04. Dispersal and distributions of organisms & environmental change

Question 1

Solar radiation on climate

Answer 1

• sun energy hits earth more directly at equator resulting in hotter temps at the equator and cooler temps at the poles
• greater variation at greater latitudes

Question 2

Seasonality

Answer 2

• the earth revolves around the sun on its axis at a 23.5 degree tilt
• southern regions have more direct sun in January than July

Question 3

Biomes

Answer 3

• Broad geographic areas with similar sets of communities

- Various factors like sunlight, temperature and rainfall influence what life occurs in different biomes

Question 4

Broad categories of biomes

Answer 4

Forest, grassland, freshwater, marine, desert, tundra

Question 5

Evapotranspiration

Answer 5

the total sum of all water released into air via evaporation by plants

Question 6

Potential evapotranspiration

Answer 6

= demand on water supply (max amount)(PEvap)

Question 7

Potential evapotranspiration Ratio

Answer 7

= the ratio of water demand to water supply (water demand/water supply)

Question 8

PER

Answer 8

=Evap/PEvap

Question 9

Evolutionary convergence (in plants)

Answer 9

developing similar adaptations due to similar temp, rainfall, wind

Question 10

Freshwater biomes

Answer 10

• lakes and rivers
• highly variable
• some lakes are anoxic

Question 11

Marine biomes

Answer 11

• intertidal, coral reefs, pelagic, deep sea
• make up 71% of earth’s surface
• At deeper levels, oxygen can be depleted due bacterial respiration associated with breakdown of organic matter

Question 12

Photic zone

Answer 12

• The surface layer of the ocean through which enough sunlight penetrates to enable photosynthesis (200m)
• Winds drive ocean circulation and keep the photic zone well oxygenated

Question 13

Carbon cycle

Answer 13

The intricately linked network of biological and physical processes that shuttles carbon among rocks, soil, oceans, air, and organisms

Question 14

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 14

the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.

Question 15

Phosphorus cycle

Answer 15

Phosphorus moves in a cycle through rocks, water, soil and sediments and organisms

Question 16

Primary productivity

Answer 16

Primary productivity is a term used to describe the rate at which plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic compounds in an ecosystem