1 What is Ecology The study house of the interaction between living organisms and their environments 2 Definitions of Abiotic non living Biotic pertaining to or produced by life or living organisms Resources Anything which the organism uses up or depletes 3 Identification of Biotic Factors Long term survival created by a living thing in which the action of the organism affects the life of an other organism Abiotic Factors Non living factors 4 Be able to differentiate between Biotic Factors Long term survival Ex predator consuming its prey Abiotic factors Non living factors Soil food Fire Warmth Water living system depends on water Wind moves stuff around Nutrients something already on the planet Temperature effects every living organism Geology earth to build a house Renewable non renewable Food Space Shelter 5 What are resources Anything which the organism uses up or depletes 6 What is ecological tolerance Species can adapt to changing environment 7 What is organismal limits of tolerance The success of an organism depends on conditions that approaches or exceeds the limit of tolerance may be a limiting factor EX thermal tolerance limit or how much heat the organism can withstand 8 What is ecological hierarchy Arrangement of biotic relationships and interactions within an eco system 9 What are the levels of ecological hierarchy smallest to biggest 1 Organism 2 Population particular species ONLY 3 Community everyone living with in that particular environment 4 Ecosystems when a lot of communities come together 10 Be able to distinguish between One benefits the other is harmed PREDATION Death HERBIVORY May result in plants dying PARATISM Host doesn t always die ex Mosquitos 11 Be able to distinguish between Amensalism Organism secretes a chemical which deters someone thing else from being in its surrounding ex penicillin Commensalism ONE benefits and NEITHER is harmed ex barnacles attached to a whale Mutualism BOTH benefits ex Fungi plant roots 12 What is habitat and what resources does it provide Influences resources Limiting factors restricting of individuals in a population living in that habitat 13 What is a LIMITING FACTOR and what does it include They restrict of individuals in a population in that habitat Could include non living features of ecosystem ex environment 14 What is the LAW OF MINIMUM and what makes it important in ecology LOM states that yield of a plant is proportional to the amount of the most limiting nutrient whichever nutrient it may be Whatever s the MOST controlling if it s most limited that s how much is controlling Whatever resources is the LEAST available sunlight will directly control 15 What is a NICHE Specific area an organism inhabits 16 Difference between FUNDAMENTAL NICHE All the possible area maximum it could use and interactions between organisms REALIZED NICHE SMALLER one the areas it could use but has limiting 17 What is COMPETITION 2 species compete for a limited resource they both factors require 18 What is the ecological implication of COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION 2 species CAN T share the same niche The Species better adapted will occupy the niche Competition alters the niche 19 What is BIODIVERSITY the variety of living things in a particular area How is it measured o By taking inventory o Determining relatedness by 1 Physical characteristics 2 DNA sequences 3 Node identifies which is your last common ancestor What is its importance It boosts ecosystem productivity where each species have an important role to play Where does BIODIVERSITY come from Earth s biodiversity comes from evolution 20 What is the role of DIVERSITY within entire ecosystems Greater species diversity means natural sustainability for all life forms where healthy ecosystems can better withstands and recover from disasters 21 Definitions of Species Richness The number of UNIQUE species Number of species per sample and the more species in the sample the richer the sample Species Evenness A measure of a large number of the different species making up the richness of an area Species Abundance How many types ex if only elephants 1 000 types of elephants Species Interaction Network Food pyramid how many species are interacting ex with a food source if one dies what s relationship to other species 22 What are GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY PATTERNS Species Rich Environments Poor Environments Latitude and Altitude have similar effects on communities species diversity decreases with an increase in altitude and latitude 23 Which BIOMES are Species rich Tropical rainforests coral reefs large tropical lakes tropical dry habitats Species poor Polar regions some deserts open ocean 24 What is the effect of LATITUDE on Biodiversity Horizontal from tropics to poles Increase in the species richness or biodiversity ALTITUDE on Biodiversity Tropics to mountains 25 What is a SPECIES It s controversial because there are many ways but basic unit of classification 26 How do we determine how many species there are Directly 250 years of taxonomic classification 1 2 million species in central data base Indirectly Compare little known groups to well known groups 27 Know the common SPECIES CONCEPTS and PROBLEMS associated with EACH Morphological Based on Appearance Biological based on ability to produce fertile offspring Phylogenetic Species Concepts based on DNA sequence originally based on phenotype appearance a Problem requires computer algorithms different models yield different results and horizontal gene transfer 28 How are BIOMES characterized World s communities Classified by plant communities b c plants are basic unit of life and everything depends on plant life Characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment 29 Which are the CRITICAL BIOMES of the world Tundra tropical rainforest temperate grassland temperate deciduous forest desert 30 What FACTORS influence BIOMES Temperature major factor Moisture other major factor Geographic features coastline and mountains Soil type 31 How does the Earth s axis influence Biome Distribution it shifts creating seasonal changes that influence animal distributions and behaviors Rotation influence BIOME DISTRIBUTION Creates global wind 32 What percent of earth s water is salt water 97 5 33 Where is most marine life found Near the continents above continental patterns shelf 34 What factors limit most life found in the ocean about the CONTINENTAL SHELF Nutrients are a limiting factor o It s stirred up from the bottom by currents and storms o Richest