Unit Test Ecology study Guide

• Sequence of Energy flow in food chains/webs

  Autotrophs > Herbivores > Carnivores > Carnivores
• Rule of 10


  As we move through trophic levels, only 10% of the energy from one level is transferred to the next
• Energy Pyramid


  Measures the energy level from one trophic level to the next

  Cannot be inverted due to the rule of 10
• Adaptations 


  Structures, behaviours, or physiology processes that help an organism survive and reproduce in their enviroment
• Variation 


  Visible in invisible difference between individuals
• Natural selection 


  Nature decides what characteristics are favourable and which ones are not

  Proposed by Charles Darwin
• order of taxonomy Domain

  1. Domain
  2. Kingdom
  3. Phyla
  4. Class Order
  5. Family
  6. Genus
  7. Species
  8. Sub Species
• Mutation and Variation - how it effects us if there is a mutation

  Features that served our ancestors that we no longer need/ use go away but are still in our DNA
• Examples of Ecosystems 


  The living community together with the non-living environment

  Can be large - river

  Can be small - log in a forest
• Carbon and Oxygen Cycle - Human interference


  We increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere via pollution = high amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere = global climate change
• Sulfur Cycle - Human Impact 


  We increase amount of sulfur compound in the air, making precipitation acidic

  Low soil pH = Impact on plants

  Low pH of H2O = impact on marine ecosystems
• Phosphorus Cycle - Human Interference

  We add excess phosphorus into lakes and rivers = increases amount available to algae which causes algae bloom

  The bed of algae prevent sunlight from penetrating H2O = algae die and decomposers become active

  Decomposers consume O2 = fish die
• Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria 


  Turn N2 into NH4 (soil)- also known as nitrogen fixation
• Parasitism 


  When an organisms benefits at the expense of the other
• Analogous 


  Structures that have a shared purpose but different element (not related)

  Ex. Bats wings vs. Bees wing
• Homologous


  Shared structural elements are evidence of common ancestors

  Ex. Humans arms and bones in a bats wings
• Albedo 


  The reflectivity of a surface

  High albedo = high reflectivity
• Rapid cycling


  Relitively quicker

  Materials returned to cycles via:

  Waste deposition

  Decomposition

  Cellular respiration
• Slow Cycling


  Much slower

  Materials returned to cycles via:

  burning fossil fuels

  Volcanic eruptions

  Geological uplifting

  mining
• Buffon


  Proposed the idea of ancestral forms
• Cuvier 


  Creator of the study of fossil to develop an understanding of ancient/ancestral species

  Older Fossil found deeper in the rock)
• Lyell 


  The process that are at work today must have occurred the same way million of years ago
• Linnaeus


  Different genus and different families, or orders
• Lamark


  Proposed that species evolved from ancestors but they change because of inheritance of acquired characteristics
• Darwin 


  Present life forms are descendants of a common ancestor that have been modified over time (natural selection)
• Paleontology 


  Study of fossil to develop an understanding of ancient/ ancestral species

  Older fossil are found deeper in the rock (Strata)

  Proposed by Cuvier
• Biosphere

  Narrow area around the globe that can support life, 10km in the atmosphere and 10km down in ocean
• Atmosphere

  All the gases
• Hydrosphere

  all the water (liquid and solid)
• lithosphere (aka geosphere)

  All the soil and rock
• Order of scientist from earliest to latest

  1. Duffon
  2. Cavire
  3. Lyell
  4. Linaues
  5. Lemark
  6. Darwin
• System

  A set of parts that al function together to perform a task
• Open System

  Allows both energy and matter to enter and exit freely

  Ex. Forest
• Closed System

  Energy can com win and out freely but matter is finite and must be recycled

  Ex. Earth