bio for majors final
a lake that is clear and has little plant life
oligotrophic
communities are associations of species separated by sharp boundaries
organismic model
the open ocean, or the ______________ zone, is deep, has low nutrient concentrations, and is only warm near the surface
pelagic
per capita birth rate - per capita death rate
per capita growth rate
an example of commensalism in which one organism uses another for transportation
phoresy
_________________ cycles locally only between geological and biological components of ecosystems
phosphorous
what two elements are most commonly limiting for primary production?
phosphorous and nitrogen
although corals are animals, they are limited to the _______________ zone, where light penetrates, because of the presence of photosynthetic algae that inhabitat their inner cell layer
photic
succession on newly exposed site that has no biological legacy is slow because why?
plants must build up the soil and prepare it for secondary succession
many individuals of the same species living together in a defined area form what?
population
the study of factors affecting population size and how these factors change over space and time
population ecology
the instantaneous growth rate of a population describes what?
population growth rate over a short period of time
what are the two phenomena of the water cycle?
precipitation and evaporation
by knowing the per capita growth rate, ecologists can what?
predict population growth because it determines the change in the number of individuals in the population over a period of time
_____________ succession occurs after a glacier retreats
primary
secondary production is thought to be largely limited by ______________ production
primary
succession that occurs on a newly exposed site that has not supported a community of organisms before
primary
insects, snails, slugs
primary consumers
annual plants
primary producers
according to the _____________________, each species is distributed according to its physiological needs, communities gradually merge into one another, and competition does not create distinct vegetational zones
principle of species individuality
the _________________ hypothesis predicts that species richness can be predicted by the total amount of plant material produced over time
productivity
what benefit would a plant receive from synchronizing flowering between the individuals of a species?
promoting pollinator fidelity
all compounds in which nitrogen is found
proteins and nucleic acids
when the amount of bioligical material decreases with increasing trophic level
pyramid of biomass
energy production decreases with increasing trophic level
pyramid of energy
a grassland supports thousands of insects, and insects supports hundreds of predators
pyramid of numbers
the abundance of species decreases with increasing trophic level
pyramid of numbers
species with short life spans, small bodies, good dispersal rates, low parental care, occupying disturbed habitats
r-selected species
which hypothesis proposes that ecosystem function is maximized at a very low level of diversity?
redundancy hypothesis
the term ________________ refers to the differentiation of niches, in both space and time, enabling similar species to coexist in a community
resource partitioning
the practice of repairing or replacing degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action
restoration ecology
_____________ succession begins with an existing community that has been dramatically altered
secondary
parasitoids that feed on herbivores
secondary consumers
the measure of production gain by heterotrophs and decomposers
secondary production
the relationship between the available area and the number of species present is called the _____________ effect
species-area
competition-intolerant species
successful early in succession
competition-tolerant species
successful late in succession
what describes a series of changes in the composition and structure of an ecological community through time?
succession
a graph of the proportion of surviving at each age is called a ________________ curve
survivorship
beak sizes are different with G. fortis having a larger bill depth and G. fulinginosa with a smaller bill depth
sympatric
species exist in the same geographic area
sympatric
species that occur in the same geographic area but tend to specialize on different types of food and develop different feeding characters are termed as what?
sympatric
the animal life of _______________ _______________ forest includes bears, lynxes, moose, beavers, squirrels, and few to no reptiles or amphibians
temperature coniferous
water, temperature, and nutrient availability are the main factors that can limit primary production in which ecosystem?
terrestrial
by calculating the number of births per unit time interval minus the number of deaths per unit time interval, ecologists can determine what?
the change in population size over time
why is primary succession often a long process?
the plants must rebuild the lost soil and organic material
data supporting the model of inhibition includes a study in which...
the removal of green algae from an intertidal zone allowed a large red algae to colonize more quickly
the equilibrium model of island biogeography proposes that immigration onto an island is highest when what?
