​ Define the key terms:

●​ Habitat: The natural environment where an organism lives

●​ Niche: The role or function of an organism within its habitat,
including its interactions with other organisms
●​ Resource: Any necessity for survival that an organism utilizes from
its environment (e.g., food, water, shelter)
●​ Competitive Exclusion Principle: A principle stating that two
species competing for the same resource cannot coexist at
constant population values; one will outcompete the other

5.1: How Populations Grow

Geographic Range - The area inhabited by a population

Growth Rate - The change in the population size over a certain amount of time.

●​ Scientists use 4 parameters to describe a population

Population size: The total number of individuals in a population (ex: a forest has 500
deers)

Population Density: The number of individuals per unit area or volume

Formula - Population Density = Population Size : Area or Volume

Population distribution: The spatial arrangement of individuals within an area

3 types:
-​ Clumped: 1 đàn
-​ Uniform: evenly distributed: chia đều giải rác
-​ Random: no pattern (ex: wildflower) mọc linh tinh

Age Structure: The distribution of individuals among different age groups

1. Expansive (Pyramid-Shaped)
Đáy càng to: high birth rate
Trên nhỏ: high death rate
Description: Broad base and narrow top, indicating a high proportion of young people.
Population Growth: Rapid growth due to high birth rates and often high death rates,
especially in older age groups.
Key Characteristics:
 ●​ High fertility rate.
●​ Lower life expectancy.
●​ Typical in developing countries.

2. Constrictive (Beehive-Shaped)

●​ Description: Narrow base, wider middle, and tapering top, indicating fewer
young people and a stable or declining population.
●​ Population Growth: Negative or stable, as birth rates fall below replacement
levels.
-​ Key Characteristics:
-​ Aging population.
-​ Low fertility rate.
-​ Longer life expectancy.

3. Stationary (Rectangular)

●​ Description: Roughly equal proportions across age groups up until old age,
indicating a stable population.
●​ Population Growth: Little to no growth, as birth rates and death rates are
balanced.

Key Characteristics:

●​ Balanced age groups.

●​ Moderate birth and death rates.
●​ Advanced healthcare and infrastructure.

Growth rate =0 means that the population is constant

Growth rate < 0 means that the population is decreasing
Growth rate > 0 means the population is growing

Population Calculation: growth rate = (Birth + Immigration) - (Death + Emigration)

Exponential Growth = J-shaped Curved (grow rapidly, full resources)

Logistic Growth: When a population’s growth slows and then stops, following a period of
exponential growth - S-shaped growth
At the beginning, it experiences rapid growth. But it starts to slow down because of the
competition. When it reaches to the carry capacity, it will stop

Carrying Capacity: the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that a

particular environment can support indefinitely.

5.2: Limits to Grow

Eutrophication:
The process where a body of water has excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)
leading to excessive growth of algae.

Consequences:
-​ Can disturb ecosystems and harm aquatic life.

Steps of Eutrophication:
1.​ Excess nutrients enter the water from fertilizers, industrial waste, detergent
2.​ The rapid growth of algal bloom on the water surface
3.​ Reduce light penetration => The thick algae layer blocks sunlight from reaching
underwater plants. Those plants die due to lack of photosynthesis
4.​ Decomposition => dead plants and algae are broken down by bacteria. This
process consumes large amounts of oxygen under the water
5.​ Low oxygen level creates a dead zone, where aquatic life can’t survive. Fish died
or migrate to area with more oxygen

The one A limiting factor is any condition or resource that restricts the size, growth, or
reproduction of a population in an ecosystem. It prevents populations from growing
indefinitely and helps maintain ecological balance.

2 types of limiting factors (important as the population density increase):

Density-dependent limiting factors:
-​ Competition: For food, water, or space.
-​ Predation: More prey means more predators, which can reduce prey population.
-​ Parasitism and Disease: Spread more easily in crowded populations.
-​ Stress from Overcrowding: Can lead to aggression, reduced reproduction, and
higher mortality.

