Term
|
Definition
-the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions with the environment
-"oikos" meaning house
-"logos" meaning to study |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-a suggested explanation for a phenomena, based upon the conceptual "working model" of how a system works
-CANNOT be proven true even when it correctly predicts outcome (usually because an infinite number of hypotheses can usually be generated that predict the same outcome)
-strongest are usually accepted as true if multiple experiments fail to falsify them |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| set up to test hypothesis |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| if the predictions of the hypothesis are not borne out |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-explanations for how the world works, inspire future research, but also limit it's direction to ciertain avenues
-hypotheses that were not falsified after multiple experiments
-can last centuries or longer
**look at example in notes** |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-ecology lacks a scientific paradigm because many of its underlying ideas have not been sufficiently tested or have crumbled under the weight of new experiments
-makes ecology EXCITING! |
|
|
Term
STUDY BREAK
What do you call a cat which has swallowed a duck? |
|
Definition
A duck-filled fatty puss.
(now get back to work slacker) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| single, discrete organisms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-groups of organisms of the same species living in the same space
-individuals of the same population interact with one another
-most interaction among members of a given species occurs within a population |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| ask questions about abundance, density, population growth, and limits growth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-assemblages of populations of different species living in the same place
-different species have different "functions" in a biological system (decomposers/producers/etc) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| interacting assemblages of living things living in a particular area, accounting also for the nonliving components, such as light, water, nutrients, soil, and seasonality |
|
|
Term
| biological species concept |
|
Definition
-"a species is a group of actually or potentially interbreeding organisms that can mate and produce fertile offspring"
-defines species as "real", objective entities, defined by the limits of the gene exchange |
|
|
Term
| morphological species concept |
|
Definition
-"species are groups of organisms that share certain morphological or biochemical traits"
-some species don't reproduce sexually, or are only known from fossils
-more subjective |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
a species is a discrete lineage, propagated, ancestor to descendant through time, which is recognizable different from other such lineages and shares a distinct evolutionary history
-defines a species by its relationships to other species |
|
|
Term
| what we see today might reflect events that happened long ago by our standards |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| particular set of abiotic conditions affecting a particular area at a particular time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| overall pattern of weather in that area |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-BROAD assemblages of plant and animal communities generally defined by the dominant vegetation
-not usually applied to aquatic conditions (oceanic regions) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| major ecosystems that result from predictable patterns of climate as influences by latitude, global position, and climate |
|
|
Term
| major factors influencing terrestrial biomes |
|
Definition
rainfall and its timing
sunlight
disturbances |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-lack of trees
-vegetation- lichens, annual grasses, shrubs/woody plants
-trees die from too short of growing season
-snow protects growth from low temperatures
-polar climates and high elevation (short growing season) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-cone-bearing trees (pines/spruce/fir) dominated by one or a few species
-very common
-huge areas at high latitude/high elevations
-plants dormant in winter |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-low rainfall ( < 30cm/year)
-does not always mean hot
-dry environment causes dramatic differences in temp between day/night
-grasses found when H2O available (dormant underground) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-cool, rainy winters and dry summers
-dense, spiny, evergreen shrubs
-seasonal fires
-most plants are fire adapted
-high biodiversity with a great deal of ENDEMISM (species are found only in one place) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-grasses and forbs dominate
-fire/grazing/seasonal drought prevents the establishment of shrubs/trees
-moderate to low rainfall and wide range of temperatures
-widespread biome |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| -grassland mixed with scattered trees |
|
|
Term
| temperate deciduous forests |
|
Definition
-moderate rainfall
-mild to warm summer/cool to cold winters
-mid-latitudes with moisture
-winters cold enough to prohibit photosynthesis and organisms go dormant
-dense stands of deciduous trees predominate
-trees have distinct vertical layers (one to two strata of trees and under-story shrub) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-most productive biome/biodiversity
-located near equator
-broad-leafed evergreen trees, shrubs, woody vines,and epiphytes
-high rainfall, usually with pronounced rainy season)
-competition for light is intense |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
plants that live on other plants, usually trees
-ex. orchids/misteltoe |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-usually in lowland areas where distinciton between wet season and dry season
-deciduous trees, thorny shrubs, and succulents (short, fat plants) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-more specific accounting for soil, climate, vegetation, and history
-hierarchical scheme |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
1. domain
2. division
3. provinces |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-huge volumes of habitat defined by a few basic factor
-water column provides spacial structure
-communities are stratified spatially |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| pelagic zone (open ocean) |
|
Definition
-light penetrates the top few meters
-nutrient concentrations are generally low because remains of dead organisms dink to bottom
-all organisms are free-swimming
-major producers are photosynthetic algae |
|
|
Term
| abyssal zone (open ocean) |
|
Definition
-light is absent
-nutrients reach the zone by falling from above
-specially adapted organisms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-oceanic region
-areas covered in water that support aquatic plants
-periodically flooded regions or soil saturated with water during the growing season or permanently flooded areas |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| -occur at the mouths of rivers |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| flooded areas dominated by trees |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| flooded areas dominated by sedges and grasses |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| distinctive vegetation because their solid is either very alkali (fens) or very acidic (bogs) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
for most groups of organisms, biodiversity increases from the poles to the tropics
why?
1. greater productivity in tropics
2. history (!!!!)
3. complexity of habitats
4. less disturbance |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| nearctic and palearctic most similar (canada/russia) |
|
|