there are no species already present on the island
one of the lines of evidence that suggests that bottom-up effects are important in population density
there is a progressive decrease of available energy passing from plants through herbivores to carnivores and to secondary carnivores
why are food web chain lengths typically short?
they are limited by laws of physics and chemistry
since coral are animals, why are they limited to the photic zone?
they contain photosynthetic symbiotic algae
summarize the work conducted by ricklefs and lovette in 1999
they found a positive correlation between species richness and area
in a human dominated world, k-selected species are at risk of extinction because why?
they tend to have fewer offspring so their populations cannot recover from disturbances
species that are likely to become in danger of extinction in the future
threatened
the hypothesis that predicts that older communities will have higher degree of species richness than newer communities is called what?
time
the ______________ model of succession states that any species can begin succession, but the climax community is reached in an orderly fashion in which earlier species neither help nor hinder invading species
tolerance
competition intolerant species are more successful early in succession, while competition tolerant species appear later in succession
tolerance model
in interactions between plants and microorganisms plants provide energy to microorganisms and microorganisms provide plants with better access to nutrients
trophic mutualism
the canopy cover and density of plant life of temperate deciduous forests is not as dense as warmer ________________ forests, allowing for more abundant ground cover
tropical
which major climate zone has the most species richness?
tropical
herds of antelope, zebra, wildabeest, and predators like cheetahs, lions, and leopards reside where?
tropical grassland
this biome is found in equatorial regions, has a very high species diversity, and contains trees with buttress roots to support their shallow root systems
tropical rain forest
t or f: bears don't suffer from arteriosclerosis (high cholesterol) during hibernation
true
t or f: the loss of biodiversity could disrupt an ecosystem's ability to provide water filtration, maintain soil fertility, and process carbon dioxide
true
extraction from the _____________ biome has the potential to have a significant impact, and ecosystem recovery from the damage would be slow, hurting populations of polar bears and and caribou
tundra
parents have few young and invest much time and resources into raising their young
type I
parents have several young over their lifetime investing a small amount of time into raising their young
type II
parents have large numbers of offspring per event and invest little to no time in their young
type III
which type of survivorship of birds, small mammals, and reptiles?
type ii
_______________ species have large habitat requirements, so that protecting them protects many other species in the same habitat
umbrella
how do the movements of units of energy and chemical elements differ in an ecosystem?
units of energy - pass through only once, dissipating as heat chemical elements - recycled, moving from the physical environment to organisms, back to the environment
nitrogen in blood
uremia
how does the hydrological cycle differ from the cycles of other nutrients?
very little water is chemically changed by the cycle's components
what is unique about the deep water availability in the tundra biome?
water is locked in permafrost
what aquatic biome occurs at the margins of both lentic and and lotic habitats?
wetlands
what biome plays a valuable role in protecting coastal communities from hurricanes?
wetlands
what are some results of hibernation?
-accumulation of feces -low surface-to-volume ratio -liver takes over function of kidneys
role of phosphorous in ecosystems
-all living organisms require it -it is a key component of dna and rna -it is a component of atp
ammonification is the conversion of organic nitrogen to ____________ and ______________
-ammonia -ammonium
what are the 4 main hypothesis that account for species richness differences?
-area -productivity -time -intermediate-disturbance
what 3 major constituents are measured when investigating the dynamics of an ecosystem?
-biomass production -cycling of elements -energy flow
how can scientists evaluate the efficiency of consumers as energy transformers?
-by calculating the production efficiency -by calculating trophic-level transfer efficiency
the relationship between ecosystem function and biodiversity is _______________ ____________ for diversity-stability hypothesis and __________ for the idiosyncratic hypothesis
-consistently strong -weak
examples of organisms that acquire carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and incorportate it into organic matter via photosynthesis
-cyanobacteria -plants -algae
organisms of interest when measuring ecosystems biomass production
-cyanobacteria -plants -algae
reasons for decline of black bears
-deforestation for railroads -unregulated hunting
much of the temperate decidious forest is destroyed because human population used them for what?
