Ecology and Natural Selection Overview

Natural Selection

• Underpopulation is not a step in natural selection.
• Fitness is environment-specific.
• Fitness is species-specific.
• Higher reproductive rate indicates higher fitness.
• Fitness should be measured across generations.

Ecology

• Ecology is the study of interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms.
• Oikos refers to "household."
• Logos refers to "study."
• Theophrastus wrote “Enquiry into Plants.”
• Ecology is the study of interactions among organisms and their environment.

Types of Selection

• Directional, disruptive, and stabilizing are all kinds of selection.
• Stochastic is not a kind of selection.

Biogeography

• Alexander von Humboldt is considered the father of biogeography.

Hierarchy in Ecology

• Hierarchical structures are stable.
• The hierarchical system was proposed by G. Evelyn Hutchinson.
• Biodiversity increases with less competition and more predation.
• A species is a group of interbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups.
• Alpha biodiversity is the diversity within an ecosystem.
• Beta biodiversity is the diversity among different geographies.
• Gamma biodiversity is the diversity across large spatial scales, often encompassing multiple ecosystems.
• The emergent principle states that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
• The laboratory approach to Ecology utilizes experiments.
• There is more biodiversity at intermediate levels of disturbance.

Interactions in Ecology

• Egrets with buffaloes exhibit commensalism.
• Allogrooming is a social behavior where one individual grooms another.
• Birds on giraffe are an example of commensalism.
• Harmonious interactions benefit at least one participant without harming any participants.
• Autogrooming is a social behavior where one individual grooms itself.
• The interaction between exotic shrubs and trees through seed predators is an example of apparent competition.
• The trampling of grass by animals is an example of amensalism.

Ecological Niche

• The fundamental niche is larger than the realized niche.
• Importance value varies from 0 to 300.

Succession and Climax

• A disclimax is a climax community that is controlled by disturbance.
• Pioneer species are able to grow on bare rocks, tolerate extreme temperatures, and have a short lifespan.
• The correct sequence for lithosere primary succession is Rock → Crustose lichen → Foliose lichen → Moss → Herbaceous stage → Shrub → Woodland → Climax.

Tolerance and Distribution

• Shelford's law of tolerance states that the distribution of a species will be controlled by the environmental factor for which the organism has the narrowest range of tolerance.
• Transplantation experiments are used to find the potential range of a species.

Climate Change

• Mesodebris is plastic debris with fragments that are 5-20 mm in size.
• Replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs is an example of mitigation in the context of climate change.
• Ecological integrity, benefits for society, and being informed by past and future are all principles of ecological restoration.
• Building artificial water holes to combat drought due to climate change is an example of adaptation.

Conservation and Management

• Ludwig’s ratchet predicts an increasing harvesting rate.
• R + M = G + F is the correct equation for population dynamics.
• Reforestation of a mined area after filling it with soil and planting deciduous forest species is an example of restoration.
• Creating a lake in a mined area and it being visited by migratory birds is an example of enhancement.

Explore the concepts of natural selection, ecology, and biogeography in this quiz. Test your understanding of the various types of selection, the hierarchy in ecology, and key figures in the field. Enhance your knowledge of how organisms interact and adapt in their environments.