Ecology and Applied Ecology Quiz
120 Questions
2 Views

Ecology and Applied Ecology Quiz

Created by
@ErrFreeAmazonite7918

Podcast Beta

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What does the term 'apex predator' refer to?

  • A species that is only a prey item
  • A species that primarily consumes autotrophs
  • A species that has no natural predators (correct)
  • A species that is at the bottom of the food chain

    • Which of the following best defines applied ecology?

  • The assessment and management of human impact on the environment (correct)
  • The study of the genetic makeup of different species
  • Monitoring species in a laboratory setting
  • The scientific study of ecosystems without human influence

    • What does the null hypothesis typically assume?

  • There is no correlation or interaction (correct)
  • All species interact harmoniously
  • There is a relationship between variables
  • All variations in a species are beneficial

    • Which of the following describes obligate herbivores?

    <p>Organisms that primarily feed on producers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In ecological terms, what is mutualism?

    <p>A relationship where both species benefit</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are autotrophs primarily known for?

    <p>Their ability to photosynthesize and fix carbon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about natural selection is correct?

    <p>Variation within a species is crucial for natural selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does monitoring in ecology involve?

    <p>Assessing legal compliance in species management</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of interaction occurs between sunfish and cleaner fish?

    <p>Mutualism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes the interaction between lizards and flies?

    <p>Predation with lizards benefiting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of data does presence/absence data provide?

    <p>Whether a species is found or not in a specific area</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key characteristic of spatial variation in species distribution?

    <p>Clumped distributions indicate stable resource availability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the absence of an indicator organism signify in an ecological study?

    <p>It does not provide conclusive evidence about ecological conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of ecological surveys, what does the term 'baseline' refer to?

    <p>The initial survey snapshot of a specific area</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is absolute abundance defined in ecology?

    <p>Total number of individuals in a specific area</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are indicators considered important in monitoring ecological conditions?

    <p>They offer insights without the need for technology.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which monitoring tool would NOT be classified as invasive?

    <p>Camera traps</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a higher number of a certain indicator organism typically indicate?

    <p>Better ecological quality.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a drawback of relying solely on presence-only data for a single species?

    <p>It may present a limited view, affecting management decisions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of compliance in ecological studies?

    <p>To ensure conformity with established practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What management suggestion is recommended for areas with 65% increaser type II grasses?

    <p>Decrease the number of grazers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which taxonomic group serves as a strong biodiversity indicator based on provided biodiversity values?

    <p>Woody plants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do indicators reflect ecological conditions over time?

    <p>They provide a measure of historical ecological trends.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the relationship between lower numbers of an indicator organism and ecological quality?

    <p>Lower numbers can suggest higher ecological quality.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary consumer in the context of the Orthoptera?

    <p>An organism that primarily feeds on producers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the declining winter snowpack affect the American pika?

    <p>It exposes them to harmful temperatures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one reason why pikas are considered highly susceptible to climate change?

    <p>They are physiologically fine-tuned to their environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why may Orthoptera serve as a weak biodiversity indicator?

    <p>Their link to predators is not close enough to show diversity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the Pika Patrol play in relation to the American pika?

    <p>They volunteer to survey and collect data on pikas during summer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the environmental characteristics that affects the survival of pikas during summer?

    <p>Higher ambient temperatures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following makes pikas a well-studied ecological indicator?

    <p>The ongoing surveys by the Pika Patrol every summer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of climate change poses a risk to the American pika's offspring?

    <p>Earlier melting of winter snowpack</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one method scientists use to monitor the presence of pikas?

    <p>Finding food caches and distinctive scat</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factors are included in an Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA)?

    <p>Physical, cultural, and human environments affected</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of mitigation involves replacing lost organisms or restoring habitat on site?

    <p>Remediation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are EIAs typically required?

    <p>To comply with federal legislation for significant actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an EIA primarily aim to illustrate?

    <p>The potential consequences of development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key goal of conducting an EIA?