-development -agriculture
most significant human activities that lead to deforestation
-development -farming -animal grazing
the main threats to species are those induced by humans; these include:
-direct exploitation -climate change -habitat destruction
what factors could disturb communities?
-droughts -fires -floods -hurricanes -species interactions
what arguments have been used as arguments for the preservation of biological diversity?
-ecosystems have a very high economic value -ecosystems provide clean air and water -humans have an ethical responsibility to protect ecosystems
in mountainous environment, ranges of temperature decrease with increasing elevation through adiabatic cooling, thus temperature and precipitation may change dramatically depending on:
-elevation -leeward vs windward side
of the three models of succession, _____________ is a process in which early species prepare the ground for later species, ______________ is when early species exclude later species, and _____________ is when late species are equally likely to establish
-facilitation -inhibition -tolerance
three levels at which biodiversity is examined
-genetic -species -ecosystem
the 3 major fields of biology encompassed by conservation biology
-genetics -molecular biology -ecology
two major principles incorporated by the theory and practice of reserve design
-landscape ecology -island biogeography
benefits of large parks
-larger number of species will be protected -migrating species have room to move
life history strategy
-length of life -speed of maturation -competitive ability -dispersal ability
all human activities that affect tropical rain forests
-logging -clearing land for cattle
human activites that affect tropical rain forests:
-logging land for agriculture -cleaning land for cattle
what advantages does an organism gain by having 6 sets of chromosomes instead of only two?
-more adaptations to environmental conditions -greater genetic diversity
potential advantages of setting up several small preserves rather than one large reserve of equal total areas
-more species are often included due to variety of sites -broader variety of habitats are contained -risk of extinction by a single event is reduced
unlike _______________ in which both species gain from an interaction, ______________ is an interaction in which one species benefits and the other is unaffected
-mutualism -commensalism
nitrogen cycle
-nitrogen fixation -nitrification -assimilation -ammonification
the ____________ model considers a community to be equivalent to a super-organism, while the ______________ model considers a community to be an assemblage of organisms coexisting because of similar abiotic requirements
-organismic -individualistic
what effects does elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide have on plant growth and herbivory?
-plant growth increased -amount of herbivoery decreased
potential outcomes of global warming
-shift in the timing of flowering so that it doesn't coincide with pollinator activity -emergence of animals from hibernation when food supplies are not adequate
k-selected species exhibit ________________, whereas r-selected exhibit ________________
-slow development, good competitive abilities; rapid development, poor competitive abilities -low mortalitiy rates of young, low reproductive rates; high mortality rates of young, high reproductive rates
major reasons for the transport of introduced species
-sources of timber or meat -agricultural production
what are higher in the headwaters of a river than in its lower reaches?
-speed of current -oxygen level -clarity
mammalian physiology includes the ordinary _______ excreted by ___________
-urea -kidneys
ways in which humans benefit from estuaries
-water filtration -erosion control
what describes the physical environment of a temperate rain forest?
-water from dense coastal fogs condenses -rainfall is abundant -occassionally temeperatures drop below freezing in the winter
other species that declined in arkansas along with the black bear
-white tailed deer -turkey
average trophic-level transfer efficiency
10%
what % of body mass do bears lose?
15-30%
how long is a bear's gestation period?
2 months
how did they try to restore the population of black bears?
260 bears from minnesota were released in 3 different locations
how many bears were left in arkansas by 1940?
