32 Questions
Which of the following is NOT a potential benefit of diverse communities?
Increased likelihood of invasive species
What are some advantages of diverse communities?
Diverse communities can be more productive, stable, resilient to environmental change, and harder to invade. However, they can also be a source of new pests.
What is the definition of a community in ecology?
A group of populations of different species living close enough to potentially interact with each other
What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific interactions?
Intraspecific interactions occur within a species, while interspecific interactions occur between different species.
Can herbivory always be considered a type of predation?
No, herbivory is not always considered a type of predation.
How is community structure determined?
Community structure is determined by feeding relationships.
What determines the position of a species in the food chain?
Trophic levels
What are the different scales at which ecology can be studied?
Individual, population, community, and ecosystem
What is the effect of bottom-up controls on a community?
They affect the amount of resources or the quality of the environment
What is the difference between commensalism and mutualism?
In commensalism, one species benefits while the other is unaffected, while in mutualism, both species benefit from each other's actions.
What are bottom-up controls and how do they affect communities?
Bottom-up controls are factors that affect the amount of resources or the quality of the environment, such as temperature, nutrients, and availability of prey. They can affect the abundance and distribution of species in a community.
What is commensalism?
When one species has a positive effect on another species, while the other species is unaffected
What is succession?
The process of change in the species composition of an ecological community over time
What is succession and what causes it?
Succession is the process of change in the species composition of an ecological community over time. It occurs due to changes in resources and microclimate, changes in life history of species, and competition between species.
What is mutualism?
When both species benefit from each other's actions
What is the concept of ecological niche?
The concept of ecological niche refers to the role a species plays in its environment, including its habitat, behavior, and interactions with other species.
What are some prey defense mechanisms against predators?
Prey defense mechanisms against predators include warning colors, cryptic colors and forms, and chemical cues.
What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific interactions?
Intraspecific interactions occur within the same species, while interspecific interactions occur between different species
What is island biogeography theory and how does it determine the number of species on an island?
Island biogeography theory determines the number of species on an island based on the rate at which new species immigrate and the rate at which species become extinct, as well as physical features affecting immigration and extinction such as size and distance from mainland.
What is the effect of adding both nutrients and predators to a lake ecosystem?
More zooplankton and predators
Can predation have implications for evolution?
Yes, predation can lead to coevolution between predator and prey and an evolutionary arms race.
What is predation?
When one species has a negative effect on another species
How do trophic levels determine position in a food chain/web?
Trophic levels are determined by the feeding relationships between species. Each level represents a different position in the food chain/web, with primary producers at the bottom and top predators at the highest level.
Why are plant and animal life generally more abundant and diverse in the tropics?
Due to their evapotranspiration
What is the definition of parasitism?
Parasitism is a type of interaction where one species benefits at the expense of the other species, but the host is not killed.
What is the effect of disturbance on a community?
It changes the species composition of an ecological community over time
What is the difference between predation and herbivory?
Predation is a type of herbivory
What is niche partitioning and how does it affect species interactions?
Niche partitioning is the process by which species divide up resources to reduce competition. It can affect species interactions by reducing competition and allowing for coexistence.
What factors contribute to the higher abundance and diversity of plant and animal life in the tropics?
The higher abundance and diversity of plant and animal life in the tropics is due to their age and evapotranspiration, which create a more stable environment with more available resources for organisms.
What is the concept of ecological niche?
The role of a species in its community, including its use of resources and its interactions with other species
How can competition impact communities?
Competition can impact survival, health, and offspring of species, and can lead to the concept of ecological niche and resource partitioning.
What is island biogeography theory?
The determination of the number of species on an island based on physical features affecting immigration and extinction
Study Notes
This text appears to be a mixture of lecture notes and instructions for an ecology class. It covers topics such as community ecology, species interactions, niche partitioning, mimicry, diversity indices, and biodiversity. There are also references to assignments, quizzes, and exam reviews.- Diverse communities:
- can be more productive
- can be more stable (less variable biomass over time)
- can be more resilient to environmental change
- can be harder to invade
- can also be a bigger source of new pests
Untreated ash trees in 2006 and 2009, Toledo Ohio. Photo by Daniel Herms
- Community structure is determined by feeding relationships
- Trophic levels determine position in the food chain
- Arrows follow the path of energy through a food chain/web
- Trophic position of a species is not fixed; species feed at more than one trophic level
- Bottom-up controls affect the amount of resources or the quality of the environment (e.g. temperature, nutrients, availability of prey)
- Top-down controls are the number of parasites or predators consuming that species
In this food chain, how would you expect the abundance of different trophic levels to change if you added a trophic level (the tertiary consumer)? A) All species would decrease by the same amount B) Trophic levels 1 and 3 would decrease, 2 would increase C) Trophic levels 1 and 3 would increase, 2 would decrease D) Only trophic level 1 would decrease E) Only trophic level 3 would decrease
- When only nutrients were added to Long Lake in Michigan, there was more algae and small fish
- When both nutrients and predators were added, there were more zooplankton and predators
- Succession is the process of change in the species composition of an ecological community over time; it occurs due to changes in resources and microclimate, changes in life history of species, and competition between species
- Disturbance is any event, such as a storm or fire, that changes a community by removing organisms or altering resource availability
- Plant and animal life are generally more abundant and diverse in the tropics due to their age and evapotranspiration
- Island biogeography theory determines the number of species on an island based on the rate at which new species immigrate and the rate at which species become extinct, as well as physical features affecting immigration and extinction such as size and distance from mainland.
Test your knowledge of community ecology with this quiz! From trophic levels to disturbance, this quiz covers a range of topics in ecology. Practice identifying the effects of adding or removing species from food chains, understanding the factors that contribute to species diversity, and exploring the dynamic relationship between species interactions and ecological succession. Perfect for students of ecology or anyone interested in learning more about the natural world.
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