APES Nate Chart

• Parasitism


  Parasitism is when one species (parasite) feeds by eating another organism (host). Parasite—Benefits Host– Harmed
• Mutualism


  Two species involved, and interact in such a way that it is beneficial to both species. Species1—Benefits Species2—Benefits
• Commensalism


  Benefits one species, but the other species is neither harmed nor benefits. Species1—Benefits Species2—Neither
• Predation


  Two species involved, and interact so that one species preys on the other species
• Interspecific competition


  Organisms in two different species battle for the same resources. This creates stress among both organisms, and creates competitive exclusion
• Energy is a necessary aspect to any motion in the world. All living things need energy to function properly. How energy flows from species to species is very important
• Trophic Levels


  • Tertiary Consumers: Organisms that consume secondary consumers. (Carnivores)
  • Secondary Consumers: Organisms that consume primary consumers (Carnivores)
  • Primary Consumers: Organisms that consume producers (Herbivores)
  • Producers: Organisms that use organic and inorganic materials from the environment to grow
• Energy is always lost when it is transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level. Energy cannot be destroyed, but the quality of energy changes, and cannot be used as readily
• Biomass


  The dry weight of all organic matter contained in its organisms
• Pyramid of Energy Flow


  A pyramid that illustrates the amount of energy lost when it is transferred from trophic level to trophic level
• Gross Primary Productivity


  The rate at which the producers change solar energy into chemical energy for biomass
• Net Primary Productivity


  Rate at which biomass is stored (GPP) - Rate at which chemical energy stored as biomass is used
• Food Chain


  A food chain is a list of organisms that eat the organism that precedes it on the chain. Each member of a food chain is usually on a different trophic level. It is a good display of how energy is transferred through various animals
• Food Web


  A food web is a complex network of food chains. They have many different organisms, and are connected to one another through a common organism. Trophic levels can also be assigned to food webs
• Types of Biodiversity


  • Genetic Diversity: A difference in the genetic makeup of a particular individuals in specific species
  • Species Diversity: A variety among the species or types of living organisms found in different habitats around the earth
  • Ecological Diversity: A number of different forests, deserts, grasslands, streams, lakes, oceans, coral reefs, wetlands, and other biological communities
  • Functional Diversity: Chemical or biological functions that are needed for organisms to survive. These include energy flow and matter recycling
• There are many risks to biodiversity. One of the main risk is the loss of habit, which is causing extinctions. Many studies show that one out of every eight known plant species is threatened with extinction. Many estimates place the number around 140,000 plants a year
• One major threat to biodiversity is the easy types of travel. Many animals that have diversified through the years are now coming in contact with each other by riding a boat overseas, or being brought as a pet across the country. This is causing less and less genetic biodiversity, and the risk of these animals becoming extinct grow rapidly
• Natural Selection


  Natural selection is the process where some individuals of a specific population have genetically based traits that increase their chances of survival and their ability to produce offspring
• Three necessary conditions for natural selection


  • Variability: There must be a variety of the trait that is to change already available in the population
  • Heritable: The trait must be able to be passed down from generation to generation
  • Differential Reproduction: The trait must help the organisms to somehow increase its ability to reproduce more rapidly, or create more offspring
• Peppered Moth


  One of the most famous examples of natural selection through microevolution is the peppered moth in England. This moth has camouflaged into two different appearances. One moth is white, to blend in with white lichen that grows on trees in their native habitat, white the dark colored moth blends into the dark colored bark
• Galapagos Finches


  These finches are also known as Darwin's Finches. They are found on the Galapagos Islands, and they have evolved drastically. They difference that they have encountered are the shapes of their beaks. Depending on what type of food and flower they are around, the finches have different types of beaks to allow them to reach into the stem of the flower they eat from
• Primary Succession


  The first sign of life moving into lifeless ground. Pioneer species
• Secondary Succession


  When some life is present on the ground. Larger plants begin to move into the area, these plants are slower growing, but have more resistance
• Carbon Cycle