:
Density-independent limiting factors
-​ Competition: For food, water, or space.
-​ Predation: More prey means more predators, which can reduce prey population.
-​ Parasitism and Disease: Spread more easily in crowded populations.
-​ Stress from Overcrowding: Can lead to aggression, reduced reproduction, and
higher mortality.

5.3: Human Population Growth

1. Historical Trends in Human Population Growth

●​ Human population growth has changed significantly over time:

○​ Early Humans: Slow growth due to high birth and death rates.
○​ Agricultural Revolution: Increased food production supported larger
populations.
○​ Industrial Revolution: Improvements in medicine, sanitation, and
technology led to lower death rates and rapid population growth.

2. Demographic Transition

●​ The demographic transition is a model that describes population changes over

time:
○​ Stage 1: High birth and death rates (population growth is slow or
stagnant).
○​ Stage 2: Death rates drop due to improved healthcare and sanitation; birth
rates remain high, leading to rapid growth.
○​ Stage 3: Birth rates decrease as economies develop and access to
education increases, leading to slower growth.
○​ Stage 4: Low birth and death rates stabilize the population.

6.1: Habitat, Niches, and Species Interactions

-​ Habitat: the area where an organism lives, including biotic and abiotic factors
-​ Microhabitat: small, specific part of a larger habitat, with its own set of environmental
conditions
-​ Microbiome: a collection of microorganisms (bacteria. Fungi) living specific environment
-​ Tolerance: refer to the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under a range of
environmental conditions like temperature, light, and humidity.
Tolerance Range:

●​ Every organism has an optimal range where it thrives best.

●​ Outside of this range, the organism experiences stress and reduced survival or
reproduction.
●​ If the conditions move beyond the organism's tolerance limits, it may die or fail to
reproduce.
-​ Niche: the role of an organism plays in its environment including it obtains resources,
interacts with others and survive. (example: like a person career)
-​ Competition: when an organism attempts to use the same limited ecological resources
in the same pace at the same time.
-​ Intraspecific: between members of the same species
-​ Interspecific: between members of different species.

Competitive exclusion principle: no 2 species can occupy the same niche in exactly the same
habitat and exactly the same times because eventually one will outcompete the other.

Dividing Resource: species may avoid competitive exclusion by sharing resources in an

arrangement known as niche partitioning.

Predator-Prey Dynamics: Predators help control prey populations, maintaining

ecosystem balance.

●​ Example: Wolves controlling deer populations in Yellowstone.

Herbivore-Plant Dynamics: Herbivores can shape plant communities by eating certain

plants and not others. Herbivores can determine the size, growth, distribution and
survival of the plants they consume.

●​ Example: Elephants in savannas prevent tree overgrowth by feeding on young

trees.

Predator and prey relationship: predator and prey can affect each other’s population

Keystone species: a keystone species plays a important and unique role in

maintaining structure, stability, and diversity in an ecosystem.

Symbiotic Relationships:
​ Commenalism: One species benefits, and the other is neither helped nor
harmed.
Mutualism: both benefits from their interactions
 Parasitism: One species benefits (the parasite), while the other is harmed (the
host)

6.2: Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Resilience

Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystems
Communities
Populations
Individuals

Ecological succession: a series of more-or-less predictable events that occur in a

community over time.

Community interactions play a role in ecological succession, the natural process by

which ecosystems change and develop over time.

●​ Primary Succession: Starts in barren areas without soil (e.g., volcanic rock).
●​ Secondary Succession: Occurs in areas where an ecosystem previously
existed but was disturbed (e.g., after a forest fire).

The first species to colonize barren areas of primary succession is pioneer species:
lichen, mosses, rocks, and grasses.
Pioneer species break down rock, make organic material and bein the act of soil
creation. This set the stage for larger plants and animals to move into the area
displacing the original species. This process would take hundreds of years for
there to be a full ecosystem.

