Ecological Systems
What is ecology
scientific investigations of the abundance and distribution of organisms
Trivia! Who was the first person recorded to use the abbreviation OMG for "Oh my God"?
Define food chain
the sequence of feeding relationships through which energy is transferred
Trivia! Do cows have music preferences? If so, what type of music do they prefer?
Yes! Cows like classical music!
Define K and N
N=population size
K=carrying capacity=maximum number of individuals the habitat can independently support
What physical properties discussed in class govern biological and ecological systems
1. Conservation of matter/mass
2. Conservation of energy
The horizontal layering of sessile organisms in a vertical fashion in rocky intertidal areas is
vertical zonation
What do GPP, NPP, NSP, and NTP stand for?
GPP = gross primary production
NPP = net primary production
NSP = net secondary production
NTP = net tertiary production
Draw a graph depicting the law of tolerance, including "zone of intolerance", "zone of stress", and "optimal". What do each of these terms mean?
Zone of stress= some organisms can survive under these conditions, but not most members of the species
Optimal= Organism can live here! :)
Can two species have the exact same niche? why or why not?
NO! competition, one would be better at filling the niche than the other
Give an example of an individual, a population, a community, and an ecosystem
individual: a dandelion
population: a group of dandelions
community: birds eating dandelion seeds
ecosystem: the nutrients/ energy acquired by the birds eating the dandelion seeds
What is the rule of thumb for vertical zonation
the upper limit is determined by abiotic factors (desiccation) and the lower limit is determined by biotic factors (competition)
How do energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem? Diagrams accepted
Nutrients stay in the ecosystem in a cycle, while energy moves in a "flow" through the ecosystem
What are the characteristics of cold-blooded and warm-blooded adaptations
Cold-Blooded: energetically inexpensive, activity dependent on ambient temperature
Warm-Blooded: energetically expensive, activity independent of ambient temperature)
Define niche and provide an example
total range of abiotic and biotic conditions a species can tolerate.
ex. the giant panda is a niche specialist because the vast majority of their diet consists of bamboo; they can only live in places with bamboo.
Draw the "size of entity" and "numbers of entities" pyramids
Size of entity:
bottom (big) --> top (small)
ecosystem, community, population, individual
Numbers of entities:
bottom (big) --> top (small)
individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems
Why is there an unequal distribution of heat on earth
sunlight has to get through more atmosphere towards the poles, thus the poles are colder than the equator
About how much energy is lost in every trophic step "up". Draw an example of the trophic pyramid, with energy transfer
about 90%
What are the biomes discussed in class and what is a feature of each?
Tropical rain forest (high productivity, high biodiversity)
Desert (evaporation > precipitation)
Grassland (Fire-adapted, open/flat, dominated by grasses)
Taiga (high abundance, low biodiversity)
Tundra (Permafrost, few trees, windy)
Also: Seasonal forest, temperate rainforest, temperate forest, savanna
draw a graph of a "developing" country's age pyramid and a "developed" country's age pyramid
developing country: high future growth
developed country: zero population growth
Define and name each of the "levels" of the hierarchy of levels in order
Gene: segment of DNA encoding a protein
Individual: one genome; one body
Population: group of individuals of same species
Community: all populations of species in one area
Ecosystem: all communities + chemical/physical environment
What causes the unequal distribution of precipitation on Earth. Include a diagram
warm air rises and holds more moisture than cold air, which sinks
What is the difference between C3 and C4 plants?
C3-
Restricted to cool climates, stomates open longer (higher water loss and CO2 intake), RuBP carboxylase
C4-
Can live in more arid climates, stomates open less (less water loss, less CO2 intake), PEP
What is the formula for Delta H?
Delta H= (+-) HR (+-) HCN (+-) HCV + HM - HE
Draw a graph depicting a population going above and below the carrying capacity. What happens to the population when it is above carrying capacity? What happens to the population when it is below carrying capacity? What factors cause this?
When above carrying capacity, population decreases due to demand > supply and more competition. When below, population increases due to demand < supply and less competition.