Ecology & Diversity Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What role do ants play in relation to acacia trees?

They chase away herbivores and prevent pathogens. (correct)

They provide nutrients to the soil.

They help in seed dispersal.

They pollinate the flowers.

How does dispersive mutualism primarily function?

One species mimics another to attract pollinators.

One species provides food in exchange for shelter.

One species transports the seeds or pollen of another species. (correct)

One species defends another from predators.

What is the primary difference between obligatory and facultative mutualism?

Facultative mutualism is essential for survival.

Obligatory mutualism benefits both species equally.

One species relies on the other in obligatory mutualism. (correct)

Facultative mutualism occurs only in plants.

What occurs at intermediate levels of disturbance according to the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?

Maximum diversity Signup and view all the answers

What is phoresy?

One organism uses another for transportation. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of species is more likely to thrive in disturbed environments?

R-selected species Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason that excessive disturbances can be detrimental to species survival?

Species cannot adapt quickly enough Signup and view all the answers

What does community ecology study?

The structure and dynamics of groups of different species. Signup and view all the answers

How does species richness contribute to community stability?

It increases the number of available niches. Signup and view all the answers

What defines an ecosystem?

The combined biotic and abiotic features of a region. Signup and view all the answers

What does species richness refer to?

The variety of different species in a community. Signup and view all the answers

According to the diversity-stability hypothesis, what is the relationship between species diversity and community stability?

Increased diversity leads to greater stability. Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of a community being composed solely of cold-intolerant species?

Vulnerability to cold temperatures Signup and view all the answers

How does species diversity differ from species richness?

Species diversity accounts for the number and abundance of species. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is not part of the definition of a disturbance?

Permanent environmental change Signup and view all the answers

What two components are used to measure species diversity in a community?

Species richness and species evenness Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the role of heterotrophs in an ecosystem?

They obtain organic compounds from their environment. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of detritivores?

They gain energy from decomposing organic matter. Signup and view all the answers

What is the average percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next?

10% Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms are considered the most production efficient?

Invertebrates and microorganisms Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'production efficiency' refer to?

The percentage of energy assimilated that becomes new biomass. Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by food web complexity and its interconnectedness?

Multiple links between organisms and energy flow. Signup and view all the answers

Why are chain lengths in food chains usually less than 5?

Many organisms cannot digest all their prey. Signup and view all the answers

How is assimilation calculated?

Ingestion minus excretion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the average trophic level transfer efficiency generally considered to be?

10% Signup and view all the answers

Which process contributes to energy loss between trophic levels?

Cellular respiration Signup and view all the answers

What type of ecological pyramid expresses the total mass of living matter in a given area?

Pyramid of biomass Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms refers to the amount of CO2 fixed by a plant?

Gross primary production Signup and view all the answers

What does net primary productivity (NPP) account for?

Rate of primary production after respiration costs Signup and view all the answers

A pyramid of productivity can never be inverted. This means that:

Energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a reason for energy loss between trophic levels?

Consumption of energy by primary producers Signup and view all the answers

Which type of ecological pyramid uses the abundance of organisms to express energy transfer?

Pyramid of numbers Signup and view all the answers

What role do Dryas and alders play in glacier succession at Glacier Bay?

They enhance nitrogen levels in the soil. Signup and view all the answers

What does the equilibrium model of island biogeography predict about species richness?

Larger islands have lower extinction rates due to larger populations. Signup and view all the answers

How do species-distance relationships affect colonization on islands?

Fewer species are found on islands that are further from the mainland. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key distinction between a food chain and a food web?

Food chains represent linear energy flow. Signup and view all the answers

Which trophic level includes organisms like plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria?

Primary producers Signup and view all the answers

What happens to species identity over time according to the species turnover effect?

Species identity changes significantly while total species number remains constant. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT heavily influence emigration and immigration in isolated areas?

Island color Signup and view all the answers

Why are extinction rates lower on larger islands, according to the island biogeography model?

Larger populations are less susceptible to extinction. Signup and view all the answers

What is Liebig’s law of the minimum primarily concerned with?

The availability of limiting resources for growth Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following organisms has the lowest production efficiency based on energy assimilation?

Vertebrates Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT considered a reservoir of carbon?

Living organisms Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the turnover rate of carbon reservoirs?