    <p>To identify all possible effects, both positive and negative</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which approach is not a type of mitigation?

    <p>Erosion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which situations are EIAs generally mandated?

    <p>Federal activities or those with federal funding or licensing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An increase in deposited pollen leads to a decrease in the area of upland habitat.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When sampling for a species, a smaller area can lead to a false absence of the species.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Mutualism occurs when both participating organisms benefit from the interaction.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Indirect observation methods include tags, cameras, and acoustic devices.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Motus tracking system does not enhance the ability to track migratory patterns of birds.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The estimated population size of beetles using the capture-recapture method in this scenario is 24 beetles.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In predation, the predator is harmed while the prey benefits.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Commensalism is characterized by one organism benefiting and the other being completely unaffected.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ideal bioindicator has a wide tolerance range.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A significant increase in air pollution can cause both deposited pollen and upland habitat area to grow.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Presence/absence data only provides information on the number of individuals of a species in a specific area.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Both high and low biomass abundance can indicate good habitat integrity.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Devices such as satellite tags can help in tracking animal movements precisely.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Baseline data is a continuous measurement taken over time to assess changes in ecosystems.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Citizen science has no role in ecological monitoring.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ecological indicators can determine only the chemical conditions of their environment.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Clumped distributions often reflect the behavior or availability of resources.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    To be a good ecological indicator, it must be weakly linked to environmental proxy parameters.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Sampling during an animal's migration period is essential to avoid false absence results.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Increaser grasses are known to be sensitive to disturbances.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Direct observation includes only seeing and hearing animals in their habitat.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The survey method that uses multiple species to answer ecological questions is called biotic indices.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Invasive surveys involve non-destructive methods of monitoring wildlife.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Environmental indicators include only biological factors.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Indicators reflect all organisms in an ecosystem.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The absence of an indicator organism can conclusively determine ecological quality.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Indicators provide information about ecological conditions over extensive time periods.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Advanced technology is required to monitor indicators in ecosystems.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Lower numbers of certain indicators can indicate higher ecological quality.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Higher numbers of an indicator always denote higher ecological quality.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The presence of all indicator organisms signifies a healthy ecosystem.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Biodiversity indicators reflect fluctuations in ecological quality over time.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Phytoremediation involves the use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Biomediation is synonymous with bioremediation.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bioaugmentation is the process of encouraging microbial growth for biodegradation purposes.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Pollution can include solids, liquids, gases, nutrients, temperature, noise, and light.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Remediation is solely focused on preserving existing habitats without addressing pollutants.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Debris and runoff from construction sites can contaminate local water bodies.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Biostimulation refers to the addition of plants to an area to degrade pollutants.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The process of phytodegradation renders pollutants safe through the use of microorganisms.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their ______.

    <p>environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Autotrophs are often referred to as ______ because they produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis.

    <p>producers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Heterotrophs are known as ______ because they must consume other organisms to obtain essential nutrients.

    <p>consumers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ______ hypothesis assumes that there is no correlation or interaction between variables.

    <p>null</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a commensal relationship, one species ______, while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

    <p>benefits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Anthropocene is characterized by the significant ______ impact of humans on the environment.

    <p>environmental</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ is the change in gene frequency over time within a population.

    <p>Evolution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Conserving aims to prevent the over-exploitation and ______ of environments and species.

    <p>degradation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The survey method that uses multiple species to answer ecological questions is called ______________.

    <p>Biotic indices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    To be a good ecological indicator, it must be ______________ linked to the environmental proxy parameter.

    <p>closely and predictably</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ecological indicators are used to determine the chemical, physical, or ______________ condition of their environment.

    <p>biological</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Abiotic conditions are classified as ______________ indicators.

    <p>environmental</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______________ grasses are insensitive to disturbances.

    <p>Increaser/decreaser</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The total number of beetles tagged in the first round was ______________.

    <p>10</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the capture-recapture method, the total number of beetles caught in the second sample was ______________.

    <p>14</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The estimated population size of beetles using the capture-recapture method is approximately ______________ beetles.

