Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the definition of a community in community ecology?
What is the definition of a community in community ecology?
Interactions among all species in a specific area at a specific time.
Which of the following is NOT an example of a species interaction?
Which of the following is NOT an example of a species interaction?
What are ecotones?
What are ecotones?
Transition zones between communities with higher species diversity.
Environmental conditions like temperature and resources have no influence on community structure.
Environmental conditions like temperature and resources have no influence on community structure.
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What is species richness in community ecology?
What is species richness in community ecology?
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Species evenness refers to the distribution of individuals among species.
Species evenness refers to the distribution of individuals among species.
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What is the key difference between rank abundance curves with flatter slopes and those with steeper slopes?
What is the key difference between rank abundance curves with flatter slopes and those with steeper slopes?
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Intermediate productivity is generally associated with the lowest species richness.
Intermediate productivity is generally associated with the lowest species richness.
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How do disturbances, such as fires or floods, affect species richness in a community?
How do disturbances, such as fires or floods, affect species richness in a community?
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What is the role of keystone or dominant species in community dynamics?
What is the role of keystone or dominant species in community dynamics?
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Whittaker's study in the Great Smoky Mountains suggested that species are always dependent on each other.
Whittaker's study in the Great Smoky Mountains suggested that species are always dependent on each other.
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Removing neighboring species at high elevations generally led to an increase in fitness.
Removing neighboring species at high elevations generally led to an increase in fitness.
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What are the three components of the CSR triangle?
What are the three components of the CSR triangle?
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High productivity in an environment generally leads to a decrease in species diversity due to the dominance of strong competitors.
High productivity in an environment generally leads to a decrease in species diversity due to the dominance of strong competitors.
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Intermediate productivity supports the coexistence of specialists and generalists.
Intermediate productivity supports the coexistence of specialists and generalists.
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The Park Grass Experiment showed that long-term fertilization always increases species richness.
The Park Grass Experiment showed that long-term fertilization always increases species richness.
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The Light and Fertilizer Experiment showed that adding light alongside nutrients reduced species richness.
The Light and Fertilizer Experiment showed that adding light alongside nutrients reduced species richness.
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Study Notes
Community Ecology Concepts
- Interactions among all species in a specific area at a specific time.
- Communities are dynamic and lack fixed boundaries.
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Species Interactions:
- Negative-negative (e.g., competition)
- Positive-negative (e.g., predation, parasitism)
- Positive-positive (e.g., mutualism)
Ecotones and Abiotic Influences
- Ecotones: Transition zones between communities with higher species diversity.
- Examples include forest edges and soil transitions (e.g., serpentine soils).
- Environmental factors (e.g., temperature, resources) influence community structure.
Community Structures and Diversity
- Species Richness: Count of species within a community.
- Species Evenness: Distribution of individuals among species.
- Diversity: Combination of richness and evenness.
Why Communities Differ in Species Richness
- Resources: Intermediate productivity supports the highest species richness (hump-shaped curve).
- Habitat Diversity: More diverse habitats lead to greater richness.
- Disturbances: Frequency of disturbances can either stabilize or disrupt richness.
- Influential Species: Keystone or dominant species influence community dynamics.
Rank Abundance Curves
- Rank species by abundance to compare communities.
- Flatter curves indicate higher evenness.
Experimental Evidence
- Whittaker's study (Great Smoky Mountains): Gradual changes in species abundance with moisture levels suggest species independence.
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Experimental Communities:
- Removing neighbors at low elevations improves fitness, suggesting independence.
- Removal at high elevations reduces fitness due to harsh conditions, suggesting interdependence.
Competition and Resource Availability
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CSR Triangle:
- C: Competitive ability
- S: Stress tolerance
- R: Ruderal (weedy traits for colonization)
- Species allocate energy based on survival strategy.
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Resource Availability and Competition: High productivity favors dominant competitors, reducing diversity; intermediate productivity allows coexistence of specialists and generalists.
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Park Grass Experiment: Long-term fertilization reduces species richness, demonstrating one aspect of the hump-shaped curve.
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Light and Fertilizer Experiment: Adding light alongside nutrients restores species richness, indicating competition for light limits diversity.
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Description
This quiz explores key concepts in community ecology, including species interactions, ecotones, and factors influencing species diversity. Understand the dynamics of communities, their structures, and the various influences that affect species richness and evenness.
