Ecology. Lectures, control works for students

What is Ecology?

Why do communities differ in their number of species?

What are the implications this has for humans using the ocean for food?

Many studies in eastern North America have found that forest fragmentation reduces bird breeding success, but a similar study of fragmented populations in western North America found the opposite result, with birds in fragments having higher breeding success. Discuss some reasons why fragmentation might benefit some birds and disadvantage other species.

Species richness varies between different areas at both regional and global scales. Outline four explanations for variation in species richness between different communities.

Fire has a prominent influence on the Australian vegetation. Discuss how fire influences reproduction of plants in temperate Australian plant communities.

Compare and contrast the equilibrial and nonequilibrial models of community dynamics.

Why is ocean productivity so low?

You are proposing to sustainably harvest a population of wallabies in a bushland. Through a mark recapture study over two years you have estimated population size and determined a static life table. This data has been used to established a long-term harvest quota in the bushland. What are the problems with setting a harvest quota based on the results of your study.

You are studying a rare lizard species that occurs on granite outcrops in the wheat belt. What information would you need to know to determine whether this species was distributed as a metapopulation or not? If it does or does not occur as a metapopulation how might this effect consideration of its management?

Species are often in competition with each other. What factors would your need to demonstrate to conclude that competition is occurring between two species? Why is demonstrating competition between two species in the wild so difficult?

The Department of Agriculture is proposing to introduce a host-specific seed-feeding beetle into Australia to control a noxious weed. What factors might limit the distribution of the species in Australia? How might you predict its potential geographical range in Australia?

You have observed a bird feeding on ticks on the back of a large herbivore. You suspect that this might be an example of a symbiotic relationship. What type of symbiosis might this be and what experiment would you conduct to confirm the nature of the relationship?

You have observed a shrub always growing in association with a species of Hakea. You have also observed the Hakea growing alone. You suspect this might be an example of a symbiotic relationship. What type of symbiotic relationship might this be and what experiment would you conduct to confirm the nature of the relationship?

The autochthonous biogeographic element of the Australian biota and how it arrived in Australia

What general theory concerning the distribution of continents on the earth influenced biogeographic ideas after the 1960s and how do the predictions from that theory influence how we view the distributions of biota on the continents?

Outline the different attributes of serotinous and soil-stored seedbanks and how the regeneration of vegetation might differ between a site affected by drought and one affected by fire.

Compare and contrast the equilibrial and nonequilibrial models of community dynamics.

Describe the nutrient cycles for a forest ecosystem. Note where microbes could be important and how might they enhance nutrient uptake by plants?

Species richness varies between different areas at both regional and global scales. Outline three explanations for variation in species richness between different communities.

The Department of Agriculture is proposing to introduce a host-specific seed-feeding beetle into Australia to control a noxious weed. What factors might limit the distribution of the beetle in Australia? How might you predict its potential geographical range in Australia?

Describe the exponential and logistic models of population growth and outline the key assumptions of these models.

Describe the concept of sustainable harvest and whether this is possible to achieve. Illustrate your answer with one or two examples from terrestrial or marine systems.

Outline the key findings from one of your practical field projects in Ecology and their ecological significance. In your response, refer to the use and application of important principles covered in the Unit, including experimental design, data exploration and analyses.

What method is used to increase experimental reliability?

An ultimate hypothesis

There are many examples in nature of cooperation among organisms, such as the bacteria that inhabit the root nodules of leguminous plants. Partnerships between organisms that live in close association are called

What pair of species would you expect to be commensalistic?

Which evolved first?

Which consumes decomposing organic matter?

Hyphae are structures found in

The range of biotic and abiotic conditions a species can tolerate is its

A mixotroph is an organism that

The relationship between a burdock plant and a fox is

Which interaction is characterized by negative effects for both species?

Organisms that use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are

Blue-green algae are

Eukaryotic organisms are distinguished by their

At what ecological level does evolution occur?

To maintain a dynamic steady state in a community, which two factors must balance?

A phenotype is

How can species interactions increase the rate at which species evolve?

In a dynamic steady state

The first law of thermodynamics states that

An ecologist who studies populations would most likely be interested in

Which of the following systems is composed of assemblages of organisms together with their physical and chemical environments?

The word ecology is derived from the Greek oikos, which means

Which is the correct hierarchy of ecological systems, starting at the most general?

The boundaries of communities are

Who gave the word ecology its current broad meaning?

A group of organisms that interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring is called

Which level of ecological hierarchy includes the movement of water and air?

Which of the following is NOT a property used in the study of populations?

Which ecological level would be of most interest to an ecologist studying adaptations?

The attraction between water molecules causes

Which soil has the largest particles?

Salinization

In which soil would the percent water be the highest at the wilting point?

The potential energy generated by the attractive forces between water molecules and soil particles is

What soil would you expect to have the highest field capacity?

At what water potential does wilting begin to occur?

Which is NOT a nutrient that plants obtain from the soil?

The field capacity of the soil is