    <p>24</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The scientists have monitored the presence of the animal in several ways, including finding habitat locations and doing continuous surveying of that area for the ______.

    <p>pika</p> Signup and view all the answers

    EIAs are required to assess the physical, cultural, and human environments affected by the proposed ______.

    <p>project</p> Signup and view all the answers

    One of the primary focuses of an EIA is to determine the ______ impacts of the proposed development.

    <p>ecological</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Receptors include measures of quantity and quality of organisms, habitat, and ecosystem ______.

    <p>functions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Avoidance is a type of mitigation that involves avoiding an entire development at a time or ______.

    <p>place</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Federal activities, federally funded activities, or federally licensed activities require ______.

    <p>EIAs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the US, an EIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act to assess potential impact of actions 'significantly affecting the quality of the human ______.'

    <p>environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Mitigation types include containment, remediation, and ______, which involves replacing lost organisms or habitat elsewhere.

    <p>compensation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    EIAs can suggest to avoid, reduce, contain, remediate, or ______ to mitigate the ecological impact.

    <p>compensate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An EIA provides opportunities for public ______.

    <p>comment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Certain ski resorts in Colorado practice ______ mitigation by ending their ski seasons early for elk migration.

    <p>avoidance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Populations and habitats can be considered valuable due to their cultural significance, rarity, and ______.

    <p>ecological function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Replacing lost organisms or habitat off site of the development is a mitigation tactic called ______.

    <p>compensation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    EAIs are only required at the federal and state level, which is ______.

    <p>false</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The indicator/receptor is the name assigned to different measures of quantity and quality of ______, habitat, and ecosystem functions.

    <p>organisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The severity of impact increases when the impacted ______ are more 'valuable'.

    <p>receptors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Phytoremediation is a type of ______ that uses plants to remove pollutants from the environment.

    <p>bioremediation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A type of biostimulation where you introduce more oxygen into an area is called ______.

    <p>bioventing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Leviathan Mine is an example of a ______ site.

    <p>bioreactor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The use of organisms to degrade pollutants is called ______.

    <p>bioremediation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ is a type of vessel that allows for fine control over the bioremediation process.

    <p>bioreactor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Phytodegradation is the process of using plants to simply remove the ______ from the environment.

    <p>pollutant</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Pollutants can be in the form of solids, gasses, nutrients, and ______.

    <p>temperature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Surfactants in the bioremediation process are used to make pollutants available to ______.

    <p>microorganisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Ecology & Applied Ecology

    • Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environment.
    • Applied Ecology focuses on the human impact on the environment.
    • Monitoring involves observing and recording changes in species, interactions, and the abiotic environment over time.
    • Managing entails creating and executing processes to manage the natural world for the benefit of both humans and the environment.
    • Conserving is a component of management that aims to prevent the overexploitation, degradation, and destruction of environments and species.
    • Null Hypothesis assumes no correlation or interaction between variables.
    • Alternative Hypothesis assumes a relationship exists between variables.
    • Autotrophs can produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis (producers).
    • Heterotrophs obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms (consumers).
    • Obligate Herbivores consume only producers (primary consumers).
    • Secondary, Tertiary, Quaternary Predators consume the levels below them in the food chain.
    • Apex Predators are at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators.

    Ecological Interactions

    • Mutualism: Both species benefit from the interaction.
    • Competition: Both species are negatively impacted by the interaction.
    • Predation: One species benefits by consuming another.
    • Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of another.
    • Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is unaffected.
    • Amensalism: One species is negatively impacted while the other is unaffected.

    Anthropocene & Evolution

    • Anthropocene is an era characterized by human impact on the global environment.
    • Evolution is the change in gene frequency over time.

    Assumptions of Natural Selection

    • More offspring are produced than can survive.
    • There is variation within species.
    • Some traits are heritable and passed on to offspring.
    • Traits that increase survival and reproduction become more common in the population.

    Artificial Selection

    • Selective breeding by humans to enhance traits that increase the desirability of plants and animals.

