Chapter 6 RAD Guide

1. Chapter 6 RAD Guide October 25, 2010

2. Provide an example of a predator & a prey. • Predator: lion, coyote • Prey: zebra, sheep

3. What’s the connection between population sizes of predators & their prey? • Large population of prey can support more predators • If prey population grows or shrinks, affects predator population

4. What’s the relationship between a parasite & it’s host? How are populations similar? • Parasite depends on host for food and “shelter” • Large host population can support more parasites (thrive in crowded host population)

5. Describe each type of symbiotic relationship & give example of each. • Parasitism: one organism feeds off another • Example: tapeworm and human • Commensalism: benefits one species and does not harm or help the other • Example: barnacle on a whale • Mutualism: both species benefit • Example: flower and insect

6. VOCABULARY • Predator: • Prey: • Parasitism: • Symbiosis: any relationship in which two species live closely together See notes above for definition!

7. Describe primary succession. • Sequence of communities forming in an originally lifeless habitat 1 2 3 Bare rock  Lichens  Soil  6 4 5 Grasses Trees w/shallow roots  Hardwood Forest (ex. Pine Trees)

8. How is a pioneer community different than a climax community? • Pioneer community is the first community to colonize a new area • Climax community is a final community that does not undergo succession

9. Describe secondary succession. • Succession occurs where a disturbance eliminates most organisms but does NOT destroy the soil • Like steps 4-6 in primary succession 6 4 5 Grasses Trees w/shallow roots  Hardwood Forest (ex. Pine Trees)

10. Contrast primary & secondary succession. • Primary succession occurs in environment that’s very low in nutrients • Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance destroys community, but leaves the soil unharmed

11. What’s the sequence of ecological succession in a lake? (1)Reeds/water plants grow near shore (2)Starts to fill with sediment  (3)Water plants grow on surface  (4)Full of sediment  (5)Marsh  (6)Land plants  (7)Meadow …. (8) Forest

12. What is the sequence of ecological succession on an island? • Bare island  … • similar to primary succession on land, but species must come from ancestors carried by: • Water • Wind • Other organisms because island surrounded by water

13. Explain the concept of ecosystem stability. • Ecosystems exist in a state of equilibrium. If an event causes changes, the ecosystem will balance itself back out. • Some disruptions destroy whole ecosystems however.

14. How is stability measured in an ecosystem? • Measured by a pattern of energy flow and nutrient cycling • Evolutionary, food-web, and abiotic environmental changes vs.

15. What factors contribute to the stability of the ecosystem? • Abiotic and biotic factors • Community structure • More connections in a food web

16. What is chaos theory? • Chaos theory is one way to try to predict how changes in an ecosystem affect another part • Similar to Butterfly Effect

17. What is a biome? • Major type of ecosystem with distinctive temp, rainfall, and organisms

18. Name & describe 8 major land biomes. • Desert • >250mm rain per yr • 25o -40o N + S latitude • High temp during day • Cold at night • Tundra • >250mm rain per yr • 60o N and above latitude • Permafrost=frozen soil • Very cold yr round

19. Coniferous Forest (Taiga) • 300-500mm rain per yr • 45o -57o N latitudes • Cool summer, cold winter • Deciduous Forest • 600-2500mm rainfall per yr • 30o N-60o N latitude • Mild winter, warm summer

20. Grassland • 250-600mm rain per yr • 30o N – 50o N and 30o S – 40o S latitude • Wet, warm summer • Cold, dry winter • Chaparral (Shrubland) • 300-750mm rain per yr • 32o -40o N + S latitude • Dry fall, summer, spring • Wet winter

21. Savanna • 900-1500mm rain per yr • 10o N – 30o S latitude • Hot yr round • Wet and dry seasons • Rainforest • 2000-2500mm rain per yr • 20o N – 20o S latitude • Temp and humidity high year round