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Ecology Exam 1
UTSA Ecology EXAM 1
92
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 1
06/11/2012

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Term
ECOLOGY
Definition
THE STUDY OF THE INTERACTION OF AN ORGANISM WITH ITS ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND A SPECIES’ DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE
Term
DISTRIBUTION
Definition

WHERE AN ORGANISM IS FOUND

Example: Relative Abundance Map-BBS

Term
Where is the Eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna found?
Definition
Eastern US
Term
Where is the Texas Snowbell Styrax platanifolius ssp. texanus found?
Definition
four counties in Texas
Term
where is the Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa found?
Definition
Southwestern US
Term
Where is the Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni found?
Definition
Only one county in Texas
Term
Where is the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)found?
Definition
Southern US ( TX, NM, OK, AR, CA)
Term
Trend Map
Definition

Shows changes in distribution

 

EX: Eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna

 

Term
Range of the Robin
Definition

Breeding- Canada

Breeding and Wintering- US

Wintering - Mexico

Term
ABUNDANCE
Definition
HOW MANY (Density: Number per unit area)
Term
ENVIRONMENT
Definition
ALL OF THOSE FACTORS OUTSIDE THE ORGANISM THAT INFLUENCE IT, INCLUDING ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC FACTORS
Term
ABIOTIC FACTORS
Definition

CHEMICAL -AND- PHYSICAL:

NaCl, H2O, MgSO4,N,P,K -and- wind, temp, light, slope

Term
BIOTIC FACTORS –
Definition
Competition, Carnivores, Herbivores, Symbionts
Term
ORIGIN OF ECOLOGY
Definition

STUDIES OF NATURAL HISTORY

  • POPULATION EXPLOSIONS DESCRIBED IN EXODUS OF THE BIBLE 

2nd AND 3rd CENTURY:

  •  ARISTOTLE TRIED TO EXPLAIN HIGH DENSITIES OF FIELD MICE AND LOCUSTS
  • GREEK SCHOLAR THEOPHRASTUS WROTE OF NATURAL HISTORY
Term
OIKOS
Definition
GREEK FOR HOME OR HOUSEHOLD
Term
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Definition

 

THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ETHICAL MOVEMENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

 

Term
TYPES OF ECOLOGISTS?
Definition
1. Applied Ecologies (Range manger, Wildlife manager, Farmer)
2. Plant Ecologiest
3. Animal Ecologist
4. Autecologist (Single species)
5. Synecologist (Community Studies, multiple species)
6.TERRESTRIAL
7.AQUATIC - freshwater
8.MARINE - saltwater
Term
Difference between Range and Wildlife manger?
Definition
one deals with domesticated animals and the other with wildlife.
Term
difference between Autecologist and Synecologist?
Definition
one studies a single species and the other studies a community (many species)
Term
Two different approaches to ecology:
Definition

1. Descriptive (natural history)

2. Functional (relationships common to all areas)

3. Evolutionary

Term
Descriptive Ecology
Definition
Natural History EX: The plant communities
Term
Functional Ecology
Definition

Oriented toward relationships common to all areas

EX: HOW species compete (predator-pray interactions)

Term
Evolutionary Ecology
Definition
Consider organism as historical products of evolution EX: look at WHY a species has a given adaptation
Term
Levels of ecological organization
Definition
Individual<Population<Community <Ecosystem<Landscape<Biome<Biosphere
Term
Population
Definition
group of individuals of the same species that occupy a given area
Term
Community
Definition
all populations of different species within an ecosystem
Term
Ecosystem
Definition
the biotic community and its abiotic environment functioning as a system
Term
Landscape
Definition
an area of land (or water) composed of a patchwork of communities and ecosystems
Term
Biome
Definition
broad-scale regions dominated by similar types of ecosystems; major regional ecological community of plants and animals
Term
Biosphere
Definition
the thin layer about the earth that supports all life
Term
Scientific Method
Definition

1. Make and observation

2. Ask a question

3. Form a hypothesis

4. Conduct an experiment

5. Collect and analyze data

6. Accept hypothesis or reject hypothesis (move back to form hypothesis)

Term
Experiments vs. Observational Studies
Definition

Experiment: applying a treatment

 

Observational study: no treatment applied

Term
experiment
Definition
investigators apply treatments to experimental units (people, animals, plots of land, etc.) and then proceed to observe the effect of the treatments on the experimental units.
Term
observational study
Definition
investigators observe subjects and measure variables of interest without assigning treatments to the subjects. The treatment that each subject receives is determined beyond the control of the investigator.
Term
EVOLUTION
Definition
CHANGE IN GENE FREQUENCY THROUGH TIME; CAUSED BY NATURAL SELECTION AND RESULTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CUMULATIVE CHANGES IN CHARACTERISTICS OF A POPULATION
Term
How does Evolution work?
Definition

1. Huge number of offspring produced, but few survive to reproduce.

2. Individuals with characteristics that weaken their chance to survive will not produce as many young as those that have a stronger chance to survive.