    Kin Selection

    • Individuals increase their own fitness by aiding relatives who share their genes.

    Sexual Selection

    • Individuals with certain traits are more successful in attracting mates and reproducing.

    Baselines, Monitoring & Surveys

    • Baseline is a snapshot of a specific area at a given time.
    • Spatial monitoring involves assessing the distribution of species and habitat across an area.
    • Temporal monitoring involves repeated surveys to track changes over time.
    • Alert monitoring provides early warnings of potential environmental problems.
    • Compliance monitoring assesses conformity with agreed upon practices and standards.
    • Impact, Mitigation & Compensation involve measuring the impacts of human activities, implementing strategies to reduce negative effects, and compensating for unavoidable impacts.
    • Presence/Absence Data indicates whether a species is present or absent in a specific area.
    • Prevalence refers to the proportion of observations in which a species is found.
    • Relative Abundance refers to the abundance of a species in relation to other species.
    • Absolute Abundance refers to the actual number of individuals or density in a given area.
    • Direct Observation involves observing organisms directly using sight, smell, or sound.
    • Indirect Observation involves finding signs of animals, such as feces, molts, or tracks.
    • Observational, Non-Invasive, Non-Destructive Surveys do not involve trapping, restraining, or killing organisms.
    • Invasive Surveys involve catching and sometimes restraining organisms.
    • Destructive Surveys involve catching and killing organisms.

    Monitoring Tools

    • Tags: VHF radio telemetry, banding, PIT tags, satellite and/or GPS tracking
    • Camera Traps
    • Acoustic Monitoring
    • Satellite, Drone, Aircraft, and Boat Observations
    • DNA and Environmental DNA (eDNA)
    • Hair Tubes and Footprint Traps
    • Citizen Science

    Spatial Variation

    • Random Distributions are common in stable environments.
    • Clumped Distributions often reflect the availability of resources or behavioral patterns.

    Biodiversity Indicators

    • Indicators reflect the overall health of an ecosystem.
    • Absence of an Indicator may not be conclusive of environmental conditions.
    • Indicators reflect conditions over long periods of time.
    • Indicators don't require advanced technology.

    Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA)

    • EIA is an assessment of the ecological effects of proposed developments, including physical, cultural, and human impacts.

    When EIAs are Required

    • Federal Activities: Activities on federal land, federally-funded activities, or federally-licensed activities.
    • State & Local Governments may require EIAs as part of permitting processes.

    Goals of EIA

    • Legality: Determines whether development complies with legislation.
    • Ecological Impacts: Assesses the potential ecological impacts of proposed development.
    • Mitigation: Explores options for mitigating negative impacts.

    Receptors in EIA

    • Receptors are the elements of the environment (organisms, habitats, ecosystem functions) that may be impacted by development.

    Mitigation Types

    • Avoidance: Completely avoiding a development.
    • Reduction: Reducing the quantity of harmful products or effects.
    • Containment: Containing harmful products or effects to smaller areas.
    • Remediation: Replacing lost organisms or restoring habitats on-site.
    • Rescue: Moving organisms or habitats off-site.
    • Compensation: Replacing lost organisms or habitats at a different location off-site.

    Baseline

    • A snapshot of a specific location at a specific time.
    • Can measure species, habitat, and/or conditions.

    Spatial

    • How habitat and species are distributed over a certain area.
    • Spatial data can be used to identify areas of high or low species diversity or habitat quality.

    Temporal

    • Baseline surveys followed by repeated surveys in the same area.
    • Assess change over time.
    • Can be used to track trends in species populations, habitat conditions, or environmental factors.

    Alert

    • Early warning of potential environmental problems.
    • Monitoring programs can help to identify emerging threats before they become serious problems.

    Compliance

    • Ensuring conformity with agreed codes of practice.
    • Can be used to ensure that environmental regulations are being followed.

    Impact, Mitigation, Compensation

    • Measuring the impact of human activities on the environment.
    • Mitigation refers to taking steps to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment.
    • Compensation involves taking steps to offset the impacts of human activities on the environment.

