1. Community ecology focuses on the interactions and relationships among different species living in a shared environment.
  2. A community is a group of different species living together and interacting within a defined area.
  3. Succession refers to the natural and gradual process of change in species composition in a community over time.
  4. Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas where no soil exists initially, such as after a volcanic eruption.
  5. Secondary succession occurs in areas where a community previously existed but was disturbed, leaving the soil intact.
  6. Pioneer species are the first organisms to colonize an area during succession, such as lichens and mosses in primary succession.
  7. The climax community is a stable and mature ecosystem that develops at the end of the succession process.
  8. Seral stages are the intermediate stages of succession leading to the climax community.
  9. Succession is influenced by factors like climate, soil, and disturbances.
  10. Interactions in a community can be classified as positive (e.g., mutualism), negative (e.g., predation), or neutral.
  11. Predation is an interaction where one organism (predator) feeds on another (prey).
  12. Predators play a key role in maintaining ecological balance by regulating prey populations.
  13. Prey adaptations include camouflage, mimicry, and defensive behaviors to avoid predation.
  14. Competition occurs when two or more species compete for the same limited resources, such as food or habitat.
  15. Intraspecific competition occurs among members of the same species, while interspecific competition occurs between different species.
  16. The competitive exclusion principle states that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely.
  17. Resource partitioning allows species to coexist by utilizing different aspects of a shared resource.
  18. Mutualism is a positive interaction where both species benefit, such as pollinators and flowering plants.
  19. Commensalism is an interaction where one species benefits, and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
  20. Parasitism involves one organism (parasite) benefiting at the expense of another (host).
  21. Keystone species have a disproportionate effect on community structure, maintaining ecological balance.
  22. Species richness refers to the number of different species in a community, while species evenness measures the relative abundance of species.
  23. Community stability depends on factors like diversity, interactions, and resilience to disturbances.
  24. Ecological disturbances such as fires, floods, and human activities can alter community structure.
  25. Edge effects occur at the boundaries between different habitats, influencing species diversity and interactions.
  26. Indicator species provide information about the health of an ecosystem through their presence or absence.
  27. Ecological niches define the role and position of a species within its environment.
  28. Communities are dynamic and change over time due to natural succession and disturbances.
  29. The study of community ecology helps in biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management.
  30. Symbiosis includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism, highlighting interdependence among species.
  31. Human activities such as deforestation and pollution disrupt community dynamics.
  32. Trophic interactions define the feeding relationships within a community, forming food chains and food webs.
  33. Top-down control occurs when predators regulate the population of herbivores, affecting vegetation levels.
  34. Bottom-up control involves resource availability determining the structure of a community.
  35. Communities with high biodiversity are generally more stable and resilient to environmental changes.
  36. Succession leads to soil development and increased nutrient availability in primary succession.
  37. Facilitation occurs when early species modify the environment, making it suitable for later species.
  38. Succession can be disrupted by invasive species, which alter community composition.
  39. Understanding community ecology aids in restoration ecology and habitat management.
  40. Functional diversity refers to the range of functions performed by species within a community.
  41. Community interactions influence ecosystem services like pollination, water purification, and nutrient cycling.
  42. Species interactions drive natural selection, leading to adaptations and evolutionary changes.
  43. Disturbance regimes, such as fire cycles, shape community composition and succession patterns.

Category

Questions

  1. What is ecological succession?
  2. What type of succession occurs in areas with no previous life?
  3. What type of succession follows a disturbance in an existing community?
  4. What is the final, stable stage of succession called?
  5. Which of these is an example of a pioneer species in primary succession?
  6. What is the relationship between predator and prey called?
  7. Which interaction occurs when two species compete for the same resource?
  8. What is the interaction called when one species benefits and the other is unaffected?
  9. In which type of interaction do both species benefit?
  10. What type of succession occurs on abandoned farmland?
  11. Which is the correct order of stages in primary succession?
  12. What is the role of keystone species in a community?
  13. Which process involves the gradual replacement of one community by another?
  14. What is the term for an organism's role in its ecosystem?
  15. What happens during secondary succession compared to primary succession?
  16. What type of succession occurs after a volcanic eruption?
  17. What type of ecological interaction is parasitism?
  18. What is the primary factor driving succession?
  19. What is retrogressive succession?
  20. What role do pioneer species play in primary succession?
  21. What type of interaction exists between a lion and a gazelle?
  22. Which type of community is more resilient to disturbances?
  23. Which is an example of mutualism?
  24. What is the term for a species that shapes an ecosystem disproportionately to its abundance?
  25. Which interaction involves one organism being harmed without directly benefiting another?
  26. What occurs during the intermediate stage of succession?
  27. What is the relationship where species compete for light in a forest?
  28. What term describes the first species to colonize a disturbed area?
  29. Which is an example of secondary succession?
  30. What is the primary characteristic of climax communities?
  31. Which interaction is considered neutralism?
  32. What type of community interaction is exemplified by lichens?
  33. What kind of succession is caused by human activities like farming?
  34. What type of succession takes the longest time to reach a climax community?