ECOLOGY CONCEPTS

    Cards (33)

    • the 5 ecological levels of organization are ORGANISM, POPULATION, COMMUNITY, ECOSYSTEM, BIOSPHERE
    • ORGANISM is any form of life which includes plants and animals
    • POPULATION is a group of organisms of the same species living within a particular area
    • COMMUNITY is the population of different plants and animals living and interacting in an area at a particular time
    • ECOSYSTEM is the community of organisms and populations interacting with one another and with the abiotic factor making up the environment
    • BIOSPHERE is the summation of all ecosystems worldwide
    • the 2 components of the environment are ABIOTIC FACTORS, BIOTIC FACTORS
    • the 7 abiotic factors are LIGHT ENERGY, WATER, ATMOSPHERIC GASES, WIND AIR CURRENTS, TEMPERATURE, SOIL, PHYSIOGRAPHIC FACTORS
    • LIGHT ENERGY is the photosynthetic activity of green plants with chorophyll
    • LIGHT ENERGY affects day length caused by circadian rhythm which is the rotation of the earth in its own axis nocturnal and diurnal organisms
    • WIND AIR CURRENTS carries water vapor which condense and fall as rain snow or hail
    • WIND AIR CURRENTS plays a role in plant pollination and seed dispersal
    • WIND EROSION removes and redistributes topsoil
    • TEMPERATURE affects the distribution of organism in the surface of the planet
    • TEMPERATURE is influenced by the revolution of the earth around the sun bringing about seasonal rhythm
    • TEMPERATURE affects activities of organism dormancy migration germination
    • SOIL TEXTURE supports different types of vegetation animals
    • SOIL TEMPERATURE affects organic matter decomposition
    • SOIL WATER SOLUTION PH influence biological activities and availability of certain minerals
    • PHYSIOGRAPHIC FACTORS affects the vegetation zones presence of sun or rain bearing winds and temperature of the soil surface
    • the 3 biotic factors AUTOTROPHS, HETEROTROPHS, DECOMPOSERS
    • AUTOTROPHS capture energy such as the sunlight and use it along with inorganic nutrients to produce organic compounds
    • AUTOTROPHS are producers
    • HETEROTROPHS need a source of preformed organic nutrients and consume tissues of other organisms
    • HETEROTROPHS are consumers
    • DECOMPOSERS are non photosynthetic bacteria and fungi that extract energy from dead matter including animal wastes in the soil and make nutrients available
    • the 6 nutritional relationships are COMPETITION, PARASITSM, PREDATION, COMMENSALISM, PROTOCOOPERATION, MUTUALISM
    • COMPETITION is the idea that two organisms utilizing the same environmental resource interspecific or intraspecific
    • PARASITISM is the idea that the parasite benefits at the expense of the host
    • PREDATION is the idea that a predator feeds on a prey
    • COMMENSALISM is the idea that the commensal benefits while the host is unaffacted
    • PROTOCOOPERATION is favorable to both but not obligatory
    • MUTUALISM is favorable to both but obligatory