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Biology > Biodiversity, Ecology & Climate Change II > Flashcards

Biodiversity, Ecology & Climate Change II Flashcards

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1
Q

Define Carbon Sequestration

A

Efforts to minimize [eliminate] human greenhouse gas emissions and the enhanced greenhouse effect.

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2
Q

Name three examples of carbon sequestration

A
  1. Afforestation [planting trees where they didn’t initially exist -> grasslands]
  2. Forest restoration [planting trees]
  3. Peat formation
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3
Q

Name five positive feedback cycles in relation to climate change

A
  1. CO2 release from deep oceans
  2. Solar radiation absorption in polar regions
  3. Decomposition of organic matter of peat in permafrost
  4. Release of CH4 from melting permafrost
  5. Droughts causing forest fires in boreal forests
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4
Q

Describe the effect of CO2 release from deep oceans [as a positive feedback cycle]

A

Change -> CO2 drops and turns into liquid CO2, warmer air lowers rate
Response -> Increased temp causes increased atmospheric CO2 [less can drop down]

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5
Q

Describe the effect of solar radiation absorption in polar regions [as a positive feedback cycle]

A

Change -> Global temperatures rise, melting of ice caps, rock and ocean is exposed [darker]
Response -> Rocks absorb light [convert it to heat], temperature increases

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6
Q

Describe the effect of decomposition of organic matter of peat in permafrost [as a positive feedback cycle]

A

Change -> Atmospheric temperature increases, permafrost layer melts [full of organic carbon]
Response -> decomposition of peat, release of CO2 [in masses], greenhouse effect

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7
Q

Describe the effect of the release of CH4 from melting permafrost [as a positive feedback cycle]

A

Change -> Atmospheric temperature increases, permafrost layer melts [full of organic carbon], organic material is available for methanogenesis
Response -> Methanogenisis occurs, some methane turns into CO2, greenhouse effect

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8
Q

Describe the effect of droughts causing forest fires in boreal forests [as a positive feedback cycle]

A

Change -> Increased temperature, shorter winter, snow melts less, lower water supplies, drought causes browning and excess needle fall
Response -> fires, CO2 from tree combustion enters the atmosphere

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9
Q

Explain microevolution

A

Def. Evolutionary change within one group of organisms over a short period of time [typically relating to one trait]
Ex. Towny Owls color frequency shift
- Genetic bias towards brown owls [due to shorter winters caused by climate change]

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10
Q

Explain the effect of global warming on ecosystems [in relation to life cycles]

A

SA. Changes in the length of seasons can cause changes in certain species more than others leading to disturbances in ecosystems
Ex. European Spruce Bark Beetles [two life cycles]
- Longer summers allow beetles to go through two life cycles instead of one
- More beetles are born and infest trees
- Beetles eat phloem preventing trees from transporting nutrients and causing death

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11
Q

*Phenology

A

photoperiod and temperature patterns are examples of variables that influence the timing of biological events such as flowering, budburst, bud set, bird migration, and nesting.

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12
Q

List the stages of Succession

A
  1. Bare Rock
  2. Primary Succession
  3. Pioneer Community
  4. Intermediate Community
  5. Climax [Community]
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13
Q

Describe the significance of carbon for organisms

A
  1. Formation of Phospholipids (cell membranes)
  2. Proteins (that function as enzymes and antibodies)
  3. Carbohydrates (main energy source)
  4. Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
    -> often refers to as the foundation of ‘carbon-based life’
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14
Q

Where can inorganic carbon be found?

A
  • Fossil fuels
  • Atmospheric gases
  • Sedimentary rocks
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15
Q

The cycling of matter…

A

is a vital process that ensures the efficient use and reuse of resources in an ecosystem.

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16
Q

What is a key difference between energy and matter?

A

Energy eventually dissipates (as heat) whereas matter such as carbon atoms are recycled.

