Understanding Ecological Concepts & Biological Interactions in Nature

1. Semester 1 Review Chapter 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7

2. Symbiotic Relationships • Mutualism • When both benefit • Commensalism • When one benefits, other is not helped or harmed • Parasitism • When on benefits, other is harmed

3. Habitat vs. Niche • Habitat – is where an organism lives • Niche – is an organisms role in the environment • Example: catfish feed on dead and decomposing matter at the bottom of a lake, this describes the catfishes niche in the environment.

4. Food Chain • Water plant – primary producer • Small fish – primary (1st level) consumer • Large fish – secondary (2nd level) consumer • Bird – tertiary (3rd level) consumer • Length – varies withthe ecosystem.

5. Biological Hierarchy • Organism • Population • Community • Ecosystem • Biome • Biosphere • Example – A population of bears.

6. Energy Pyramid • Snakes are at the top of the pyramid • Thus, there are the least amount of them

7. Abiotic vs. Biotic • Abiotic – Nonliving factors • Rain, temperature, wind, soil • Biotic – Living factors • Availability of food, predators

8. Biochemical Cycles • Nitrogen, Phosphorous& Carbon • They are all dependent on biotic factors • Water Cycle • Least dependent on biotic factors.

9. Biochemical Cycles • Nitrogen & Phosphorous Cycle • Nitrogen and Phosphorous are added into the soil by decomposing matter (dead plants/Manure)

10. Range of Tolerance • Organisms prefer the center of the graph • Correct pH (not too alkaline or too acidic) • The center has the greatest diversity (best conditions)

11. Primary Succession • Starts from nothing (rock) • Pioneer Species – Lichens (moss like species)

12. Secondary Succession • Happens after a natural disaster • Forrest fire, hurricane… • Soil is already in place

13. Growth Rate • Growth of a plant only increases with watering to a certain point. • Too much water can be damaging

14. Biodiversity • Lake shore – most biodiversity • Lake bottom – least biodiversity (decomposers)

15. Variation of Climate • The angle that the sunlight hits the Earth is the primary reason for differences in climates around the World.

16. Temperature Decrease • When Altitude Increases – Temp ↓ • When Latitude Increases – Temp ↓

17. Population Characteristics • Density • Distribution • Growth Rate • Populations are classified by the above characteristics.

18. Population Spatial Distribution • Is not affected by the populations carrying capacity. • Where is an organism going to live? • Resources (food/shelter) • Abiotic (rain) • Predators/Parasites

19. Population Density • On 500,000 acres of forest area lives • 50 bison • 3,000 fox • 20,000 moles • Moles have the highest population density because there are the most of them per area of land.

20. Dispersion Patters • Random – wind blowing seeds • Clumped – grove of trees • Uniform – farm crops

21. Immigration vs. Emigration • Immigrations in when an organism moves into a population • Emigration is when an organism moves out of a population. • A female chimp is taken into a new population by a male, her original population experiences emigration.

22. Population Growth Rate • How many are born (birthrate = natality) • How many die (deathrate – mortality) • How many move away (emigrate) • How many move into (immigrate)

23. r-strategist vs. k-strategist • r-strategist • Small organisms, have many offspring • Short lifespan • Live in fluctuating environments • k-strategist • Larger organisms, few offspring • Longer lifespan • Spend more time caring for offspring

24. Human Growth Rate • Exponential Growth correlates with the start of the Industrial Revolution.

25. Recourses • Populations that use the most resources are also the most industrial developed countries. • Example the United States, Western Europe, Australia

26. Elements vs. Compounds • Element – Carbon C • Compound – Carbon dioxide CO2

27. Atoms • In the Nucleus • Protons – Positively Charged Particles • Neutron – Neutral Charged Particles • Outside the Nucleus • Electrons – Negatively Charged Particles

28. Isotopes • An Isotope is a version on an element with more or less neutron • THUS, the mass is higher or lower than the original version of the element.

29. Ionic vs. Covalent • Ionic • Metal & Nonmetal • Gaining & losing Electrons • NaCl, CaOH • Covalent • Nonmetal & Nonmetal • Sharing Electrons • HCL, H2O

30. Chemical Reaction • Chemical Rxn • Example – Iron rusting • Physical Property Change • Ice melting • Water evaporating • Sugar dissolving in water

31. Enzymes • An Enzyme will decreases the activation energy necessary to initiate the chemical change.

32. Solution • A Homogenous mixture with uniform composition throughout. • Solute • Solvent • Example - Seawater

33. Macromolecules • Carbohydrates – Energy Storage • Proteins • Lipids • Nucleic Acids – DNA / Genetic Information

34. PhospholipidBilayer • Polar (head) likes water • Nonpolar (tail) dislikes water

35. Early Microscopes • Were able to view tiny things • Tiny organisms • Cells (not their parts)

36. Scanning Electron Microscope • 3 – D Images

37. Fundamental Cell Theory • All Living organisms are made up of Cells

38. Bacteria Cells • Are Prokaryotic • Have No Nucleus • Are usually smaller

39. All Cells vs. Eukaryotic Cells • All Cells Have: • Cell membrane • DNA (DNA like material – chromosomes) • Eukaryotic Cells Have: • Membrane bound Organelles • NUCLEUS

40. Plasma Membrane • Carbohydrate Chain helps identify chemical signals outside the cell.

41. Organelles • Mitochondria – Converts sugars in the body/cell into usable energy • This is why muscle cells need more of them than skin cells.

42. Plant Cells • Chloroplasts • Vacuoles • Cell Wall

43. Animal Cells • Lysosomes – “clean-up crew”