Ecology

When a population multiplies by a constant factor at a constat tim intervals, it is called ___.

Exponential growth

Invasive species are easy to get rid of because they do not reproduce or spread easily.

False

Young animals may IMMIGRATE from the place where they were born to establish new territories.

False;Emigrate

If the death rate is LESS than the birthrate, the population is likely to shrink.

False;Greater

A high birthrate and immigration DECREASE population size.

False;Increase

Limiting factors operate when growth is EXPONENTIAL.

False;Logistic

Which of the following is a density-dependent factor?

Floods

Four essential components of a habitat

Food, water, shelter, and space in a suitable arrangement.

Human activity may alter the natural course of succession, which leads to a change in the climax community. An example of a human activity that deflects succession would be grass mowing. The climax community that develops from a deflected succession is called a plagioclimax community. Suggest some other human actions that may lead to plagiocimax communities.

Forest managements, controlled burning, managed animal grazing

The ___ is the area in which a population lives.

Geographic range

What does the acronym HIPPO stand for?

H- habitat loss (including those caused by climate change) I- invasive species (predators, diseases, and competitors that displace native species) P- pollution P- population (human population to be exact a cause root cause of the other four factors) O- overharvesting; overuse (hunting, fishing, gathering)

A serious threat to biodiversity is...?

Habitat destruction

What is biodiversity used as a measure of?

Health of the ecosystem

One advantage of biodiversity in an ecosystem is that it...?

Helps ecosystem so that each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play

___ are organisms that get their energy by ___ other organisms. These organisms are also called ___.

Hetrotrophs;living;consumers

Species Abundance

How many of each living thing

A group of populations is called a(n)

community

A new bird species is introduced to control an insect pest. A NEGATIVE consequence of this action is that the new bird species may...?

Consume other good and beneficial insects

Which action will result in the greatest DECREASE in rain forest stability?

Cutting down all the trees for lumber

How the individuals are spaced in their range is a population's ___.

Density

A population is growing quickly when parasites cause disease to spread quickly

Density Dependent

Due to the introduction of rainbow smelt, Lake Winnipeg becomes crowded and some fish species do not survive

Density Dependent

Rainbow smelt and yellow perch attempt to occupy the same area. The more aggressive smelt survive; the perch do not.

Density Dependent

Since northern pike prey on yellow perch, an increase in the perch population causes an increase in the pike population

Density Dependent

A disease resulting in the deaths of one-third of a dense population of bats in a cave would most likely be a...?

Density Dependent Factor

A drought decreases the water level in Lake Winnipeg. The carrying capacity of he lake deceases.

Density Independent

A severe flood brings a lot of sediment and silt into Lake Winnipeg. The carrying capacity of the lake decreases.

Density Independent

Due to over-fishing, the number of walleye in Lake Winnipeg decrease.

Density Independent

Many fish die due to an increase in water temperature

Density Independent

Since lake sturgeon migrate long distances to spawn, many do not survive the trip.

Density Independent

Alberto was visiting his aunt's farm. He notices that the number of sick cows is different in two adjacent pastures. One pasture is used for grazing dairy cows while the other pasture is used to grow hay. Alberto finds many sick cows in the grazing area, and almost none in the hay area. Being sick from this disease must be a ___.

Density-Dependent factor

Difference between density-independent limiting factor and density-dependent limiting factor.

Density-dependent depends on population density. Density-independent affects all populations REGARDLESS of population density

Commmunity

Different populations living together

Natural disasters such as flooding and tornadoes are types of..?

Disturbances

How was the prairie lupine important to the growth of plants on the barren land found after the Mount Saint Helens eruption?

Each prairie lupine plant created a microhabitat that was hospitable to several other plant species. Besides enriching the soil by fixing nitrogen, the lupines also physically trapped windblown debris and attracted insects. As the insects died on or around the plant, their remains enriched the soil with organic matter

All ecoystems are made up of ___ and ___ components.

living;nonliving

___ factors are living things such as ___ or ___.

plants;animals

What type of vegetation would you expect to find on an abandoned farm after 150 years?

Pine trees and oak trees

Pollution (___) caused by humans activities has a negative efect on biodiversity

(Oil spills, human agriculture waste, fertilizers, pesticides, acid rain, greenhouse gases)

Why is habitat loss the greatest reason for biodiversity loss?

- Conversion of natural areas to farms, houses, etc. - Fragmentation of ecosystems breaking them up into residential and bussinesses

How many animals are affected by geological succession?

- Lack of food - Predator-prey relationships - Lack of shelter

Characterstics shared by many endangered species include:

- Low reproductive rate - Usually a specialist - Specialized feeding habitat - Specialized nesting and/or breeding - Found in one place or region - Rare - Commercially valuable - Negative human interactions including attacks on people

What environmental factors may affect the type of climax community that develops in an ecosystem?

