All Flashcards
What is the effect of increased sea urchin populations on kelp forests?
Increased sea urchin populations lead to the destruction of kelp forests, impacting other species.
How can the removal of a keystone predator affect an ecosystem?
It can lead to a trophic cascade, causing significant changes in the populations of other species.
What is the effect of competition on species evolution?
Natural selection favors species that are better at accessing resources, leading to evolutionary changes.
How do elephants modify their environment?
Elephants create watering holes and clear vegetation, helping other species.
What are the consequences of climate change on ecosystems?
Climate change can alter ecosystem stability and resilience, leading to shifts in species distribution and abundance.
What is the significance of species relationships in an ecosystem?
Species relationships (predation, symbiosis, competition) shape community structure and influence population dynamics.
Explain the concept of resource partitioning.
Species divide limited resources to coexist, reducing competition and allowing for greater biodiversity.
What happens when niches overlap too much?
Competition intensifies between species.
Why are keystone species important?
They maintain ecosystem structure and function; their removal can cause dramatic changes.
How do ecosystem engineers impact their environment?
They create or modify habitats, benefiting other species and influencing ecosystem dynamics.
Describe predator-prey relationships.
Predators control prey populations; prey develop defenses, driving evolutionary arms race.
How can the loss of a keystone species affect an ecosystem?
It can cause a domino effect, dramatically changing the ecosystem's structure and function.
What is the role of evolution in competition?
Natural selection favors species better at accessing resources, leading to adaptation and specialization.
Describe the difference between a keystone species and a dominant species.
Keystone species have a disproportionately large impact, regardless of population size, while dominant species are abundant.
Explain how ecosystems are dynamic.
Ecosystems are always changing due to interactions between biotic and abiotic factors.
Define ecosystem.
A specific place where living (biotic) things interact with non-living (abiotic) things.
Define biotic.
Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and bacteria.
Define abiotic.
Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as rocks, soil, air, and water.
Define biosphere.
All the ecosystems combined on Earth.
Define terrestrial ecosystem.
Land-based ecosystems, such as forests and grasslands.
Define aquatic ecosystem.
Water-based ecosystems, such as oceans and lakes.
Define niche.
The role a species plays in its ecosystem.
Define keystone species.
A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem, relative to its abundance.
Define ecosystem engineers.
Keystone species that create or modify habitats.
Define resource partitioning.
Species divide resources to coexist.