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Definitions
Community
consists of all the organisms of all the species that inhabit a particular area it is an assemblage of populations of many different species
Community Ecology
deals with the whole array of interacting species in a community This area of research focuses on how interactions such as predation, competition, and disease, as well as abiotic factors such as disturbance, affect community structure and organization
Habitat Realized Niche Detritivore Autotroph Biodiversity Symbiosis Ecological Niche Saprotroph Interspecific Competition Heterotroph Competitive Exclusion Biomass Fundamental Niche
1.________________ is a particular environment, the typical location of a particular species. It is the Habitat organisms address 2.________________ Ecological niche is the totality of an organisms relationships with all the biotic and abiotic factors which make up the organisms habitat Interspecific comp. is when two species compete or interact for a resource 3._______________ 4.______________ Comp. Exclusion is the strong competition that can lead to the local elimination of one of the two competing species; the result is detrimental to both species (-/-) such as when two different species compete for a resource that is in short supply 5.______________ Symbiosis is a special type of interaction, where one organism lives on or in another and does not harm the host 6.______________ is the total mass of all individuals in a population Biomass 7. ______________ Biodiversity is the number of different species in a given geographical area Fundamental niche is the niche potentially occupied by that species 8.________________ 9.________________ Realized niche is the niche a species actually occupies in a particular environment Autotroph is an organism that synthesizes its organic molecules from simple inorganic 10._____________ molecules Heterotroph 11._____________ Detritivore is an organism that obtains organic molecules from other organisms 12._____________ Saprotroph is an organism that ingests non-living organic matter 13._____________ is an organism that lives on or in non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes into it and absorbing the products of digestion
MC-1.
Realized Niche
The habitat that the organism actually inhabits due to competition for similar space from other species
MC-2. Prairie dogs once covered the expanses of the Great Plains. Their grazing made the grass more nutritious for the huge herds of bison, and a variety of snakes, raptors, and mammals preyed on the rodents. In fact, the black-footed ferret (now endangered) specialized in prairie dog predation. Today, growing neighborhoods have covered many prairie dog towns. Which of the
following statements about prairie dogs is not true?
A. B. C. D. E.
Their realized niche has diminished. They are commensals with the bison. They are reasonably considered a keystone species. Their fundamental niche remains unaltered. Their fundamental niche has diminished.
Correct answer: E
CC 53.1 According to the competitive exclusion principle, what outcome is expected when two species compete for a resource? Why?
One of the competing species will become locally extinct because of the greater reproductive success of the more efficient competitor.
Definitions
Intra-specific competition
interactions between individuals of a population of just one species
Inter-specific competition
interactions between populations of two species
MC-3. Evidence shows that some grasses benefit from being grazed. Which of the following terms would best describe this plantherbivore interaction? A. mutualism B. commensalism C. parasitism D. competition E. predation
Correct answer: A
MC-4. Which of the following is least likely to kill the organism it feeds on?
A. B. C. D. E. herbivore predator seed eater carnivore parasite
Correct answer: E
Definitions
Trophic structure
The feeding relationships between species of a community
Trophic levels
The different groups of organisms in a community Arranged as:
Producers 1st Order Consumers 2nd Order Consumers 3rd Order Consumers 4th Order Consumers
Energy transfer between trophic levels is never 100% efficient. Only 10-20% of energy is transferred How is the other ~90% of energy lost?
Heat loss through cellular respiration Not all organisms in lower trophic levels are consumed The whole mass of the prey is not assimilated into the predators body Energy lost through the metabolic processes of the prey before they are consumed
MC-5. Consider a field plot containing 300 kg of plant material. Approximately how many kg of second-order consumer can be supported? A. 300 B. 100 C. 30 D. 3 E. 0.3
Definitions
Food chain
a single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer
Food web
complex feeding relationships among all the organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer
Be able to construct/draw an Antarctic food web with the following species or groups: Fishes, Copepods, phytoplankton, leopard seals, elephant seals, baleen whales, sperm whales, birds, krill, carnivorous plankton, crab eater seals, smaller toothed whales, humans, squids. Make sure arrows are going in the right direction. Be able to identify one or more food chains within this food web of at least 4 species long.
