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What are the three levels of biodiversity? Explain each one.
Genetic Diversity- the variety of genes of individuals in a population
Species Diversity- – richness and evenness of an ecosystem o Species richness – # of species in an ecosystem o Species evenness - # of individuals per species (balance)
Ecosystem Diversity- Ecosystem diversity – variety of different habitats in a given area
Which island has highest species diversity, one that is 500 km from MAINLAND or 50 km from MAINLAND? Why?
The island that is 50 km from mainland. Species are able to travel back and forth from mainland, bringing on more of a variety of different species (species diversity.)
What are the first pioneer species that are present in primary succession?
rock and lichen
Have many offspring, low parental care.
R-selection species
an animal’s or plant’s “job” in nature — how it lives, what it eats, and where it fits in the ecosystem.
Niche
Can live under a wider range of abiotic/biotic conditions, and have broad niches. Ex: Racoons
Generalists species
Describe biotic potential.
Biotic potential is the FASTEST rate a population can grow.
What happens in a secondary succession?
Disturbance (forest fire, hurricane) → removes vegetation but retains soil.
The max. Number of individuals in a pop. that an ecosystem can support (based on limiting resources)
Carrying Capacity
something in an experiment that you keep the same so the test is fair.
Control Variable
Can only live under a narrow range of conditions or feed on a small group of species ;more narrow niches. Ex: Tiger Salamanders
Specialist Species
They alarm all other species that something is going on in the environment. They let us know that the environment is healthy or not. Ex: frogs, lichens, and Nucella
Indicator Species
What are examples of species in late successional stage of a forest?
Oak and hickory trees.
Rapid decrease in survivorship in late life as old age sets in. Ex: most mammals
Type 1 curve in survivorship curve.
Something caused by humans in the environement.
Anthropogenic
What are the four Ecosystem Services? Explain each one.
Provisioning services – goods/products provided to humans for use/sale o Ex: Animals(food) , lumber(wood for furniture/building/paper) , crops(berries/grains/seeds) for food , honey , medicine , rubber
Regulating services – moderating natural conditions o Ex : trees store CO2 → reducing climate change , rising sea level damage , and crop failure from drought trees filter air reducing health care costs for respiratory disorders like asthma/bronchitis
Cultural services – gaining revenue from recreational (aesthetic) activities and scientific discoveries in ecosystems o Ex: Beautiful landscapes draw tourists who pay to enter parks, spend money at local stores/restaurants, or camping fees
Supporting services – make our own processes easier or cheaper o Ex: Wetland plant roots filter pollutants, leading to cleaner groundwater that we don’t have to pay as much to purify with expensive water treatment plants
An animal (or plant) that is super important for its ecosystem. Even if there aren’t a lot of them, they keep everything balanced. If you take them away, the whole ecosystem can fall apart. Ex: Pisaster, wolves, beavers.
Keystone Species
Have few offspring, and high parental care. Ex: humans, whales
K-selection species.
When a population briefly exceeds carrying capacity. Ex: deer breed in fall, give birth all at once in spring; sudden spike in pop. = overshoot
Overshoot
Traits that increase an organism’s fitness(how well they can survive and reproduce. Ex: Reptiles changing their color to acquire energy. Lions fangs and claws to acquire energy.
Adaptation
The filtering of air and control of flooding provided by tropical forests in mountainous areas of Central America are examples of?
Regulating services.
What is ecological tolerance ? What are the three zones to it?
Ecological tolerance refers to the range of conditions, such as temperature, salinity, flow rate, and sunlight that an organism can endure before injury or death results. Ecological tolerance can apply to individuals and to species 3 zones :
Optimal range – organisms survive , grow , reproduce
Zone of physiological stress – survive , but experience decreased growth , infertility , decreased activity , etc.
Zone of intolerance – organisms will die , from thermal shock , suffocation , etc.
A line on a graph that shows survival rate of same aged species population from birth to death.
Survivorship Curve
Type 3
Are Finche species specialists or generalists? Why?
They are specialist, because on their islands they had limited food resources. So, they had to evolve their beaks to fit into areas with small range of food items.