AICE Marine Science- Topic 2

What is phytoplankton?

(producer) organism that can perform photosynthesis

Species

A group of similar organisms that can interbreed naturally to produce fertile offspring

Endoparasite

A parasite that lives on the INSIDE of the host Think: INterior

Ectoparasite

A parasite that lives on the OUTSIDE of the host Think: EXterior

What does interspecies relationship mean?

A relationship between 2 or more organisms of different species

Symbiosis

A relationship between organisms from different species living in close physical association

Community

All of the different populations occupying a habitat at the same time

Autotroph

An PRODUCER that can produce its own food energy and provides food for virtually all organisms

What can competition lead to?

An overlap between ecological niches. Can lead to extinction of less well adapted organisms but more often leads to greater niche adapation and specialization

Why are predator prey relationships directly correlated?

Because the consumer process is direct.

Predator Adaptations

Camouflage, speed, packs, poisons, acute senses, claws, teeth, fangs, stingers, etc.

What is the relationship between chemosynthetic bacteria and tubeworms?

Chemosynthetic bacteria produce organic compounds through photosynthesis. Tubeworms can use this for cellular respiration processes and gain nutrients, so they host the bacteria, which is turn gets a safe environment.

What is the relationship between cleaner fish and grouper?

Cleaner fish eat the parasites of grouper (and other fish), which can prevent infection. In return, the cleaner fish get a free meal (nutrients) and protection

First Stage of Succession

Colonizing Stage 1st community of organisms appear to begin to colonizing the new habitat

What is detritus?

Dead or decaying material

Changes in abiotic conditions can ________ biodiversity.

Decrease

Why do hydrothermal vents have low biodiversity?

Extreme temperatures, pressure, toxins, no light or producers like plants, etc

True or False: The amount of sunlight a place gets is a biotic factor.

False.

True or False: Predator prey relationships do not really affect ecosystems because there are always animals being born and killed.

False. These relationships are crucial to keeping a healthy balance of populations within an ecosystem.

Succession at Hydrothermal Vents

First Tevnia Appears (after bacteria is already there) Then Riftia (larger/grow faster) Next other colonizing organisms (mussels, crabs, clams, hagfish, etc) Finally, a complex community

What are three species that would be likely to shoal?

Herring, Sardines, and Tuna.

What biodiversity does a rocky shore have and why?

High biodiversity because the conditions stable and not extreme. Animals can hang on to rocks, form homes etc

What biodiversity do coral reefs have and why?

High biodiverstiy because the conditions are stable and not extreme.

Biotic

Living factors of an ecosystem- includes organisms and their effects on each other

What biodiversity do hydrothermal vents have?

Low biodiversity because the conditions are extreme and not many animals can live there.

What biodiversity does a sand on a reef slope have and why?

Low biodiversity because while it isn't extreme, the conditions are unstable due to constant changing.

Abiotic

Non-living factors of an ecosystem- geological, chemmical, and physical features

Trophic Level

Refers to the feeding level in a food chain or web (from producers at 1st to quaternary consumers at fifth etc)

Second Stage of Succession

Successionist Stage biodiversity and species richness increases there are several different successionist stages which a community moves through

Which comes first in a hydrothermal vent: Tevnia or Riftia?

Tevnia

What trophic level would phytoplankton be at?

The 1st trophic level.

What would happen if a species living in the open ocean narrowed its niche?

The energy and resources available to it may be insufficient.

What happens if a predator population decreases?

The prey population increases.

What is true about anaerobic chemoautotrophs?

They do not need oxygen.

What is true about aerobic chemoautotrophs?

They need oxygen.

True or False: A substrate is an abiotic factor.

True.

What is the relationship between coral and zooxanthellae?

Zooxanthellae provide the coral with nutrients while they are being provided with CO2 for photosynthesis, a safe environment, and other minerals from coral waste products.

