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Questions and Answers
What is a biological community?
What is a biological community?
What are inter-specific interactions?
What are inter-specific interactions?
Relationships between species in a community
What type of interaction does competition represent?
What type of interaction does competition represent?
a -/- interaction
What does competitive exclusion lead to?
What does competitive exclusion lead to?
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What is an ecological niche?
What is an ecological niche?
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What is resource partitioning?
What is resource partitioning?
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A species' ____________ is the niche potentially occupied by that species and a species' ____________ is the niche actually occupied by that species.
A species' ____________ is the niche potentially occupied by that species and a species' ____________ is the niche actually occupied by that species.
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What does spatial niche partitioning involve?
What does spatial niche partitioning involve?
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What is temporal niche partitioning?
What is temporal niche partitioning?
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What does predation describe?
What does predation describe?
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What is herbivory?
What is herbivory?
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Define symbiosis.
Define symbiosis.
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List the three types of symbiosis.
List the three types of symbiosis.
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What distinguishes parasitism from other interactions?
What distinguishes parasitism from other interactions?
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What is mutualism?
What is mutualism?
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What does commensalism involve?
What does commensalism involve?
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Define facilitation in ecological terms.
Define facilitation in ecological terms.
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What is species diversity?
What is species diversity?
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Species richness is the total number of different species in the community and relative abundance is the proportion each species represents of the total individuals in the community.
Species richness is the total number of different species in the community and relative abundance is the proportion each species represents of the total individuals in the community.
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What are the benefits of higher species diversity in communities?
What are the benefits of higher species diversity in communities?
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What does trophic structure refer to?
What does trophic structure refer to?
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What is the energetic hypothesis in ecology?
What is the energetic hypothesis in ecology?
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Define dominant species.
Define dominant species.
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What are keystone species?
What are keystone species?
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What are ecosystem engineers?
What are ecosystem engineers?
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What is ecological succession?
What is ecological succession?
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What occurs during primary succession?
What occurs during primary succession?
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What defines secondary succession?
What defines secondary succession?
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Species richness is especially ___________ in the tropics and generally ___________ along an equatorial-polar gradient.
Species richness is especially ___________ in the tropics and generally ___________ along an equatorial-polar gradient.
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Two main climatic factors correlated with biodiversity are ___________ and ___________.
Two main climatic factors correlated with biodiversity are ___________ and ___________.
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Define evapotranspiration.
Define evapotranspiration.
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Study Notes
Biological Communities
- Comprised of populations from different species that interact within a specific area.
- Example: Carrier crab uses a sea urchin for protection against predators.
Inter-specific Interactions
- Relationships between different species in a community categorized as:
- Competition
- Predation
- Herbivory
- Symbiosis (parasitism, mutualism, commensalism)
- Facilitation
- Can have positive, negative, or neutral effects.
Competition
- Characterized by a -/- interaction where species vie for limited resources.
Competitive Exclusion
- Inferior species can be locally eliminated due to competition.
- Competitive exclusion principle states that two species targeting the same limited resource cannot coexist in the same area.
Ecological Niche
- Refers to the totality of a species' use of both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) resources.
- Represents an organism's ecological role in its environment.
Resource Partitioning
- Similar species can coexist in a community if their niches differ significantly.
Niche Definitions
- Fundamental niche: potential niche a species can occupy.
- Realized niche: actual niche occupied, often influenced by competition.
- Species can partition niches spatially and temporally.
Spatial Niche Partitioning
- Example: One barnacle species limits the realized niche of another, illustrating spatial competitive dynamics.
Temporal Niche Partitioning
- Example: The golden spiny mouse adapts from nocturnal to diurnal activity to coexist with the common spiny mouse.
Predation
- Defined as a +/- interaction where a predator kills and consumes prey.
Herbivory
- Characterized by a +/- interaction where herbivores consume parts of plants or algae.
Symbiosis
- Involves direct, intimate relationships between two or more species.
Types of Symbiosis
- Parasitism: One organism benefits at the expense of another (e.g., endoparasites vs. ectoparasites).
- Mutualism: Both species benefit (e.g., termites and microorganisms).
- Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is unaffected.
Facilitation
- Interaction where one species positively impacts another without direct contact (e.g., black rush improving soil for other plants).
Species Diversity
- Refers to the assortment of organisms within a community.
- Components include:
- Species richness: total diversity of species in the area.
- Relative abundance: proportion of each species relative to the total population.
Community Productivity and Stability
- Communities with higher species diversity are:
- More productive and stable.
- Better at withstanding environmental stress.
- More resistant to invasive species.
Trophic Structure
- Describes the feeding relationships among organisms within a community.
Energetic Hypothesis
- Suggests food chain length is limited by energy transfer efficiency (e.g., only a fraction of plant biomass supports herbivores).
Dominant Species
- Most numerous or biomass-dominant species in a community, potentially competitive for resources or adept at evading predators.
Keystone Species
- Certain species exert strong control over the community structure due to their ecological roles, regardless of their abundance.
Ecosystem Engineers
- Organisms that modify their environments, such as beavers creating dams impacting local ecosystems.
Ecological Succession
- Refers to the sequence of changes in communities following a disturbance.
Primary Succession
- Initiates in areas devoid of soil, such as volcanic islands or glacial retreats, progressing from simple to complex organisms.
Secondary Succession
- Occurs in areas where soil remains post-disturbance, typical after events like forest fires.
Biodiversity Gradient
- Species richness is most abundant in tropical regions and decreases along an equatorial-to-polar gradient.
Correlated Climatic Factors
- Key factors influencing biodiversity include solar energy and water availability.
Evapotranspiration
- Represents the combined processes of water evaporation from the soil and plant transpiration.
- High in warm, wet regions, low in cooler or drier areas, and correlated with species richness.
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Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering key concepts from Biology Chapter 54. This set focuses on biological communities and inter-specific interactions, highlighting essential relationships and examples in ecological contexts. Perfect for review or study sessions!