    Presence/Absence Data

    • Indicates whether a species is present or absent in a given location.
    • May show false absences due to cryptic or Lazarus species.

    Prevalence

    • Proportion of occasions where a species is found.
    • Higher prevalence indicates a greater likelihood of finding the species in the area.

    Abundance

    • Relative Abundance: Abundance of a species in relation to others (ratios or ranks).
    • Absolute Abundance: Actual number of individuals or density (individuals per unit of area).

    Direct Observation

    • Sight, smell, or sound.
    • Can be more difficult to obtain than indirect observation.

    Indirect Observation

    • Signs of animals, including physical, physiological, or behavioral signs (e.g., feces, molts, feeding evidence, nests, tracks, dens, etc.)
    • Observational, non-invasive, and non-destructive: no trapping, restraining, or killing is involved.

    Invasive Surveys

    • Catching and sometimes retraining (e.g., mist nets, Longworth traps, harp nets, vacuuming, d-nets for benthic macroinvertebrate surveys).

    Destructive Surveys

    • Catching and killing (e.g., wet pitfall traps).

    Other Monitoring Tools

    • Tags: VHF radio telemetry, banding, PIT tags, satellite and/or GPS tracking.
    • Camera Traps: Provide visual data on animal behavior and activity.
    • Acoustic Monitoring: Record and analyze sounds to monitor animal presence, activity, distribution, and communication.
    • Viewing via Satellites, Drones, Aircraft, Boats: Offer broad perspectives for monitoring large areas.
    • DNA and eDNA: Collect and analyze genetic material from the environment to detect species presence and abundance.
    • Hair Tubes and Footprint Traps: Collect hair or foot prints for species identification and abundance estimation.
    • Citizen Science: Engage members of the public in data collection and monitoring.

    Spatial Variation

    • Random Distributions: Occur in homogenous, stable environments.
    • Clumped Distributions: Reflect behavior or distribution of clumped resources.

    Biotic Indices

    • Survey method using multiple species to answer ecological questions.
    • Provide a comprehensive assessment of the ecological integrity of an area.

    Ecological Indicators

    • Must be closely and predictably linked to the environmental proxy parameter.
    • Can be biological, chemical, or physical.
    • Used to determine the condition of the environment.

    Abiotic Conditions

    • Classified as environmental indicators.

    Increaser/Decreaser Grasses

    • Sensitive to disturbances in the ecosystem.
    • Can be used to monitor the ecological health of grasslands and other ecosystems.

    Disadvantages of Ecological Indicators

    • Indicators reflect all organisms: Monitoring a single indicator might not tell the whole story, and may miss valuable information about the other species.
    • The absence of an indicator is not conclusive: The indicator may be absent due to factors other than environmental change.
    • Indicators reflect conditions over long periods of time: They might miss rapid changes in the environment.
    • Indicators do not require advanced technology: However, their effectiveness depends on careful selection and calibration, which can require expertise.

    Remediation

    • Efforts to remove pollutants from contaminated sites.
    • Includes bioremediation.

    Pollution

    • Anything harmful that is introduced to the environment by humans.
    • Includes solids, liquids, gasses, nutrients, temperature, noise, and light.

    Bioremediation

    • Use of organisms to degrade pollutants.
    • Can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to clean up contaminated sites.

    Biostimulation

    • Encouraging microbial growth for the purpose of biodegradation of pollutants.
    • Involves adding nutrients or other substances to enhance microbial activity.

    Bioaugmentation

    • Adding organisms to substrates for the purpose of biodegradation of pollutants.
    • Introduces microorganisms that are specifically able to break down the pollutant.

    Surfactants

    • Enhance pollutant availability by breaking the pollutant into smaller pieces, lowering the surface tension, and/or emulsifying the pollutant.
    • Improve the effectiveness of bioremediation by increasing the surface area of the pollutant.