Climax Stage of Succession

a complex community of many species is finally formed producers, consumers, and decomposers change over time and grauduallly, there is less change until the structure and species composition is stable

Biodiversity

a measure of the #s of different species present

Competition

a relationship between organisms that strive for the same resources in the same place

Parasitism

a relationship in which one organism (the parasite/symbiont) gainsat the expense of the other (the host)

Mutualism

a relationship in which the two species benefit

Food Chain

a way of describing the feeding relationsups between organisms and shows the linear sequence of them feeding on other organisms

Population

all the individuals of the same species living at the same place at the same time

Predator

an animal that catches, kills, and eats other animals

Generalized Ecological Niche

an organism can exploit a wide range of FOOD (and habitats)

Specialized Ecological Niches

an organism that can only survive within narrow physical, chemical, or biological parameters

Chemoautotroph

an organism that uses chemical energy to make energy

Photoautotroph

an organism that uses light to make energy

Consumer

an organisms that feeds on organisms to gain its food energy

Prey Adapations

camoflauge, defensive spines, ability to hide & flee

What are the three given examples of mutualism from Mr. Childs' Class?

coral and zooxanthellae tubeworms and chemosynthetic bacteria cleaner fish and grouper

What is an example of mutualism? a) nematodes and tuna b) fish lice and salmon c) sperm whales and squid d) coral and zooxanthellae

d) Coral and Zooxanthellae

Halosere

entire range of communities that succeed one another at a salt-water site

Species that live in ecosystems with low biodiversity tend to have more _____ niches.

generalized

What is the ecological niche for an organism living in the open ocean and why?

generalized because there is less competition

Niches are determined by:

habitat feeding reproduction behavior competition

What effect can instability have on competitive exclusion?

it can allow other species to have a chance in the habitat which increases biodiversity

Environments that are either unstable or extreme tend to have _______ biodiversity than organisms that are stable and not-extreme.

lower

What is the ecological niche for an organism living in a coral reef and why?

narrow because they need to reduce interspecific competition with all of the other organisms that also live in the coral reef.

Competitive Exclusion

no two species can be in direct competition because the one less adapted to survive will die out while the other one thrives

Intraspecific Competition

occurs between individuals or the same species

Interspecific Competition

occurs between members of different species

Secondary Succession

occurs in areas that previously supported communities that are no longer there

Primary Succession

occurs in newly formed habitats with no life forms or communities

What are detritivores?

organisms that get their energy from breaking down already dead organisms

Temporal Relationship

organisms with same feeding, but different times (ex: day vs night)

Benefits of Shoaling

predator avoidance/ spotting it quickly and confusing it reproductive advantage feeding swimming efficiency

Disadvantages of Shoaling

predators are more efficient at attacking shoals than individual fish can hunt in packs excretory waste builds up depleted oxygen and food because of large numbers

Which animal is most likely to be a quaternary consumer?

shark/whale (has to be a big/powerful predator)

Food Web

shows are the interrelated food chains in an ecosystem (multi-branched)

Species that live in ecosystems with high biodiversity tend to have more _______ niches.

specialized

Prey

the animals eaten by predators

Pioneer Community

the first community living in a lifeless area

Succession

the gradual process of change that occurs in a community structure over time

Host

the larger organism in a symbiotic relationship

Ecosystem

the living organisms and the environment with which they interact (biotic + abiotic)

Habitat

the natural environment where an organism lives

Secondary Productivity

the rate at which organisms convert chemical energy into their own biomass

Ecological Niche

the role of an organisms in an ecosystem THINK: Job also takes into account interrelationships with other organisms such as feeding, spatial, and temporal relationships

Symbiont

the smaller organism in a symbiotic relationship

Where there is a lot of one species.... (like in shoaling)

the strain on resources is larger and they must extend the niche to include feeding on organisms that otherwise wouldnt be part of the diet

Seral Stage in Succession

when a new species successfully establishes within a community

Shoaling

when fish swim together in a group as a strategy can include fish of different sizes and species

Spatial Relationship

when two organisms have the same feeding but in different places