Bio 106 Ecology Questions and Answers Already Passed

Bio 106 Ecology Questions and Answers Already Passed What is a "community"? A group of many species organized by interactions What interactions structure the community? Mutualism, Consumption, Competition Who gets harmed, who benefits in each type of interaction? Mutualism- both benefit Consumption- one species benefits, other is harmed Competition- both species harmed, one more than the other How do these interactions create an interdependence underlying community structure? Help structure the community What is a niche? Area the species occupies What is the difference between fundamental vs. realized niches? Fundamental niche- All resources and interactions under ideal conditions Realized niche- Restricted due to compeition Distinguish between these special roles that species can play -Dominant vs. Keystone species Dominant- most common species Keystone- plays surprisingly important role given its low abundance What are the trophic levels in a food chain/web? Primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, quaternary consumer What resources are transferred from one trophic level to the next? energy and nutrients Which nutrients can be limiting factors for a community? C N P Describe the role of predation in community dynamics and evolutionary outcomes including: Predation-avoidance adaptations including camouflage, toxicity+warning coloration, Batesian mimicry, masquerade Camouflage- Blending into surroundings Toxicity/warning coloration- Warning predators of bad effects if eaten Batesian Mimicry- Mimicking a species with bad effects Masquerade- Look like inedible objects Describe the main sequence of events in the traditional model of primary succession Producers are the foundation, consumers arrive as resources become available, species compete What are the mechanisms by which soil formation occurs? Mosses and lichens break down rock and release nutrients into the soil What is the role of mosses and lichens in the traditional model? Break down rocks for nutrients What are the mechanisms by which soil formation occurs? What factors increase nutrients in the developing soil? Exposed bare rock, grasses and herbs, fast growing trees, slow growing trees What is "facilitation" and how does it play out over time? Facilitation is when a species interaction benefits at least one species and harms neither, mutualism What is "degradative succession"? A succession that occurs on dead organic matter over a relatively short time (detritovores) How can insects be used to determine the post-mortem interval of a corpse? Measuring their level of maturation