- Rain - Natural disasters - Human disasters - Logging

Examples of density-dependent limiting factors

-Avaliability of food -Predation -Disease -Migration -Competion

Limiting factors that affect survival

-Disease -Prey/predator relationships -Weather conditions -Accidents -Environmental pollution -Habitat destruction -Degradation -Carrying Capacity

Examples of density-independent limiting factors

-Weather -Parasites -Climate -Hurricanes -Disease -Volcanoes

A forest is cut down and is replaced by a cornfield. A NEGATIVE consequence of this is..?

A decrease in biodiversity

A pond with all of its many species of creatures living together in this one location would be a good example of a(n)

Community

Population

A group of individuals of the same species

Why are ecosystems with high biodiversity more stable than those with fewer species?

A high biodiversity means that there is a less chance of disease compared to ecosystems with fewer species

Which would be most likely to be affected by a density-dependent factor?

A large dense population

Colonizer

A plant that becomes established in a new environment

A population crash occurs when...?

A population exceeds carrying capacity and environmental pressures cause effect

Invasive, exotic species introduced from elsewhere outcompete native species because they are:

A. Have no natural predators B. Colonize disturbed habitats quickly

Plants require moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, light, and minerals in order to survive. These are called ___ factors.

Abiotic

A certain plant requires moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, light, and minerals to survive. This statement shows that a living organism depends on...?

Abiotic factors

What roles did factors such as wind, moisture, and landforms play in succession after the Mount Saint Helens eruption?

Abiotic factors were critical to plant and animal survival and colonization. Wind played an important role in transporting spiders, insects, and seeds into the blast zone. Plant survivors, rocks, and landscape features acted as "nets" that caught windblown seeds. This process, in turn, enabled plants to establish. Over the long term as organic compost from vegetation accumulates over many decades, a rich, well-developed forest soil will develop from the 1980 deposits

___ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, ___, or ___.

Abiotic;moisture;temperature

To find the ___ ___ of a population, count the number of males and females of each age.

Age structure

Biospheres

All the same ecoystems around the word

Which includes animals of different species living together?

Community

How has the red alder tree influenced succession?

As red alder trees became established, they influenced succession because they were able to "fix" nitrogen and to improve the fertility of the soil. Also, the rapidly growing alder trees created shade and added organic material to the ground surface, thus allowing shade-tolerant plant species to become established. Thirty years after the eruption, red alder is now a dominant tree.

___ are organisms that get their energy from ___ resources, meaning they make their own food.These organisms are also called ___.

Autotrophs;nonliving;producers

On what type of land does succession first begin to occur?

Bare rock

Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity provides us with: - Natural resources (food, water, wood, energy, and medicines) -Natural (ecosystem) services including air and water purification, soil fertility, waste disposal, and pest control -Aesthetic pleasure (personal satisaction)

What is the highest level of organization studied by ecologists?

Biosphere

How will the grazing animals prevent or control further colonization by other plants?

By eating plants

The final stable community that is made up of mature, hardwood trees is called..?

Climax community

Growth rate is how quickly a population ___ in size

Increases

One advantage of biodiversity in an ecosystem is that it...?

Increases the chance that some organisms will survive a major change in the environment

Communities have attempted to control the size of mosquito populations to prevent the spread of certain diseases such as malaria and encephalitis. Which control method is mostly likely to cause the LEAST amount of ecologist damage?

Increasing populations of native fish that feed on mosquito larvae in the swamps.

Levels of Organization

Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere

When real-world populations of plants and animals are analyzed, why do they most often have the logistic growth curve?

Individuals leaving and entering the community/ecosystem and also because birthrate decreases and death rate increases

Species that are accidentally introduced into an ecosystem and have a negative impact are called...?

Invasive species

In 2003, the city of Rochester, NY, began killing weeds with steam. A machine heats water up to 280 degrees with a lot of pressure. The extreme heat and pressure destroy the weed. Which is a possible DISADVANTAGE of this method of weed control?

It changes the habitat of some helpful insects

What do you predict will happen in the blast zone over time?

It will continue to grow and populate with species, though when this volcano erupts again it will keep going through secondary succession.

How will grazing animals helps plants become established?

Leaving behind manure for fertilization and by eating plants

How do lichens contribute to primary succession?

Lichens begin to break down rock to form soil

What are some of the features of the pioneer community?

Lichens, mosses, fern , bacteria, and other low nutrient organisms

The type of plant living in an area is dependent on how could it gets in the winter months. Thus, temperature is considered a ____ for all plants that cannot tolerate the cold.

Limiting factor

Food, space, disease, natural disasters, climate, competition, and predation are examples of what?

Limiting factors

The ability of a population to maintain a certain size is known as___.

Limiting factors

Biotic factors = Factors that are ___.

Living

What does carrying capacity refer to?

Maximum number of individuals of a particular species that a particular environment can support

What are the first organisms (colonizers) on this land?

Moss Fern Lichens

Does there appear to be any life on the land when primary succession begins?

NO

Why would most plants such as shrubs and trees find it difficult to grow here?

NO SOIL

Are all destructive methods matural?

No, because humans can cause disasters as well

Abiotic facts = Factors that are ___ ___.