40
the maintained body temperature of bears during super hibernation
88°F
illustrates the value of preserving genetic diversity
a chemical that treats cancer is present in some pacific yew plants
in what situation would a population exhibit exponential growth?
a population which reaches a new habitat with an abundance of resources
most prairies are now being used for ___________________, and the original grassland habitats are rare
agriculture
g fortis and g. fulinginosa have similar beak depths
allopatric
species exist in different geographic areas
allopatric
which ones do not display type i survivorship?
animals with a relatively high rate of loss of offspring
light and nutrient availability are the main factors that can limit primary production in which ecosystem?
aquatic
the ___________ hypothesis for species richness predicts that the large island will have a higher species richness than a smaller island
area
the bear state
arkansas
the process by which inorganic substances are incorporated into organic molecules is called _________________
assimilation
_____________ mimicry is the mimicry of an unpalatable species by a palatable one
batesian
involves the absorption and release of chemicals by living organisms
biological
which type of biogeochemical transport mechanism involves the absorption and release of chemicals by living organisms?
biological transport
what components of the ecosystem is carbon cycle among?
biological, geological, and atmospheric
to construct a pyramid of _____________, scientists measure the weight at each trophic level rather than counting numbers of organisms
biomass
this application of restoration uses microbes or plants to detoxify polluted habitats
bioremediation
had one of the widest distribution of any mammal in north america
black bears
tropical rain forest, tropical deciduous forest, tropical grassland, tundra
broad terrestrial biomes
the movement of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again is known as what?
carbon cycle
in the winter, glycerol is used as what for protein synthesis using nitrogen?
carbon source
global warming is threat to coral reefs because high water temperatures and high pH:
causes coral bleaching
net primary production (NPP) is gross primary production minus the energy released during _____________ _________________ oh photosynthetic organisms
cellular respiration
transport mechanism that includes dissolved matter in rain and snow, atmosphere gases, and and dust blown by the wind
chemical
a community that remains in place with little modification until a disturbance begins the succession process
climax community
in a ____________ ______________ biome it is difficult to grow crops becuase of the combination of low temeperatures and low rainfall
cold desert
what biome is found in the dry regions at middle to high latitudes, especially in the interiors of continents and in the rain shadows of mountains?
cold desert
an interaction between cattle and cattle egret is what?
commensalism
organisms in all trophic levels above the primary producers
consumers
in the pioneer stage of the process of facilitation following glacier retreat, the soil is poor and is first colonized by what?
cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens
earthworms and soil insects
decomposers
in studying lowland forest bird species in polynesia, macarthur and wilson found that the number of species on islands...
decreases with distance from the source pool
__________________ mutualism occurs when an animal protects a plant or an herbivore
defensive
habitat destruction through _______________ has historically been a prime cause of the extinction of species
deforestation
birth and death rates, age distribution, population sizes
demography
reduction of nitrate to gaseous nitrogen
dentrification
summarize wayne sousa's findings on succession in an intertidal zone
early colonists can hinder rather than aid subsequent species
the biotic community of organisms in an area in addition to the physical environment affecting the community
ecosystem
what type of ecology is concerned with the movement of energy and materials through organisms and their communities?
ecosystem
many forest adapted species prefer to live in the middle of a forest. what principle does this illustrate?
edge effect
species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or most of their range
endangered
species that are found only in a particular place or region, and nowhere else are said to be what?
endemic
a lake that has low water clarity and extensive algae growth
eutrophic
the measure of available water and temperature
evapotranspiration
the rate at which water moves into the atmosphere through evaporation from soil and transpiration from plants
evapotranspiration rate
what pattern of growth can be observed by studying the human population?
exponential
early in island succession...
extinction rate is low due to few large populations
mechanism of succession in which earlier species make the area more suitable for subsequent species
facilitation
which the interaction is beneficial but not essential to the survival and reproduction of either species
facultative mutualistic relationship
t or f: bears suffer from osteoporosis during hibernation
false
t or f: different species feed at the same level in the same food chain
false
t or f: dispersive mutualism occurs when two species share a common resource
false
t or f: sharp boundaries are common between neighboring communities
false
_____________ species are large or instantly recognizable species
flagship
the movement of energy through an ecosystem is called energy ____________
flow
a linear depiction of energy flow, where each organism derives energy from the previous organism
food chain
a complex model of interconnected feeding levels, in which there are multiple links between species
food web
the physiologically optimal range of conditions for an organism is called what?
fundamental niche
inbreeding, genetic drift, and limited mating are 3 factors that make small populations more vulnerable to the loss of what?
