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Syllabus

C.1 Species and communities

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Option C: Ecology and conservation » Option C: Ecology and conservation (Core topics) » C.1 Species and communities

Description

Nature of science:
Use models as representations of the real world—zones of stress and limits of tolerance graphs are models of the real world that have predictive power and explain community structure. (1.10)

Understandings:

The distribution of species is affected by limiting factors.
Community structure can be strongly affected by keystone species.
Each species plays a unique role within a community because of the unique combination of its spatial habitat and interactions with other species.
Interactions between species in a community can be classified according to their effect.
Two species cannot survive indefinitely in the same habitat if their niches are identical.

Applications and skills:

Application: Distribution of one animal and one plant species to illustrate limits of tolerance and zones of stress.
Application: Local examples to illustrate the range of ways in which species can interact within a community.
Application: The symbiotic relationship between Zooxanthellae and reef-building coral reef species.
Skill: Analysis of a data set that illustrates the distinction between fundamental and realized niche.
Skill: Use of a transect to correlate the distribution of plant or animal species with an abiotic variable.

Theory of knowledge:

Random samples are taken in studies involving large geographical areas or if limited time is available. Is random sampling a useful tool for scientists despite the potential for sampling bias?

Utilization:
Syllabus and cross-curricular links:
Geography
Part 2C Extreme environments

Aims:

Aim 6: Factors influencing herbivory could be investigated.

Directly related questions

16N.3.HL.TZ0.14:
Cryptococcus neoformans and the closely related species Cryptococcus gattii are human fungal pathogens. The reproduction of these yeast species on increasing concentrations of pigeon droppings (PD) was examined to determine whether they occupy the same or different ecological niches. The results for reproduction are expressed as a percentage relative to the control.

Suggest how this experiment shows that pigeon droppings represent a realized ecological niche for C. neoformans and a fundamental (but not a realized) niche for C. gattii.
16N.3.SL.TZ0.11c: Describe how the distribution of Chthamalus and Balanus is affected when both are present.
16N.3.SL.TZ0.14a: Outline the trend in the number of people with malaria during the period when the use of...
16N.3.SL.TZ0.11a: Distinguish between a fundamental niche and realized niche.
17M.3.SL.TZ2.17c: Researchers have argued that S. geminata is a keystone species in the corn agricultural system....
17M.3.SL.TZ1.13b: Describe the exchange of materials between the coral’s polyps and Zooxanthellae.
17M.3.SL.TZ1.13a: State the relationship between Zooxanthellae and coral reef species.
17M.3.SL.TZ1.13c: State one limiting factor on Zooxanthellae which affects coral reef formation.
17M.3.SL.TZ2.14: Paramecium aurelia and Paramecium caudatum are single cell organisms. They were grown separately...
17M.3.HL.TZ2.15a: State the type of interaction that occurs between Zooxanthellae and reef-building corals.
20N.3.SL.TZ0.12c: Other than position in the tree, suggest two ways in which the niches of the warblers in the...
20N.3.SL.TZ0.12a: Distinguish between the distribution of D. tigrina and that of D. coronata.
20N.3.SL.TZ0.12d: The diagram shows the realized niches of the five species of warbler. Suggest how the fundamental...
20N.3.HL.TZ0.18b: List two biotic factors, other than wolf predation or culling, that could affect the elk...
20N.3.HL.TZ0.18a: Outline the changes in elk population between the years 1930 and 2004.
20N.3.HL.TZ0.15b:
Sea otters are considered keystone species in this environment. Suggest how the presence of sea otters could affect the algae population.
17N.3.SL.TZ0.15:
Explain reasons for differences in the realized niche and fundamental niche of an organism.
17N.3.HL.TZ0.17a.i: Define fundamental niche.
17N.3.HL.TZ0.17a.ii: Outline a reason for organisms seldom occupying their entire fundamental niche.
17N.3.HL.TZ0.17b:
Describe the relationship between Zooxanthellae and reef-building coral species.
18N.3.SL.TZ0.15a: State the trend in temperatures from 1982 to 2014.
18N.3.SL.TZ0.15b: Deduce the effect of bleaching on corals.
18M.3.SL.TZ1.13c: Outline the characteristics of keystone species in an ecosystem.
18M.3.SL.TZ2.8c: Outline the concept of an emergent property.
18M.3.HL.TZ2.16c.ii: Suggest, with a reason, what factor Y could be.
18M.3.SL.TZ1.13b: Outline the impact of competition on the niche of an organism.
18M.3.SL.TZ1.15:
Discuss how abiotic factors can affect the distribution of species in an ecosystem.
18M.3.HL.TZ2.16a: Distinguish between fundamental niche and realized niche.
18M.3.HL.TZ2.16b: State the month where the population reaches its maximum.
18M.3.HL.TZ1.14b:
Outline one example of mutualism.
18M.3.SL.TZ1.13a:
Distinguish between fundamental niche and realized niche.
18M.3.HL.TZ1.14a: The sea star Pisaster ochraceus is identified as a keystone species in the Pacific...
18M.3.HL.TZ2.15a: Identify which of the types of interaction shown in the key occur between crabs and seagrass.
18M.3.HL.TZ2.15b: Describe how the sea otter indirectly affects seagrass.
18M.3.HL.TZ2.16c.i: Outline how factor Y affects the species from January to April.
19M.3.SL.TZ1.10c: With respect to this food chain, outline what is meant by a keystone species.
19M.3.HL.TZ1.17b: The niches of the red and grey squirrels overlap. Explain the concept of competitive exclusion...
19M.3.HL.TZ1.17a.i: Outline the changes of distribution of the grey squirrel from 1945 to 2010.
19M.3.HL.TZ1.17a.ii: Suggest two possible reasons for the change in distribution. 1. 2.
19N.3.SL.TZ0.12a: Outline how these results indicate that blackberry distribution is limited by light intensity.
19N.3.HL.TZ0.16b: Suggest one reason for leaving natural corridors between different natural reserves.
19N.3.SL.TZ0.13a: Explain why some biologists think protecting keystone species would help preserve biological...
19N.3.SL.TZ0.13b: Compare and contrast fundamental and realized niche of a species.
19N.3.HL.TZ0.14d: Outline what is meant by the niche concept.
19N.3.HL.TZ0.14c: Explain why some biologists think protecting keystone species would help preserve biological...

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DP Biology Questionbank

C.1 Species and communities

Description

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