Not living

The infinite resources of Earth are often affected by increasing human consumption. These resources are:

Not renewable over a short period of time

Popualation density is the ___ of individuals per unit area.

Number

Organism

One individual

In ecology, succession refers to:

One species gradually being replaced by another

The term bioiversity refers to the number of...?

Organisms in a population

Overharvesting, Overuse, Overexploitation examples

Overhunting, Overfishing, Destructive harvesting practices (dynamite), illegal trade, exotic pet industry

Ecosystems

Place/Area where various communities live and the abiotic factors in that area

Primary Succession

Plant life starts to grow and occupy an area with no soil

What roles did factors such as plants and animal interactions play in succession after the Mount Saint Helens eruption?

Plants and animals that survived the blast attracted birds, deer, and elk from nearby areas. Later, lupine patches facilitated the growth of other plants and attracted a variety of animals

Did any plants survive the Mount Saint Helens eruption? If so, how did they survive?

Plants such as willow, vine maple, and black cottonwood were able to re-sprout from roots protected in moist soil. Some snow-protected Pacific silver fir and mountain hemlock trees also survived

Which level of organization contains all of the organisms of one species that live in a certain area?

Population

Melting, receding glaciers

Primary Succession

Volcanic Eruption with lava flow

Primary Succession

The gradual return of a "mature" forest from an abandoned farmland is an example of..?

Primary succession

What is the difference between primary succession and secondary succession?

Primary succession starts from bare rock, secondary succession does start from bare rock though there was a natural disaster before it became bare rock.

Which of the following actions would reduce global greenhouse emissions?

Replacing coal-burning power plants with wind farms

Logging a wooded area

Secondary Succession

Major flooding of a creek bed

Secondary Succession

Succession that occurs after a fire in an ecosystem is called..?

Secondary succession

Suggest the mechanisms by which the first colonizers arrived on the land.

Seed blown by the wind, dropped by birds, etc.

Large canopy trees in rainforests reduce light penetration to the forest floor and slow down the growth of tree saplings. In a dense forest, selective logging is often used as a means of conservation, rather that clear cutting large sections of land. Why might selective logging be considered preferable to clear cutting?

Selective logging will open up small spaces for light penetration, which allows existing saplings to grow rapidly and fill in the gaps. Clear cutting of large areas will open up land and begin the process of full secondary succession so the area will take longer to regenerate

What type of plant would you expect to find in a new environment just impacted by a volcanic eruption?

Short grasses

Which consequence could most likely be associated with a decrease in biodiversity in an area?

Some sources of future foods or medications would be lost

The ability of a population to maintain a certain size is known as...?

Stability

When the resources of nature are being renewed or replaced as fast as they are being used, this is called...?

Succession

What happens to the pioneer organisms once the new colonizers become established?

Succession aka they slowly start to disappear

The ultimate energy source for all ecosystems is ___.

Sunlight

What is the name for the plants that survive a major disturbance? What is their role in regenerating the disturbed area?

Survivor or biological legacy. Whole plants may regenerate from root fragments that are carried downstream on logs and other debris and are deposited along river margins. Those remnants of the old landscape are known as "biological legacies," and their influence on the new landscape may be significant. They serve as source populations for species to recolonize a disturbed area

Why might it be a competitive adantage for a plant to be taller?

Taller plants get more sunlight for photosynthesis

What happens to population growth as resources in a population gradually become less avaliable?

The carrying capacity is met

6.8 billion and counting. ___.

The expansion of human population and affluence especially in the developing world, harms natural ecosystems

What is biodiversity?

The variety of life in an ecosystem. The current rate of biodiversity loss is comparable to previous extinction loss

What effect does an existing soil presence have on the seral stages of secondary succession and the time it takes to return to the climax community compared to primary succession?

There is existing soil and plant life oocupys the land quicker than primary succession

What features of mature forest species, such as oak trees, make them able to dominate and compete in the ecosystem?

They are taller and take a long time to grow which makes them strong and thick.

What effect will the addition of animal waste and decayed plant matter have on the soil and land?

They fertilized the soil and land

Why are some ecosystems with high biodiversity more stable than those with fewer species?

They recover from negative effects more quickly

A limiting factor controls the growth of a POPULATION.

True

COMPETITION is an example of a limiting factor.

True

IMMIGRATION increases the population size.

True

Limiting factors determine the IMMIGRATION capacity of a population.

True

Population SIZE can be limited by factors such as predation.

True

Populations grow if MORE individuals are born than die in a period of time.

True

Populations grow too large in the ABSENCE of limiting factors.

True

Which human activity would most likely deplete (exhaust) already limited resources?

Uncontrolled population growth

Which human activity would be more likely to have the MOST NEGATIVE impact on the environment?

Using insecticides to kill insects that compete with humans for food

Which human activity would most likely have a POSITIVE impact on the environment?

Using parasites for biological control of pests that eat crops (increasing crop productivity)

Biodiversity

Variety of different species

As resources in a population gradually become less available, population growth...?

reaches carrying capacity

Which is a biotic factor operating within an ecosystem?

the predators that eat prey