Secondary Succesion - occurs following a disturbance of an existing community. Most

of the community is disrupted but soil still remains. The process for it to return back to
it’s original state takes 40+ years.

Pioneer Community: low-growing plants such as mosses, ferns, and lcihens begin to
colonize.
Seral Stage: fast growing grasses, small shrubs begin to take root, a thin layer of soil
develop.
Climax Community: at the end of succession, a fairly stable community that is
expected to remain until the next disturbance occurs. Patches of climax communities
may be in different stages of succession due to multiple disturbances.

Human-Caused Disturbance:
-​ Burning forest
-​ Deforestation
The community would not returns to be exactly like the community before it was
disrupted as there are some differences due to temperature and climate change.

6.3: Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Resilence:

3 types od Biodiversity:

Ecosystem Diversity: the variety of habitats communities, and ecological process

Species diversity: the variety of different species found in a specific area

Genetic Diversity: the variety of all the different forms of genes that are present with A
SPECIES

Importance of Biodiversity:

●​ Enhances ecosystem productivity.

●​ Supports food webs and nutrient cycling.
●​ Provides resources for medicine, food, and materials.

3. Resilience : khả năng phục hồi

●​ Definition: a natural or human systen’s ability to recover after a disturbance. The

more biodiversity an ecosystem has, the more resilient it is likely to be.

Factors Influencing Resilience:

●​ Biodiversity: Diverse ecosystems are more resilient because multiple species

can perform similar ecological roles

Ecosystem service and biodiversity:

 1. Ecosystem Services: Ecosystem services are the benefits humans obtain
from ecosystems. These services depend on biodiversity, which ensures
ecosystems function effectively and sustainably.

Types of Ecosystem Services:

1.​ Provisioning Services:

○​ Definition: Goods directly obtained from ecosystems.
○​ Examples:
■​ Food (crops, fish, wild game).
■​ Water (freshwater for drinking and irrigation).
■​ Raw materials (timber, fiber, oils).
■​ Medicines (plants for pharmaceuticals, fungi for antibiotics).

Regulating Services:

●​ Definition: Processes that regulate environmental conditions.

●​ Examples:
○​ Climate regulation (carbon storage by forests and oceans).
○​ Air and water purification (trees absorb pollutants, wetlands filter
water).
○​ Pollination (bees and butterflies pollinate crops).
○​ Pest and disease control (predators controlling pest species).

Supporting Services:

●​ Definition: Services necessary for the production of all other ecosystem

services.
●​ Examples:
○​ Soil formation and fertility.
○​ Nutrient cycling (decomposition of organic matter).
○​ photosynthesis by plants).

Cultural Services:

●​ Definition: Non-material benefits people obtain from nature.

●​ Examples:
○​ Recreation (hiking, birdwatching, ecotourism).
○​ Spiritual and aesthetic inspiration (sacred forests, scenic
landscapes).
○​ Educational and scientific opportunities (studying biodiversity).
 Biology U3 Ecology Part 2
“I can…” Statements
Ch 5 Populations & Ch 6 Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics
The following “I can…” statements are intended to help guide your preparation for the U3 summative test.
This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but it is intended to help you focus on major concepts from
chapters 5 and 6 of unit 3

Chapter 5 Populations

​ 1. **I can describe how ecologists study and describe populations** understanding the methods and
tools used to gather data on population size, distribution, and dynamics.

​ 2. **I can identify factors that affect population growth** recognizing both biotic and abiotic
influences such as resources, predation, disease, and environmental conditions.
​ 3. **I can explain what happens during exponential population growth** detailing how populations
can increase rapidly under ideal conditions when resources are abundant.
​
​ 4. **I can explain what happens during logistic growth** understanding how population growth
slows as it approaches carrying capacity due to limited resources.
​
​ 5. **I can compare and contrast exponential growth and logistic growth** identifying key differences
in their patterns and the factors that lead to each type of growth.
​
 ​ 6. **I can explain what determines carrying capacity** recognizing the maximum population size that
an environment can sustain based on resource availability and environmental conditions.
​
​ 7. **I can distinguish between density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors**
understanding how each type affects population size differently based on population density.
​
​ 8. **I can explain how limiting factors are related to extinction** discussing how resource limitations
can lead to decreased populations and potential extinction of species.
​
​ 9. **I can describe changes in human population over time** analyzing historical trends and
significant events that have influenced human population dynamics.
​
​ 10. **I can explain why population growth rates differ among countries** considering factors such as
economic development, healthcare access, and education.