MC-6. In a food web with deer, clover, rabbits, and wolves, wolves would be the
A. B. C. D. producers primary consumers secondary consumers tertiary consumers
Correct answer: C
MC-7. Which of the following conditions would result from a more complex food web?
A. B. C. D. lower rates of mortality stability high reproductive rates lower natality rates
Correct answer: B
Ecological Succession
Primary succession
the creation of soil in a virtually lifeless area where there was no soil before Examples: after a volcanic eruption, or after a retreating glacier
Secondary succession
occurs when an existing community has been cleared by some disturbance that leaves the soil intact Examples: after a fire, flood, hurricane, or tornado
1. Often the only lifeforms initially present are autotrophic prokaryotes existing in shallow puddles. 2. Lichens and mosses come next, which grow from windblown spores Soil develops gradually, as rocks weather and organic matter accumulates. Lichens secrete acidic products that help to break down the rock. From the decomposed remains of these early colonizers soil is formed. 3. Once soil is present, the lichens and mosses are usually overgrown by grasses, 4. Then shrubs, 5. Then trees that sprout 5 4 from seeds blown in from nearby 3 2 1 areas or carried in by animals.
IB Exam Question
IB Exam Question
IB Exam Question
3. Explain how parasitism differs from mutualism with reference to named organisms. (5 marks)
Parasitism is a type of interspecific interaction where one organism benefits and one suffers; whereas Mutualism is when both benefit (neither suffer); An example of parasitism is a tapeworm in its human host The parasite gains food and energy whereas the human host loses food; Because of this, the host suffers weight loss and impaired nutrition; In a mutualistic interaction such as green algae and fungi in lichens; The algae gains protection; Whereas the fungi gains carbon compounds through the algaes photosynthesis
IB Exam Question
IB Exam Question
5. Explain why there are limits on food chain length by describing how energy enters, moves through, and exits a food chain in an ecosystem. (8 marks)
energy enters from (sun)light; autotrophs capture (sun)light; energy flows through the trophic levels / stages in food chain; (eg. Producer>>Primary Consumer>>Secondary consumer>> Tertiary Consumer>>Quarternary Consumer) energy transfer efficiency between each trophic levels is (approximately) 10% from one level to the next; (in other words, 90% is lost at each level) energy loss through cellular respiration Energy is lost through heat Energy is lost because not all material is consumed Energy is lost because food that is not all assimulated and is lost as waste
2
*Include a labeled energy pyramid (using kJ per square meter per year
IB Exam Question
6. Outline the changes in species diversity and production during primary succession
(5 marks)
Species diversity is very low in the early stages of primary succession This is because few species can tolerate the barren conditions However, as primary succession continues, species diversity increases Gross Production is also very low in the early stages of primary succession but increases during primary succession This is because small plants are replaced by larger plants with more leaf surface area to photosynthesize Gross production eventually stabilizes
IB Exam Question
7. In communities, groups of populations live together and interact with each other. Outline the importance of plants to populations of other organisms in a community.
(6 marks)
light is the initial source of energy for almost all communities; plants absorb light and use it in photosynthesis; plants produce food / organic matter; plants are the main producers in most communities; energy flows along food chains / webs from plants; first consumers eat plants / producers; second consumers eat first consumers that have eaten plants / producers; plants produce oxygen; oxygen needed for cell respiration by many organisms; dead plants / parts of plants available to saprotrophs / fungi and bacteria / detritivores;
IB Exam Question
Primary succession occurs after a disturbance that leaves no soil An example is a cooled lava flow Primary succession occurs slowly Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance that leaves the soil intact An example is a forest fire Secondary succession can occur very rapidly
IB Exam Question
9. Explain the effects of living organisms on the abiotic environment, with reference to the changes occuring during primary succession. An area with no vegetation such as volcanic rock Lichens and mosses are the first to colonize these areas Lichens break down the rock chemically Over time, dead lichens and mosses decompose, mixing with the decaying rock to form soil These pioneer species are gradually replaced by others Over time, the decaying plants improve soil structure Eventually a stable community develops