodiversity crisis |
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Definition
| introduction of "exotic" or "invasive" species |
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Term
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Definition
| the third major cause of biodiversity crisis. over exploitation of wildlife and plant species. involves harvesting individuals from populations faster than they can be replaced by reproduction. |
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