Biol 121 notes

Ecology
Characteristics of a good pioneer species:

good dispersers
can survive extreme abiotic conditions
produce lots of offspring
grow and mature quickly

Abiotic and biotic factors:

Abiotic factors are more important in earlier succession - because pioneered species can moderate a

hostile environment
Biotic are more important in later communities - because species prominent here are usually better
competitors

Fundamental niche the resources used or conditions tolerated in the absence of competitors
Realized niche the resources used or conditioned tolerated when competition does occur
Competitive exclusion principle the claim that it is not possible for species with the exact same niche
(tolerances & resources) to coexist

Symbiosis:

Commensalism - type of relationship where one of the organisms benefits greatly from the symbiosis. The
other is not helped but is not harmed or damaged from the relationship. EX: a bird living in a tree
Parasitism - one organism benefits from the relationship but at the expense of the other. The organism may
live inside the others body or on its surface. EX: Tapeworms: do more damage to their hosts because they
eat partially digested food and that deprives the host of some food and nourishment.
Mutualism - a close relationship where both parties benefit. Both species will benefit from the relationship
and many of these relationships are long-lasting. EX: Humans and microorganisms. Humans have a
mutualistic relationship with microorganisms, primarily bacteria, in their digestive tract.

Disturbances events which removes some individuals or biomass from a community this then alters
some aspects of resource availability for other organisms which depend on these organisms.
Pulse (short-term disturbances) wind storms, floods, fires, new species arrival, disease epidemics
Press (long-term disturbances) climate shift, extinction, mountain building, change in river channels,
continental movement
Human disturbances deforestation, surface mining, commercial agriculture
Primary succession occurs when a disturbance removes the soil and its organism, as well as organisms
living above the surface
Secondary succession occurs when a disturbance removes some or all of the organisms from an area,
but leaves the soil intact.

Population
Calculate rate of increase of a population:
r = birth rate death rate

Exponential Growth Equation:

G = rN
G is population growth per unit time
r is net rate of increase
N is population size
When population density gets very high, birth rate should decrease and death rate increase, causing r to
decline. This type of growth is density dependent.
Carrying Capacity (K) - maximum number of individuals that can be sustained in a particular habitat
Logistic growth occurs when population size is limited by carrying capacity.
Logistic growth is dependent on population size. Density dependence: Growth rate slows at high density.

Sociality can be considered an adaptation to the environment. When the environment is harsh, if some
individuals stay at home and help care for offspring, they would survive and pass on their genes (and traits).

Therefore, individuals that do not disperse will be selected for and overtime leading to permanent groupliving as an adaptation to the environment.

Sometimes not dispersing is better because an individual doesnt have to risk predators, look for a new
territory, or worry about finding a mating partner.

Social species are usually found in harsh or unpredictable environments and at lower latitudes and lower
elevation.

Benefits of sociality:

Easy to capture larger prey because you are in a group rather than on your own
There is a smaller chance for you to be eaten because theres many of you in your group
You will make a larger structured home for your group and that is harder to be damaged compared
to a small place of habitat built for your own use

Limiting factors: sunlight, water, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are needed for plants to grow.
Plants compete for these limiting factors.
Ecosystems need large amounts of producers to sustain large amounts of consumers especially secondary or
tertiary consumers, like bears for example.

Genetics
Factors to consider in pedigrees:

Autosomal not on a sex chromosome

Sex Linkage located on one of the sex chromosomes

Dominant - the trait is expressed in every generation.

Recessive - expression of the trait may skip generations.

X-linked recessive
-

Females often carriers, more males affected

Does not pass from father to son
Affected female = all sons will be affected

X-linked dominant
-

More females than males

Affected father all daughters will be affected, but none of the sons

Other clues:
-

If a trait skips no generations Dominant

If the trait is not seen in parents, but is seen in their children (at least one) Recessive
Unequal sex ratio Sex linked (on X chromosome)
If more males than females affected X-linked recessive
If more females than males affected X-linked dominant

Five conditions to allow for the Hardy-Weinberg principle:

1.

The population is large enough that chance events will not alter allele frequencies.

2.

Mates are chosen on a random basis.

3.

There are no net mutations.

4.

There is no migration.

5.

There is no natural selection against any of the phenotypes.