Community vs Population: Ecology Quiz and Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

Match the following terms with their definitions:

Interspecific interactions = Include competition, predation, & symbiosis (mutualism & parasitism) Diversity = Depends on survival of species & their relative abundance Ecology = Study of how environmental factors affect the distribution & abundance of species Biomes = Dictated by precipitation and temperature

Match the following concepts with their descriptions:

Community ecology = Study between species that live in a community and how these interactions affect their distribution and abundance Population ecology = Focuses on studying groups of individuals of the same species living in a particular area Ecosystem ecology = Examines the interactions between living organisms and their physical environment

Match the following components with their roles in an ecosystem:

Ground squirrels, snakes, butterflies, trees, ants, bacteria, fungi = All of the species that potentially have interactions with one another Tides (high/upper tide, mid tide, low tide) = Create a unique environment for species to live in, like rocky intertidal communities

Match the following factors with their influence on biomes:

Precipitation = One of the factors dictating biomes Temperature = One of the factors dictating biomes Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their meanings:

Rocky intertidal communities = Species adapted to live and thrive in the tidal area, experiencing high/upper tide, mid tide, and low tide Symbiosis (mutualism & parasitism) = Types of interspecific interactions where both species benefit (mutualism) or one benefits at the expense of the other (parasitism) Signup and view all the answers

Match the following ecological terms with their definitions:

Community ecology = Study of interactions between species in a certain area Population ecology = Focuses on the study of populations of organisms and their interactions within an ecosystem Ecosystem ecology = Examines the flow of energy and nutrients between organisms and their environment Signup and view all the answers

Match the following factors with their classification as abiotic or biotic:

Sunlight = Abiotic Predators = Biotic Nutrients = Abiotic Mates = Biotic Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their appropriate scale of ecological organization:

Physiological ecology = Organismal level Population ecology = Study of populations within an ecosystem Ecosystem ecology = Focus on energy and nutrient flow in environments Signup and view all the answers

Match the following statements with the correct discipline in ecology:

Focuses on how physiological processes influence organism distributions = Physiological ecology Studies interactions between different species in a specific area = Community ecology Examines populations of organisms and their interactions within ecosystems = Population ecology Signup and view all the answers

Match the following environmental factors with their impact on organisms:

Precipitation = Abiotic factor affecting distribution Predators = Biotic factor influencing abundance Sunlight = Abiotic factor influencing organism behavior Nutrients = Abiotic factor affecting population growth Signup and view all the answers

Match the following ecological levels of organization with their descriptions:

Population ecology = Studies multiple individuals that belong to the same species Community ecology = Study of all the species that live close enough in a location to interact Ecosystem ecology = Involves living members of the community and abiotic components interacting Biosphere = Deals with the whole planet Signup and view all the answers

Match the following ecological studies with their primary focus:

Population ecology = Factors affecting birth and death rates in a population Community ecology = Interactions among different species in a shared environment Ecosystem ecology = Study of biotic and abiotic interactions within a community Biosphere = Collection of all biomes on the planet Signup and view all the answers

Match the following ecological concepts with their respective examples:

Population ecology = Tracking how populations grow or shrink over time Community ecology = Studying interactions between ground squirrels, snakes, butterflies, trees, ants, bacteria, and fungi Ecosystem ecology = Analyzing the water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and other abiotic factors affecting a community Biosphere = Examining ecosystems in large biomes and geographical areas with similar characteristics Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms related to ecology with their definitions:

Population ecology = Focuses on individuals of the same species in a given area Community ecology = Explores interactions among different species sharing a habitat Ecosystem ecology = Considers both living and non-living components in a community Biosphere = Encompasses all biomes on Earth Signup and view all the answers

Match the following ecological levels with their scope:

Population ecology = Zoomed in on individuals of the same species Community ecology = Focused on species interactions within a specific location Ecosystem ecology = Examines interactions between living organisms and abiotic factors Biosphere = Global scale encompassing all biomes Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Introduction to Ecology

Ecology is the study of the abundance and distribution of organisms as shaped by environmental factors.
Ecologists are interested in how biotic and abiotic factors influence the abundance and distribution of organisms.

Environmental Factors

Abiotic factors: precipitation, sunlight, nutrients, weather patterns
Biotic factors: predators, prey, mutualists, parasites, mates, any living organism that can influence other living organisms

Scales of Organization

Organismal ecology (physiological ecology): how physiological processes of an organism dictate its distribution and abundance
Population ecology: study of multiple individuals of the same species living in a location
Community ecology: study of all species that live close enough in a location to interact
Ecosystem ecology: study of living members of the community and abiotic components that interact with them
Biosphere: the collection of all biomes on the planet

Community Ecology

Study of interactions between species that live in a community and how these interactions affect their distribution and abundance
Includes competition, predation, and symbiosis (mutualism and parasitism)
Diversity depends on survival of species and their relative abundance

Ecosystem Ecology

Includes the water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, fire, and any abiotic factor that affects the community
Carbon cycle: carbon is a molecule that exists in different forms, is contained in living organisms, and is returned to the soil when they die

Biomes

Dictated by precipitation and temperature
Examples: rocky intertidal, poles, and other geographical areas

Rocky Intertidal

A biome or environment for species to live in, characterized by tides (high/upper, mid, and low)
Species that live here are adapted to live in both water and land
Examples: species that live in the tidal area near the ocean