The turnover rate indicates how long carbon atoms stay in a reservoir Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates biogeochemical cycles from energy flow through ecosystems?

Elements cycle indefinitely whereas energy dissipates through trophic levels Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a flux that contributes to carbon movement between reservoirs?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Among the following, which is the largest reservoir of carbon over time?

Rocks Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of decomposition in the carbon cycle?

Transferring carbon from living organisms to soil Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

To Do List

Go through and summarize notes on a Google Doc
Upload notes to Quizlet and do practice tests
Focus on plant biology
Review exam 1 quizlet/notes
Practice drawing 2 diagrams: carbon cycle and plant reproduction
Print and re-do worksheets
Complete Kahoot study questions and jeopardy study questions
Complete textbook problems if time
Purple text = items that require review.

Topics Summary: Community Ecology & Diversity

Community Change: Succession & Biogeography

Primary succession occurs after disturbances, like volcanic eruptions, wiping out all life forms. Pioneer species are the first to establish.
Secondary succession follows the establishment of pioneer species in areas where life previously existed. Sand dunes are a type of secondary succession where sea grass helps prepare the soil for trees.
Succession involves three main types: Primary, Secondary, and Biogeography. Biogeography relates to the distribution of organisms across geographic areas and energy availability.

Energy Flow in Food Webs

Trophic levels represent different steps in energy flow. Energy decreases the higher up the levels.
Primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers are involved in transferring energy.
The equation representing energy assimilation: (amount of energy assimilated by org)/(energy assimilated) * 100 = Production efficiency.

Climate Change & Carbon Cycle

Carbon cycles constantly in the biosphere/atmosphere, but climate change disrupts usual cycles.
Trees, soil and ocean are reservoirs of carbon.

Plants

Eudicots and monocots are types of flowering plants.
Plants have leaf characteristics, venation, and adaptations (stomata).

Plant-Animal Interactions

Plants have chemical and physical defenses to avoid being consumed by herbivores.
Two hypotheses for why the world is green: Bottom-up and top-down controls.

Communities & Ecosystems

Mutualism describes interactions that benefit both species involved.
Examples of mutualism include leafcutter ants and fungi for food production and acacia trees and ants for protection from herbivores.
Commensalism is when one species benefits and the other is unaffected.
An example of commensalism is phoresy, seed dispersal, etc.

Species Richness and Communities

Species richness is the number of species in a community. Communities differ in species richness based on factors like species-time, species-area, and species-productivity.
Species accumulate over time through speciation and immigration.
Species richness is influenced by the area, and productivity of organisms, etc.

Community Stability and Diversity

Community stability refers to consistent species abundance in a community over time.
More species richness leads to greater stability and more niches being occupied by organisms that can endure certain disturbances.
Diversity indexes (e.g. Shannon's Index) quantify community diversity by considering species richness and relative abundance.

Succession and Biogeography

Succession is the change in species composition in a community following a disturbance. There are primary and secondary types.
Primary succession occurs on newly exposed surfaces like volcanic rock.
Pioneer species are the first to colonize these surfaces.
Secondary succession occurs on disturbed surfaces where life existed previously, like following a fire.

Mechanisms of Succession

Facilitation: Early species create favorable conditions for later species.
Inhibition: Early species prevent the growth of later successional species.
Tolerance: Later species are unaffected by the presence of early species.

Island Biogeography

The balance between immigration and emigration determines species richness on islands.
Island size and distance from the mainland affect immigration and extinction rates.

Energy Flow and Food Webs

Food chains are linear representations of energy flow. Food webs are complex networks of interconnected food chains.
Trophic levels are the feeding positions in a food chain. Energy is lost as it moves up the trophic levels due to cellular respiration, etc.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Biogeochemical cycles involve the continuous movement of chemical elements like carbon and nitrogen through the environment and living organisms.
Reservoirs and fluxes drive biogeochemical cycles.

Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit outgoing longwave radiation, increasing the earth's temperature. This is a natural process, but increasing concentration from human activities can create a negative impact.

Additional notes:

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Description

This quiz covers key concepts in community ecology, focusing on succession processes such as primary and secondary succession. Explore how disturbances affect ecosystems and investigate the role of pioneer species and biogeography in community diversity.