3.Future populations will have larger numbers of individuals with more favorable characteristics

4.Given enough time, these slow shifts can produce major evolutionary changes

Term
Evidence of evolutionary change
Definition

1. Fossil record

2. Similarities between living species

Term
Morphological Convergences
Definition
Independent evolution of body structures that become similar in remotely related organisms (shark and dolphin body)
Term
MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERGENCE
Definition
Over time populations diverge in the morphological traits that characterize their species; change from the body of a common ancestor (beaks of birds)
Term
DOMESTIC ANIMALS and plants
Definition
Artificial selection
Term
ANTI-BIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA
Definition
MRSA (S. aureus) evolved with the help of plasmids to overcome antibiotics
Term
Important notes for Evolution:
Definition

1. Individuals once born are not changes by selection

2. an individual cannot evolve

2. Natural selection acts on the individual, but evolution is measured in the population

Term
Requirements for Evolution
Definition

1. Population

2. Genetic Variation

3. Selection pressure

4. Must be Heritable

5. Time (depends on generation time)

Term
Source of Genetic Variation?
Definition

1. New Genes come from Mutations

2. Once in population, GENETIC RECOMBINATION is the major source

3. mutations of somatic cells unimportant

Term
SELECTION PRESSURE
Definition
Any abiotic of biotic factors which effect a population (temp, moisture, salinity, competition, antibiotics)
Term
Bad Example of Evolution:
Definition
Lamark- Giraffes He thought they stretched their necks to get leaves and their necks grew
Term
GENOTYPE
Definition
GENETIC MAKEUP OF AN ORGANISM
Term
PHENOTYPE
Definition
PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ORGANISM
Term
ALLELE
Definition
ONE OF TWO OR MORE FORMS OF A GENE
Term
DOMINANT ALLELE
Definition
THE ONE EXPRESSED; DENOTED AS A UPPER CASE LETTER (A).
Term
RECESSIVE ALLELE
Definition
THE ONE NOT EXPRESSED; DENOTED AS A LOWER CASE LETTER (a).
Term
HOMOZYGOUS
Definition
CONTAINING TWO INDENTICAL ALLELES OF A GENE (AA OR aa).
Term
HETEROZYGOUS
Definition
TWO DIFFERENT ALLELES OF A GENE (Aa)
Term
Genotype Frequency vs Gene Frequencies
Definition

(a) and (A): Genes, gametes, or alleles

 

AA, aa, Aa: genotypes of population frequencies

Term
THE HARDY-WEINBERG LAW (definition)
Definition
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF STABILITY, BOTH ALLELIC FREQUENCIES AND GENOTYPIC RATIOS REMAIN CONSTANT FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION IN SEXUALLY REPRODUCING POPULATIONS.
Term
THE HARDY-WEINBERG LAW (conditions)
Definition

1. large population

2. no mutations

3. no immigration

4. no emigration

5. no selective pressure

6. totally random reproduction

Term
Does the hardy-weinberg law hold true in naturally occurring populations?
Definition

No, therefore, gene frequencies change through time and evolution takes place.

HARDY-WEINBERG EQUATIONS MAY STILL BE USED TO TRACK CHANGES IN GENE FREQUENCIES IN POPULATIONS

Term
HARDY-WEINBERG EQUATIONS
Definition
p + q = 1
(p + q)2 = 1
p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1
p = THE DOMINANT ALLELE
q = THE RECESSIVE ALLELE
Term
Three different kinds of selection
Definition

1. Directional (select against one exteme or another)

2. Stabilizing (Select against both extreme)

3. Disruptive (select against the mean)

Term
Examples of Directional, Stabilizing, and Disruptive Selection
Definition

1. Directional- Finch beak size, seeds larger b/c of drought

2. Stabilizing - babies shouldn't be too big or too small

3. Disruptive- Butterflies have to be wither white or orange, cant be a combination or will not resemble poison butterflies.

Term
Different kinds of Speciation:
Definition

subset of species will become reproductively isolated; new species

1. Allopatric

2. Parapatric

3. Sympatric

Term
Speciation barriers
Definition

1. Physical

2. behavioral

3. Temporal

4. Physiological

5. Anatomical

6. genomic barrier (changes in genes interferes with gene flow)

Term
Allopatric
Definition
(geographic)physical barrier, most common
Term
parapatric
Definition

a group from a widespread population moves to an adjacent habitat.

 

could be behavioral, temporal, anatomical, but NOT physical barrier.

Term
Sympatric
Definition

occurs within confines of original distribution;

 

ex: polyploidy, occur without physical barriers

Term
Allopartic (EX) REQUIRES A PHYSICAL BARRIER
Definition

Galapagos Finches

1. Geographic isolation

2. local adaption

3. reproductive isolation

Term
PARAPATRIC (EX)
Definition

Portions of a widespread species enter a new habitat adjacent to the original habitat; common in plants and low mobility animals.

 

EX: Sweet Vernal Grass

Term
SYMPATRIC
Definition
REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION OCCURS WITHOUT A PHYSICAL SEPARATION INSIDE A CONTINUOUS HABITAT EX: polyploidy (more than 2 copies of chromosome)
Term
Plyploidy
Definition

Ancestral species is diploid (2n) with haploid (1n) gametes.

 

Chromosomes fail to separate properly either during mitosis or meiosis. Diploid gametes are formed (2n)

 

When a newly-arisen tetraploid (4n) plant tries to breed with its ancestral species (a backcross), triploid offspring are formed. These are sterile because they cannot form gametes with a balanced assortment of chromosomes.

 

However, the tetraploid plants can breed with each other. So in one generation, a new species has been formed.

Term
SPECIATION
Definition
[image]
Term
DISTRIBUTION
Definition
where a Species is found.
Term
Importance of understanding distributions
Definition

1. Intrinsic Value

2. Possibilities of transplanting (Salmon)

3. Necessity to control- AHB, RIFA

4. Conservation

Term
Determining what limits a distribution
Definition

Transplantation EXP:

1. Unsuccessful= distribution is limited by physical factors, chemical factors, or other species.

 

2. Successful= potential ranges is larger than actual range.

Term
Why distribution limited?
Definition
Dispersal Problems
Term
Physiological Ecology
Definition
the study of an organism’s reaction to physical and chemical factors
Term
The Law of the Minimum
Definition

Liebig - 1840

“The growth and development of an organism depends on the presence of certain(required) components. Growth will increase or decrease in proportion to the amounts of these (required) components.”

 

The rarest requirement of an organism will be the limiting factor in its performance.

Term
The Law of Tolerance
Definition

Shelford - 1913(worked with animals)

 

There is a max and min amount of material requires for proper growth and development of plants and animals

 

Organisms can be limited in their growth/occurrence not only by too little an element/ factor, but also by too much.

 

Term
Growth Zones
Definition

1. Zone of Intolerance= absent

2. Zone of stress = few

3. Zone of optimum growth = most

3. Zone of stress (physiological stress)

4. Zone of Intolerance

 

EX: Nitrogen gradient, Temp

 

Term
How to measure growth of population on microorganisms?
Definition

1. Count cells

2. Increase in dry weight

3. increase in chlorophyll

4. Measure optical density (Spectrophotometer)

Term
Spectrophotometer
Definition

1. Lamp

2. Filter

3. Prism

4. Sample

5. PM-Tube

6. Galvanometer

Term
If we do an experiment on the effects of temperture on algea, what to we keep constant?
Definition
anything that effects growth: (light CO2, O2, PO4, NH3, NO3, Nutrients, pH
Term
Calcualte Specific Growth Constant
Definition

K= (log N1- log N0)/ (.301(t1-t2))

#/min

 

Term
Calcuate Doubling Time (D2)
Definition

D2= 1/K

 

min

Term
How organisms react to -cide, pollutants (Pb, Hg, Cr)?
Definition
[image]
Term
How would organisms react to nutrients?
Definition
[image]
Term
Dispersal
Definition

The movement of an organism into an area that it does not currently inhabit

EX: European Starling introduced 1890's & spread over US Canada in under 100yrs.

EX: Crested Myan introduced but did not spread

EX: Chestnut blight: a fungal disease

EX: European Rabbit 1859

Term
Immunocontraception
Definition

a birth control method that uses the body's immune response to prevent pregnancy

1. identify proteins essential for reproduction

2. isolate DNA responsible for production of protein

3. insert DNA into carrier organism (Virus)

3. Animal's immune system produces antibodies to block reproduction

Term
Methods of Dispersal
Definition

1. Diffusion - Gradual movement

2. Jump- movement across great distances very quickly

 

Barriers are very important

Term
Success Rates of Introductions (Birds)
Definition

1. North America (8%) 4/50

2. Europe (15%) 13/85

3. Australia (30%) 15/50

Term
Why should exotic species not be introduced?
Definition
can create more competition; lead to extinction of native speceis
Term
Mechanism of dispersal in plants
Definition

1. Wind (dandelion, cottonwood, orchid, maple) 

 

2. Explosion (squirting cucumber, bluebonnet, witch hazel)

 

3. Water (mangrove, water lily)

 

4. Animal: Internal (pooters)/external (clingers)

 

5. Vegatative (choi cactus kudzu airplane plant)

Term
Predation
Definition

one organism feeding on another (+,-)

 

1. Herbivore- plant EX: algae & sea urchin

 

2. Carnivore- herbivore EX: mussels & crab

 

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