18 Questions
Which of the following organisms play a crucial role in controlling the populations of prey species, thereby affecting the food web?
Predators
What is the term for the variety of different ecosystems in a given area or region?
Ecosystem diversity
Which of the following is an example of an ecosystem service provided by ecosystems?
Climate regulation
What is the term for the interaction between two or more species in an ecosystem that benefits each other?
Mutualism
Which of the following is a cultural and aesthetic reason for conserving ecosystem diversity?
Inspiration for art, music, and literature
What is the term for an organism that creates, changes, or destroys a habitat?
Ecosystem engineer
What is a characteristic of invasive species that enables them to thrive in a wide range of habitats?
Broad environmental tolerance
What is a consequence of habitat destruction, fragmentation, or degradation?
Reduced suitable habitat for species
What is the approximate time period when angiosperms began to dominate terrestrial ecosystems?
100 million years ago
According to the EICA hypothesis, what is a characteristic of invasive species in their introduced range compared to their native range?
They exhibit lower herbivore defense rates
What is the term for the fusion of gametes, which occurs when two sperm reach the female gametophyte?
Double fertilization
What is a consequence of edge effects in habitat fragmentation?
Species at the edge tend to differ from those in the center
What is the function of micropyle in the process of fertilization?
It allows the pollen tube to enter the ovule
What is a characteristic of invasive species that enables them to outcompete native species?
They have evolved increased competitive ability
What is the significance of bilateral symmetry in flowers?
It reduces gene flow in diverging populations
What is a factor that contributes to the success of invasive species in a new habitat?
Readily adapting to local selective pressures
What is the term for the group of angiosperms that includes most dicots?
Eudicots
What is the predicted outcome when a pollen grain lands on a stigma?
The pollen grain germinates and the pollen tube grows down to the ovary
Study Notes
Ecosystem Roles
- Predators help control prey populations, affecting plant and animal populations in the food web
- Ecosystem engineers create, change, or destroy habitats
- Mutualists benefit from interactions with other species in an ecosystem
Ecosystem Diversity
- Encompasses diversity of habitats, biotic communities, and ecological processes
- Essential services include nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation
Importance of Ecosystems
- Provide essential services like air and water purification, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation
- Support human well-being through food, medicine, and resources
- Have cultural and aesthetic significance, inspiring art, music, literature, and creative expressions
Plant Diversity
Angiosperm Evolution
- Angiosperms originated at least 140 million years ago
- Ancestors of angiosperms and gymnosperms diverged about 305 million years ago
- Angiosperms dominated terrestrial ecosystems by 100 million years ago
Evolutionary Links with Animals
- Flowers have mechanisms to ensure cross-pollination between different plants of the same species
- Double fertilization occurs when a pollen grain discharges two sperm into the female gametophyte
- One sperm fertilizes the egg, and the other combines with two nuclei to initiate endosperm development
Angiosperm Diversity
- Comprise more than 250,000 living species
- Previously divided into monocots and dicots, but DNA studies suggest dicots are paraphyletic
- Eudicot clade includes most dicots, while the rest form small lineages
Invasive Species
- Possess broad environmental tolerance and local adaptation
- Destruction, fragmentation, or degradation of natural habitats supports biodiversity
- Plasticity and adaptive evolution can lead to greater invasiveness
- Edge effects of fragmentation lead to differences between species at the edge and center of the habitat
Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability Hypothesis (EICA)
- Invasive species produce more biomass in the introduced area than in their native range
- Invasive species exhibit lower herbivore/hunter defense rates in the introduced range than in their native range
This quiz covers the concept of invasive species, their characteristics, and how they affect native species. It also explores the relationship between habitat loss and invasions, including habitat destruction, fragmentation, and degradation.
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