Ecology Intro
What is ecology?
The greatest thing ever
Oh and the study of how organisms interact with both biotic and abiotic factors of their environment
What is the definition of a population?
all individuals of ONE species that inhabit the same geographic area
What is a community
all organisms occupying the same geographic area (they can interact)
What does GPP stand for and what does it mean?
Gross primary production: total amount of energy captured by primary production per unit area and time (i.e., total autotroph production)
How have humans worked to protect the environment through legislation?
-Migratory bird treaty
-Lacy Act
-Endangered species act
Why is ecological knowledge important
- Allows for more sustainable harvesting of biological recourses
- Allows for an understanding of ecological pathogens that can harm people
- Can help understand the harm that people cause to the environment and how to mitigate it
Prize question🔥🔥🔥🔥🙏🙏🙏
What does Nt mean in the population growth equation
population size at beginning of a time interval
What is Species composition
the species constituting the community
What does NPP stand for and what does it mean?
Net primary production (NPP): the amount of GPP used for growth and reproduction (NPP = GPP – R). NPP equals the amount of autotroph biomass produced per unit area and time
R = cellular respiration
What are some ways that Humans can make changes to help the environment?
-Use fewer resources to generate less pollution
-Restore natural ecosystems
-Use resources in a sustainable manner (maximum sustainable yield)
What is an upwelling?
When nutrient rich water replaces the displaced surface water. This allows for organisms to thrive in littoral zones
What does K mean in the population growth equation
carrying capacity of the environment (a constant value based on estimate of the maximum population size the ecosystem can support)
What is Species Richness
the number of species per unit of habitat area (a specific measure of species diversity)
What are some ways humans affect on ecosystems?
Energy flow, Nutrient Cycling, Biomagnification
2 major ways biodiversity is measured
1) Genetic diversity
2) Species richness
What is an anthropogenic biome
An area that has largely been converted to human use
What are example of density-dependent factors that effect populations
What is population density
the number of individuals of a species per unit of land area (a specific measure of abundance)
What is biomagnification
body concentrations of heavy metals and synthetic organic chemicals increase with trophic level
Prize question🔥🔥🔥🔥🙏🙏🙏🙏
Major causes of biological diversity decline
1) Habitat loss and
2) overexploitation of natural resources
3) Pollution
4) Climate change
Geographic origins (does it live near by)
Dispersal capacity (can it get from where it is to where it isn't)
Biotic factors
Abiotic factors
What is a metapopulation?
a “population of smaller populations”, partially separated by unsuitable habitat, but connected by migration
What is a niche
The function an organism plays in an environment
Where is NPP typically higher
Where Water and Sunlight are abundent
Why should people care about biological diversity?
Almost all species benefit humans
• Organisms are sources of food, fuel, building materials, medicine
• Plants produce oxygen and regulate water and carbon cycles
• Species providing these ecosystem services depend on other species for survival