genetic diversity
random change in allele frequencies attributable to chance
genetic drift
includes weathering and erosion of rocks and elements transported by surface and subsurface drainage
geological
what is thought to be the greatest threat to coral reefs?
global warming
lipid breakdown produces what?
glycerol
in an ecosystem, ________________ primary production is the raw rate at which primary producers synthesize new organic matter
gross
the amount of carbon fixed during photosynthesis
gross primary production
hexaploid redwoods would...
have greater variety in their proteins and have the potential to grow faster
animals that eat plants
herbivores
organisms with 6 sets of chromosomes in each of their cells
hexaploids
which biome is most disturbed by off-road vehicles and salinization due to frequent irrigation?
hot desert
the period prior to denning when up to 20,000 kcals are consumed by bears
hyperphagia
mating among genetically related relatives
inbreeding
the status of __________________ species provides information on the overall health of an ecosystem
indicator
gleason's ___________________ model describes a community as an assemblage of species coexisting due to similarities in physiological tolerances and requirements
individualistic
a community is an assemblage of species coexisting due to shared physiological requirements and tolerances
individualistic model
the _______________-________________ hypothesis predicts that areas with moderate habitat disturbance will have high levels of species richness
intermediate-disturbance
between individuals of different species
interspecific
the marine biome called the ________________ zone is the area where land meets the sea and is alternately submerged and exposed by the daily cycle of tides
intertidal
what biome is distributed worldwide and consists of sandy shore, mudflats, or rocky shore?
intertidal zone
between individuals of the same species
intraspecifc
species moved by humans from a native location to another location
introduced species
species that spread and out compete native species for space and resources
invasive species
a tree supports hundred of insects, and insects support thousands of predators
inverted pyramid
when the amount of biological material increases with increasing trophic
inverted pyramid of biomass
the abundance of species increases with increasing trophic level
inverted pyramid of numbers
species richness on islands is primarily influenced by what?
island size and distance from source pool
disturbance may increase species richness because why?
it causes a progression of species competing for resources as an area re-establishes after disturbance
what happens to slope of an exponential growth curve as the value of rmax increases?
it produces a steeper slope
slow development, low reproductive rates, late reproductive age, long length of life
k-selected species
species with relatively stable populations adapted to existing at or near their carrying capacity
k-selected species
what animals are mainly found in the tropical grassland?
large mammals
standing water
lentic
how do humans affect the temperate rain forest?
logging
as the population size grows it moves closer to carrying capacity and resources become limited
logistic growth
free flowing water
lotic
where is energy lost in each trophic level?
maintenance (body temp) and excretion of waste products such as feces
when is the breeding season for female bears?
may and june
conservation biologists often must make decisions regarding which habitats should be protected. the ______________ country approach suggests that efforts should focus on the most biologically rich countries
megadiversity
____________ __________ exist in many parts of the world, but among the largest are the himilayas in asia, the rockies in north america, andes in south america
mountain ranges
small reserves can be linked together by biotic corridors, which are also called ___________ corridors
movement
humans have planted large areas of the earth with crops, and food crops have allowed an expansion of human populations
mutualism
____________________ are highly prevalent in plant-seed dispersal systems
mutualistic
an important reason why many new introduced species cause so much disturbance in communities is that:
natural prey-predator balances doesn't exist
the free-swimming animals of of the open ocean are called what?
nekton
the amount of energy available to primary consumers
net primary production
species may coexist if they do not occupy identical what?
niches
what is the process by which soil bacteria convert ammonium to nitrate?
nitrification
after hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, which two elements are required in the largest amounts of living organisms
nitrogen and phosphorous
colonization of soil by alders is important during the early stages of facilitation because alders have a mutualistic relationship with what?
nitrogen-fixing bacteria
mammalian physiology includes the ________________ waste from break down of AA
nitrogenous
the species richness of a community refers to what?
number of different species
in _________________ mutualism neither species can live without the other
obligatory