Chapter 6 Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics

1. **I can identify the factors that determine and describe habitats and niches** understanding how
environmental conditions shape where organisms live and their roles in ecosystems.

2. **I can explain the role of competition in communities** discussing how competition for resources affects
species interactions and community structure.

3 **I can describe the effect of herbivory on communities** analyzing how herbivores influence plant
populations and overall ecosystem dynamics.

4. **I can explain the role of keystone species** recognizing their critical impact on maintaining the structure
of an ecological community despite their relatively low abundance.

5. **I can describe the three types of symbiotic relationships** identifying mutualism, commensalism, and
parasitism, along with examples of each.

6. **I can describe successional changes in communities over time** understanding the processes of primary
and secondary succession and their ecological significance.

7. **I can describe how communities recover following a disturbance** explaining the stages of recovery and
factors that influence resilience.

8. **I can distinguish among the types of biodiversity** including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity,
recognizing their importance to ecological health.

9. **I can explain the benefits of biodiversity** discussing how diverse ecosystems contribute to resilience,
stability, and human well-being.

10. **I can describe ecosystem services** identifying the essential benefits that ecosystems provide to
humans, such as clean air and water, pollination, food, medicine, lumber, and climate regulation.
Chapter 5: Populations

1.​ Study Methods: Know how ecologists collect data (e.g., sampling, tagging) and analyze
population trends.
2.​ Growth Influences: Understand biotic (e.g., food, predators) and abiotic (e.g.,
temperature, water) factors affecting populations.
3.​ Exponential Growth: Learn the "J-shaped curve" and conditions for rapid growth
(unlimited resources).
4.​ Logistic Growth: Understand the "S-shaped curve" and how carrying capacity slows
growth.
5.​ Exponential vs. Logistic Growth: Compare patterns, limits, and real-world examples.
6.​ Carrying Capacity: Explore resource limitations and environmental constraints on
maximum population size.
7.​ Limiting Factors:
○​ Density-dependent: Factors like disease, competition (related to population
density).
○​ Density-independent: Factors like weather, disasters (not density-related).
8.​ Extinction Risks: Understand how limiting factors lead to population decline and
extinction.
9.​ Human Populations: Examine trends (e.g., industrialization, healthcare advances) over
time.
10.​Growth Rate Differences: Compare population dynamics in developed vs. developing
countries (e.g., birth rates, economic status).

Chapter 6: Communities & Ecosystem Dynamics

1.​ Habitats & Niches: Define habitats (where organisms live) and niches (their ecological
role).
2.​ Competition: Understand how species compete for limited resources and its effect on
community balance.
3.​ Herbivory: Learn how herbivores shape plant populations and ecosystem health.
4.​ Keystone Species: Identify species that disproportionately affect ecosystems and why
they matter.
5.​ Symbiotic Relationships:
○​ Mutualism: Both species benefit (e.g., pollinators and flowers).
○​ Commensalism: One benefits, the other unaffected (e.g., barnacles on whales).
○​ Parasitism: One benefits at the other's expense (e.g., ticks on mammals).
6.​ Succession:
○​ Primary: Starts from bare rock (e.g., volcanic eruption recovery).
○​ Secondary: Recovery in areas with soil (e.g., after a fire).
7.​ Disturbance Recovery: Know the stages ecosystems go through after disruptions (e.g.,
pioneer species to climax community).
 8.​ Biodiversity Types:
○​ Genetic: Diversity within species.
○​ Species: Variety of species in an area.
○​ Ecosystem: Range of habitats/ecosystems.
9.​ Benefits of Biodiversity: Recognize contributions to ecosystem resilience, stability, and
human needs.
10.​Ecosystem Services:
○​ Provisioning: Food, water, medicine.
○​ Regulating: Climate, air/water quality.
○​ Supporting: Nutrient cycling, pollination.
○​ Cultural: Aesthetic and recreational value enjoyment, entertaiment.