    Phytoremediation

    • Use of living plants for the degradation or containment of pollutants.
    • Can be a cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing way to clean up contaminated sites.

    Phytodegradation

    • The process by which plants break down pollutants.
    • Can render pollutants safe.

    Ecology and Applied Ecology

    • The study of interactions between organisms and their environment is known as ecology.
    • Applied ecology focuses on assessing, managing, and mitigating the impacts of human activities on the environment.
    • Monitoring involves observing and recording changes over time in species, interactions, and the abiotic environment to answer specific questions or assess compliance with regulations.
    • Management involves developing and implementing processes for managing the natural world for its benefit, human benefit, or both.
    • Conservation aims to prevent over-exploitation, degradation, and destruction of environments and species.
    • The null hypothesis assumes no correlation or interaction, while the alternative hypothesis proposes a relationship.

    Organism Categorization

    • Autotrophs are self-feeders, capable of obtaining essential molecules from the abiotic environment through processes like photosynthesis.
    • Heterotrophs are consumers that obtain essential molecules by consuming other organisms.
    • Obligate herbivores are primary consumers that only consume producers.
    • Secondary consumers and higher-level predators consume herbivores.
    • Apex predators are at the top of the food chain with no natural predators.

    Interactions Within Ecosystems

    • Mutualism: A relationship where both species benefit.
    • Competition: When two or more species compete for the same resources.
    • Predation: One species (the predator) kills and consumes another species (the prey).
    • Parasitism: One species (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another species (the host).
    • Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped.
    • Amensalism: One species is harmed while the other is unaffected.

    Anthropocene and Evolution

    • The Anthropocene is defined by the global environmental impact of human activities.
    • Evolution involves changes in gene frequency within a population over time.
    • Natural selection is a key driver of evolution, driven by the following assumptions:
      • More offspring are produced than can survive.
      • Individuals within a species exhibit variation.
      • Some trait variation is heritable.
      • Individuals with advantageous traits are better able to survive and reproduce.
    • Artificial selection, kin selection, and sexual selection are other forms of selection.

    Bioindicators

    • Bioindicators are species or groups of species that provide insights into the health of an ecosystem.
    • An ideal bioindicator has a narrow tolerance range.
    • Both high and low biomass abundance can indicate habitat disturbance.
    • A greater number of species within an indicator group typically corresponds to greater biodiversity in the ecosystem.

    Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA)

    • EIAs aim to estimate the ecological effects of proposed development.
    • They are required for federal activities, federally funded activities, and federally licensed activities in the US.
    • EIAs assess the physical, cultural, and human environments affected by the development.
    • EIAs consider the value of impacted receptors and the severity of the impact to determine whether the impacts are acceptable after mitigation.
    • Possible mitigation tactics include avoidance, reduction, containment, remediation, rescue, and compensation.
    • Receptors include measures of the quantity and quality of organisms, habitat, and ecosystem functions.

    Bioremediation

    • Bioremediation uses organisms, primarily microorganisms, to break down pollutants.
    • Biostimulation involves enhancing microbial activity by adjusting environmental conditions (e.g., adding oxygen, nutrients).
    • Bioaugmentation introduces new microorganisms to accelerate the degradation of pollutants.
    • Bioreactors are controlled environments that enhance biodegradation by optimizing factors like temperature, pH, aeration, and microbial abundance.
    • Phytoremediation uses plants to remove or degrade pollutants from the environment.
    • Surfactants increase the bioavailability of pollutants to microorganisms by reducing surface tension.

    Key Points

    • The Leviathan Mine exemplifies a bioreactor site.
    • Pollutants can exist in solid, gas, nutrient, and temperature forms.
    • Planting Jerusalem Artichoke to remove pollutants from soil is an example of bioaugmentation.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    BIO 377v2 Exam 1 PDF

    Description

    Test your understanding of ecology and applied ecology concepts! This quiz covers key topics such as species interactions, environmental monitoring, and conservation strategies. Additionally, explore the roles of autotrophs and heterotrophs in ecosystems.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser