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Ecology Review
tests 1-4
112
Science
Undergraduate 3
11/13/2009

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Term
Ecosystem
Definition
the interactions between communities (all species of organisms in a defined area) with their abiotic environment - focus on NRG and nutrient transfer/flux
Term
Dew Point
Definition
the temperature at which the air becomes saturated with water
Term
Thermocline
Definition
A thermocline (sometimes metalimnion) is a thin but distinct layer in a large body of fluid (e.g. water, such as an ocean or lake, or air, such as an atmosphere), in which temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below
Term
turnover time
Definition
the amount of time it takes something to be completely replaced
in H2O cycle turnover would be the amount of time necessary for a body of water to renew it's self
Term
ultimate causation
Definition
cause based on historical or evolutionary perspective: 'why' does this occur instead of 'how'
Term
biome
Definition
an area demarcated by specific foliage - affected by soil and climmate (e.g. tropical rainforest, tundra, etc.)
Term
Deduction involves hypothesis testing
Definition
T
Term
At the equator the sun is directly overhead twice a year
Definition
T
Term
About half the oceans volume is sufficiently lit to support photosynthesis
Definition
F
Term
Ocean surface temperature varies a lot from place to place, salinity varies little
Definition
T
Term
Zonation on sky islands is caused by the rain shadow effect
Definition
F
Term
Adiabatic cooling is caused by pressure change on a gas
Definition
T
Term
A hadley cell produces surface winds that move toward the equator
Definition
T
Term
Testing a theory by gathering more and more examples is induction
Definition
T
Term
Merriam's life zones are arrayed along a latitudinal gradient
Definition
F
Term
Scientists are able to reconstruct past climate by examining pollen in lake sediments
Definition
T
Term
A tentative answer to a causative question is called
Definition
a hypothesis
Term
Where besides the Mediterranean sea do you find Mediterranean biomes
Definition
california
Term
Two elements of climate included in climate diagrams:
Definition
temperature
precipitation
Term
What info. not in a climate diagram might explain the kind of vegetation present in a particular location?
Definition
soils, nearby mountains
Term
How does sunlight define 'tropics'?
Definition
tropics are the only places on earth where the sun is (at some point) directly overhead
Term
In the pacific salmon example what was the specific pattern scientists were trying to link with process?
Definition
repetitive salmon homing
Term
What vegetation type dominates savannahs?
Definition
grasses
Term
What soil horizon has the most plant roots and why?
Definition
B - relatively deep and includes humus and nutrient runoff from layers O and A
Term
Age specific schedule of survival and repoduction
Definition
life table
Term
Where to find Mediterranean biome in USA?
Definition
S. California
Term
growth form described by dN/dt=rN(1-N/K)
Definition
biotic potential
Term
Intrinsic (inherent) rate of natural increase (r)
Definition
biotic potential
Term
Type of scientific reasoning that involves the formulation of hypotheses
Definition
deductive
Term
level of biological organization at which natural selection operates
Definition
individual
Term
The maximum population size the environment can support (k)
Definition
carrying capacity
Term
Temperature at maximum density of water
Definition
3.98 degrees
Term
One word that best describes the difference between an environmental "condition" and "resource"
Definition
shareable
Term
Type of population limitation in which percent mortality does not change with population size
Definition
density independent
Term
Process since 1750 where death rate, then birth rate declined in humans
Definition
demographic transition
Term
Dispersion patterns of desert shrubs intensely competing for soil moisture
Definition
regular (equal)
Term
Dispersion pattern of honeybees
Definition
clustered
Term
Mechanism in addition to natality that can increase population size
Definition
immigration
Term
Rain shadow effect causes zonation in plant communities on sky islands
Definition
F
Term
Increasing pressure on gas will heat it
Definition
T
Term
A life table can be used to determine K
Definition
F
Term
Growth rate in blowfly populations is density dependent
Definition
T
Term
In chickens, young individuals avoid severe fighting and accept lower status for the good of the species
Definition
F
Term
According to the mathematical model, if N>K, then dN/dt is 0
Definition
F
Term
K is a constant that does not vary
Definition
F
Term
A local population with no immigration and NRR<1 will eventually become extinct
Definition
T
Term
A hadley cell produces surface winds that move away from the equator
Definition
F
Term
Natural selection involved differential reproduction among populations
Definition
F
Term
Resource
Definition
not shareable requirement for life forms, something to compete over such as fruit or habitat space
Term
scramble competition
Definition
competition for resources that are not clumped, more 1st come 1st served instead of contest
Term
Territory
Definition
the area that a particular population or individual uses; frequents - if an animal is territorial it will defend this place
Term
Population
Definition
a group of individuals of the same species occupying an established space
Term
Dew Point
Definition
the point at which water in the form of vapor (gas) turns into liquid - temp when it will rain
Term
Thermocline
Definition
the thin layer of water (when it is vertically startified) that embodies a significant change in temperature
Term
Deduction
Definition
the process of scientific reasoning that goes from general to specific
Term
Conduction
Definition
the transfer of heat through physical contact between two biotic/abiotic organisms and/or factors
Term
Ectotherm
Definition
an organism who's body temperature varies with the temperature of it's environment
Term
Liebig
Definition
organisms require certain resources to survive, the first of these resources to run out is the limiting factor for the species
Term
what do population, affluence, and technology have to do with human ecology?
Definition
Human Impact = Population*Influence*technology
Term
A +,0 interspecific interaction
Definition
commensalism
Term
Type of competition used when chemical warfare is used between two species
Definition
interference
Term
the name of the broadest niche a species can occupy
Definition
fundamental
Term
The phenomenon where a population narrows it's use of resources in the presence of a competitor
Definition
ecological compression
Term
the return to 'normal' conditions when a predator is removed
Definition
ecological release
Term
area used habitually by an organism and defended against intruding competitors
Definition
territory
Term
under what experimental conditions could two competing paramecium species coexist in a lab (according to Gause)
Definition
feed in different areas
Term
in competition equations, what are alpha and beta called?
Definition
competition coefficients
Term
Does the negative effect on species 1 increase or decrease as N2 increases?
Definition
increase
Term
In ecological time, is competition more likely to increase or decrease the number of species in the community?
Definition
decrease
Term
is addition of a predator to a community of several competing species likely to increase or decrease the number of competitors present?
Definition
increase
Term
general term for predator with large influence on community structure
Definition
keystone
Term
in paynes study of intertidal organisms what is the name of the keystone predator he identifies?
Definition
starfish
Term
Type of response exhibited by a predator that consumes more prey items as prey numbers rise
Definition
functional
Term
why does a functional predatory response eventually level off?
Definition
satiation
Term
type of predator response that involves an increase in the predator population
Definition
numerical
Term
One word that best describes the difference between an environmental condition and a resource
Definition
shareable
Term
The population size of the environment can continually support K
Definition
carrying capacity
Term
type of interspecific competition occuring directly through the resource
Definition
exploitation
Term
Intrinsic rate of natural increase (r)
Definition
Term
general name for a competitor like pin cherry that moves from place to place and persists even though losing in competition
Definition
fugitive
Term
In ecological time, is competition more likely to increase or decrease species richness?
Definition
decrease
Term
Is removal of a predator from a community of several competing species likely to increase or decrease species richness?
Definition
decrease
Term
Give one example of a factor that may limit population growth in a density independent way
Definition
rainfall
Term
give one example of a factor that may limit population growth in a density dependent way.
Definition
food
Term
type of "response" exhibited by an individual predator that consumes fewer prey as prey numbers increase
Definition
functional
Term
general term for a predator that has a large effect on community structure
Definition
keystone
Term
why is black pepper a bad thing for 'tree huggers' but vanilla is ok?
Definition
pepper - from converted forest
vanilla - intact forest
Term
what is the major difference in how nutrients are distributed in tropical rainforests and in New England forests?
Definition
Tropical Rainforest - nutrients in plants, poor soil
New England forests - nutrients in soils
Term
In Dr. Pearsons Wilcox Playa studies, why was it important to determine if Tiger Beetles are resource limited?
Definition
objective : to assess competition
if not resource limited, then no competition
Term
accelerated cation losses from cut watersheds can be caused by acidification of ion exchanage sites. At Hubbard Brook, what process generated the acid?
Definition
Nitrification
Term
Name one substance of which ion exchange particles are composed.
Definition
clay, organic matter
Term
What effect did deforestation have on precipitation inputs?
Definition
none
Term
What is the main drawback of clear-cutting New England forests to increase the yield of drinking water to major cities?
Definition
toxic water
Term
In New England, how do nutrients enter forested watersheds?
Definition
precipitation
Term
How do nutrients leave forested watersheds in New England?
Definition
runoff
Term
At steady state, what becomes of rainwater that does not leave the system as evapotranspiration?
Definition
runoff
Term
After cutting, what ion showed the most dramatic increase in concentration in stream water?
Definition
nitrate
Term
in ecosystems, what type of interaction involves a very small amount of energy or matter compared to it's effect?
Definition
control
Term
What is defined as a "surface of relative discontinuity of interaction"?
Definition
boundary
Term
At each step in the nutrient cycle, some materials are destroyed.
Definition
F
Term
At each step in the nutrient cycle, some materials are destroyed.
Definition
F
Term
At Hubbard Brook, nitrification was higher before the forest was cut then after.
Definition
F
Term
Energy cycles through systems and can be used many times to do work.
Definition
F
Term
At Hubbard Brook,forest cutting resulted in 4 fold increase in water output.
Definition
F
Term
Ecosystem boundaries are closed to material fluxes
Definition
F
Term
Natural selection involves differential reproduction among individuals.
Definition
T
Term
In nature, carrying capacity is a constant for any given population
Definition
F
Term
Tiger Beetles are carnivorous
Definition
T
Term
Some tiger beetles have chemicals used in competition
Definition
F
Term
Forest foliage complexity had a significant effect on tropical bird species richness
Definition
F
Term
Island biogeography principles helped explain the bird diversity in tropical South America
Definition
F
Term
ecological equivalency is very common among tropical birds
Definition
F
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