  Based on CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon cycles from all living things either into the earth, or into the bottom of the ocean. After enough heat and pressure, the carbon transforms into fossil fuels that contain carbon. When these fossil fuels are extracted and burnt, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere. The carbon cycle is a very long-term, and slow cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle


  • Nitrogen Fixation - Bacteria convert N2 gas into ammonia that can be used by plants
  • Nitrification - Most of the ammonia is converted to nitrite ions (toxic to plants) and nitrates (taken up by plants)
  • Assimilation - Plant roots take up ammonia and nitrate ions to make nitrogen-containing organic molecules like DNA, amino acids, and proteins
  • Ammonification - Bacteria converts the organic matter that contains nitrogen into simpler compounds of ammonia and salts containing ammonia ions
  • Denitrification - Bacteria converts the nitrogen and nitrogen containing salts into nitrite and nitrate ions, and then into nitrogen gas and nitrous oxide gas
• Age Structure Diagrams


  A diagram showing the proportion of the population of each sex at each age level. They show either both percentages or number of a specific gender at each age group
• Types of Population Growth Patterns


  • Rapid Growth - Rapid growth is seen when a very high percentage of the population are newborns. The population is increasing exponentially, and very rapidly
  • Slow Growth - This growth pattern has a population that is spread how a slowly growing country's population should. The highest percentage is the youngest, but not by very much
  • Zero Growth - This pattern shows no growth happening at all. The percentage of the population is almost equally spread out through the whole population
  • Negative Growth - Negative growth shows a lower percentage of the population in the young than in the old. This is a very bad sign for countries because their future in uncertain
• Biotic Potential


  A population's capacity for growth. The maximum rate of growth if there are no limitations on the population
• Environmental Resistance


  All the factors acting together to limit the growth of a population
• Carrying Capacity


  The biotic potential and the environmental resistance combined. The carrying capacity is the number of individuals a of a particular species that can live in a set area
• Isle Royal National Park is one of the most famous study sites of carrying capacity and predator prey relations. This is a closed park to dogs in order keep the death variables low. In the park, there are usually 25 wolves, and 1000 moose, but the numbers change every year. This is used to study how the carrying capacity changes based on the amount of a certain species
• When Easter Island was first inhabited 1000 years ago, the island had plentiful natural resources, and only 100 humans living there. Some time later, the island was reported of having 3000 inhabitants, and very few natural resources. Because the carrying capacity was lower than 3000 people, the population dropped rapidly because of disease, cannibalisms, and invasive species. By 1877 the island only had only 110 inhabitants
• Population greatly effects the culture of many different societies. On example of this is the One Child policy in China. Because of the quickly growing population in China, most families are only allowed to have one child per household. This is an attempt to slow the birth rate so that it does not become too much higher than the death rate
• The main issue with human population is the population is growing exponentially. Because of advancements in human rights, medical technology, and other factors, the population is growing at a very fast rate. It is predicted to double again in around fifty years
• Parents are abandoning their girls on the sides of roads, in trash cans, and many other horrific types of murder. The death rate of girls has increased dramatically. The ration of boys to girls has also increased rapidly. This is going to cause many problems when these children are trying to find someone to marry.
• Economic effects of rapid population growth


  • Increased cost of buying real estate
  • If population crashes, supply of products will be high but demand low, causing companies to lose profits and go bankrupt
• The main issue with human population is the population is growing exponentially. Because of advancements in human rights, medical technology, and standard of living, the population in the past 1000 years has increased more rapidly than ever before.
• Doubling Time


  1. Divide 70 by the percentage growth rate

  2. The growth rate of the world is currently approximately 1.14%, so the doubling time is 61.4 years

  3. The earth's growth rate was highest in the 1960's at 2%, with a doubling time of approximately 35 years
• The undeveloped nations are suffering the worst from over population. The medical care and the facilities available are not sufficient to sustain the current population.
• Systems humans have depended on for food


  • Croplands
  • Rangelands
  • Oceanic Fisheries