14. Climate & Other Niche Axes

Question 1

The ecological niche

Answer 1

• The combination of physiological tolerances and resource requirements of a species
• A species’ place in the world- what climate it prefers, what it eats etc.

Question 2

The Hutchinsonian niche

Answer 2

“an n-dimensional hypervolume” in which axis is an ecological factor important to the species being considered

Question 3

Higher latitudes=

Answer 3

colder; seasonality a function of temperature (summer-winter)

Question 4

Lower latitudes=

Answer 4

warmer; seasonality a function of rainfall (dry season-we season)

Question 5

Hadley cells

Answer 5

atmospheric circulation cells

Question 6

Coriolis effect

Answer 6

the earth’s rotation deflects winds

Question 7

Predicted range shift

Answer 7

how climate change influences the distribution of organism

Question 8

Intertropical Convergence Zone

Answer 8

narrow zone near the equator where northern and southern air masses converge, typically producing low atmospheric pressure.

Question 9

Prevailing wind patters=

Answer 9

coupled cells + corriolis effefct

Question 10

Global gradients

Answer 10

Temperature, rainfall, seasonality (these factors determine biomes)