## **Chapter 5: Populations**

### **5.1: How Populations Grow**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Population density**: Number of individuals per unit area.

- **Age structure**: Distribution of ages in a population.

- **Growth rate**: How the population size changes over time.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Population Characteristics**:

- **Geographic range**: Area inhabited by the population.

- **Population density**: Varies by species and environment.

- **Growth Patterns**:

- Exponential growth: "J-curve," occurs when resources are unlimited.

- Logistic growth: "S-curve," occurs when resources become limited and growth
slows/stabilizes.

3. **Study Methods**: Understand how scientists measure population density (e.g., sampling,
mark-recapture methods).
### **5.2: Limits to Growth**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Carrying capacity**: Maximum population size the environment can sustain.

- **Limiting factors**: Biotic or abiotic factors that restrict population growth.

- **Density-dependent factors**: Depend on population size (e.g., disease, competition).

- **Density-independent factors**: Affect populations regardless of size (e.g., weather, natural

disasters).

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Factors Influencing Growth**:

- Biotic: Food, predation, disease.

- Abiotic: Water, climate, disasters.

- **Carrying Capacity**: Balancing resource availability with population needs.

- **Human Influence**: Examples of overpopulation effects, such as resource depletion.

### **5.3: Human Population Growth**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Demography**: Study of human populations.

- **Demographic transition**: Shift from high birth/death rates to low rates.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Population Trends**: Analyze factors affecting growth (e.g., industrialization, healthcare).

- **Country Comparisons**:

- Developed: Lower growth rates due to education, healthcare, and economy.

- Developing: Higher birth rates and population growth.

## **Chapter 6: Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics**

### **6.1: A Changing Landscape**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Habitat**: Where an organism lives.

- **Niche**: Role and interactions of an organism in its environment.

- **Competitive exclusion principle**: No two species can occupy the same niche.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Competition**: Interspecies competition affects resource use.

- **Predator-prey dynamics**: Role in maintaining ecosystem balance.

- **Herbivory**: Herbivores influence plant populations and adaptations.

### **6.2: Community Interactions**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Symbiosis**: Relationship between two species.

- **Mutualism**: Both benefit.

- **Commensalism**: One benefits, other unaffected.

- **Parasitism**: One benefits, other harmed.

- **Keystone species**: Organism critical to ecosystem balance.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Examples of Symbiosis**:

- Mutualism: Bees and flowers.

- Commensalism: Barnacles on whales.

- Parasitism: Ticks on mammals.

- **Keystone Species**: Study examples (e.g., sea otters, wolves in Yellowstone).

### **6.3: Succession**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Primary succession**: Starts on bare rock (e.g., after volcanic eruption).

- **Secondary succession**: Recovery in soil-present areas (e.g., after a forest fire).

- **Climax community**: Stable, mature ecosystem.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Stages of Succession**:

- Pioneer species → Intermediate species → Climax community.

- **Ecosystem Recovery**: Factors influencing resilience (e.g., biodiversity).​ -

### **6.4: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services**

1. **Key Terms:**

- **Biodiversity**: Variety of life on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.

- **Ecosystem services**: Benefits provided by ecosystems to humans.

2. **Key Concepts:**

- **Benefits of Biodiversity**:

- Ecosystem stability.

- Human reliance on resources (e.g., food, medicine).

- **Ecosystem Services**:

- Provisioning: Food, water, raw materials.

- Regulating: Climate, disease control.

- Supporting: Soil formation, nutrient cycling.

- Cultural: Recreational, spiritual value.