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ECOL111 EXAM Questions and Answers (100%
Correct Answers) Already Graded A+
Evapotranspiration— Ans: The process by which water moves from the
earth to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration from plants.
Aridity Index (AI)— Ans: The ratio of precipitation and potential
evapotranspiration (AI = precipitation/potential evapotranspiration). The
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smaller the number, the greater the aridity.
Why are drylands important for carbon storage?— Ans: They are
extensive, stable, and able to sequester large amounts of carbon for a
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long time.
What are the four major constituents of water potential?— Ans: Osmotic
potential, turgor potential, gravitational potential, metric potential.
Osmotic Potential— Ans: Energy associated with dissolved solutes - salt
water has a lower potential than fresh water.
Turgor Potential— Ans: Energy associated with the exertion of pressure -
water moves from high pressure to low pressure.
Gravitational Potential— Ans: Energy associated with gravity - water
flows downslope.
Matric Potential— Ans: Energy associated with attractive forces
between molecules - e.g surface tension, capillary action, soil-bound
water.
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Niche differentiation— Ans: Differentiation in multiple niche dimensions is
what allows species to coexist given competitive exclusion.
Competitive exclusion— Ans: If two species occupy the same niche,
one will be better at exploiting the most limiting resource and eventually
exclude the other.
Water potential— Ans: the potential energy of water per unit volume
relative to pure water.
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Hydrological niche example— Ans: Cape Flora, SA. Water availability for
plants is linked to soil drainage as well as bioclimatic factors.
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Plant family Restionacaeae— Ans: Close link between precipitation and
species distribution.
Facilitation— Ans: The balance between the positive and negative
effects in close proximity determines net outcome of species
interactions.
Facilitation in the drylands - example— Ans: Nurse Plants - fertile area
under the Nurse Plant allows smaller low to the ground plants to survive.
Why do animals have more potential for water loss than plants?— Ans:
Physiology - animals have specialised organs for gas exchange,
ingestion and digestion, circulation and excretion.
Resistance— Ans: A force that impedes water movement. Barriers to
water movement include skin and waxy cuticles. The highest resistance is
found in terrestrial arthropods.
1
ECOL111 EXAM Questions and Answers (100%
Correct Answers) Already Graded A+
Evapotranspiration— Ans: The process by which water moves from the
earth to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration from plants.
Aridity Index (AI)— Ans: The ratio of precipitation and potential
evapotranspiration (AI = precipitation/potential evapotranspiration). The
© 2026 Assignment Expert
smaller the number, the greater the aridity.
Why are drylands important for carbon storage?— Ans: They are
extensive, stable, and able to sequester large amounts of carbon for a
Guru01 - Stuvia
long time.
What are the four major constituents of water potential?— Ans: Osmotic
potential, turgor potential, gravitational potential, metric potential.
Osmotic Potential— Ans: Energy associated with dissolved solutes - salt
water has a lower potential than fresh water.
Turgor Potential— Ans: Energy associated with the exertion of pressure -
water moves from high pressure to low pressure.
Gravitational Potential— Ans: Energy associated with gravity - water
flows downslope.
Matric Potential— Ans: Energy associated with attractive forces
between molecules - e.g surface tension, capillary action, soil-bound
water.
, For Expert help and assignment handling,
2
Niche differentiation— Ans: Differentiation in multiple niche dimensions is
what allows species to coexist given competitive exclusion.
Competitive exclusion— Ans: If two species occupy the same niche,
one will be better at exploiting the most limiting resource and eventually
exclude the other.
Water potential— Ans: the potential energy of water per unit volume
relative to pure water.
© 2026 Assignment Expert
Hydrological niche example— Ans: Cape Flora, SA. Water availability for
plants is linked to soil drainage as well as bioclimatic factors.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Plant family Restionacaeae— Ans: Close link between precipitation and
species distribution.
Facilitation— Ans: The balance between the positive and negative
effects in close proximity determines net outcome of species
interactions.
Facilitation in the drylands - example— Ans: Nurse Plants - fertile area
under the Nurse Plant allows smaller low to the ground plants to survive.
Why do animals have more potential for water loss than plants?— Ans:
Physiology - animals have specialised organs for gas exchange,
ingestion and digestion, circulation and excretion.
Resistance— Ans: A force that impedes water movement. Barriers to
water movement include skin and waxy cuticles. The highest resistance is
found in terrestrial arthropods.