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17
Q

Define a carbon sink

A

Any environment that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases.
Ex. Forests, the ocean, and soil.
-> essential in countering greenhouse gas emissions

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18
Q

Define carbon sources

A

Locations or processes that release more carbon into the atmosphere than they absorb (and can occur naturally or be caused by humans).
Ex. burning fossil fuels, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and cellular respiration of organisms

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19
Q

Lincoln Index

A

Def. A formula for population size estimation
Equation: MxN / R
M - individuals caught and marked initially
N - total # of individuals recaptured
R - # of marked individuals recaptured

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20
Q

Random quadrant sampling

A

Def. the placing of quadrats at random coordinatesin order to analyze population sizes and relationships
Suitable organisms: Sessile animals and plants, where the number of individuals can be counted.

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21
Q

Carrying capacity

A

Def. a species’ average population size in a particular habitat.
Limitations: food, shelter, water, and mates

22
Q

Interspecific relationships

A

Def. relationships are between an organism and other species (effect processes such as food chains and nutrient cycles)
Ex. Herbivory (grass and deer), Predation (deer and mountain lion), interspecific competition (cheetahs and lions), mutualism (coral and algae), Parasitism (humans and lice), Pathogenicity (human and salmonella)

23
Q

*Describe mutualism and name three exsamples

A

Def. a type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions.
Ex.
1. root nodules in Fabaceae (legume family)
2. mycorrhizae in Orchidaceae (orchid family)
3. zooxanthellae in hard corals

24
Q

Resource competition between endemic and invasive species

A

-> Invasive species tend to have a competitive advantage over endemic species in resource acquisition
Ex. Guam native bird populations decimated by brown tree snake (lack of predators for snake, no reason for birds to develop defence mechanisms prior to the introduction of the tree snake)

25
Q

Are ecosystems closed?

A

No, energy can always enter and exit an ecosystem although matter remains and is recycled in closed systems.

26
Q

What is the principal source of energy in most ecosystems?

A

Sunlight
Exceptions: caves and ecosystems below the levels of light penetration in oceans

27
Q

What do arrows in food chains indicate?

A

Arrows indicate the direction of transfer of energy and biomass.

28
Q

Is interspecific competition given if one species is more successful in the absence of another?

A

No, interspecific competition is indicated but not proven if one species is more successful in the absence of another.
Approaches to research include: laboratory experiments, field observations by random sampling, and field manipulation by removal of one species (in order to prove this relationship)

29
Q

Chi-squared test

A

Use: A chi-square test is a statistical test used to compare observed results with expected results ( to test if results are due to chance, or a relationship between the variables)
Application: This may provide evidence for interspecific competition

30
Q

Top-down regulation

A

Def. directional regulation within an ecosystem, where species occupying higher trophic levels exert controlling influences on species at the next lower trophic level

31
Q

Bottom-up regulation

A

Def. driven by the presence or absence of the producers in the ecosystem. Changes in their population will affect the population of all the species in the food web, and thus, the ecosystem.

32
Q

Autotroph

A

Organisms that use external energy sources to synthesize carbon compounds from simple inorganic substances

33
Q

Heterotroph

A

Organisms that use carbon compounds obtained from other organisms to synthesize the carbon compounds that they require
Note: complex carbon compounds such as proteins and nucleic acids are digested either externally or internally and are then assimilated by constructing the carbon compounds that are required

34
Q

Consider the causes of energy loss in energy pyramids

A

Energy is lost as metabolic heat when the organisms from one trophic level are consumed by organisms from the next level.

35
Q

Which organisms are typically not considered a part of the food chain?

A

Decomposers and detritus feeders

36
Q

What limits the number of trophic levels in a food chain?

A

Energy loss (mainly through heat)

37
Q

Define primary production

A

The accumulation of carbon compounds in biomass by autotrophs (The units should be mass (of C) per unit area per unit time and are usually g m−2 yr−1)

38
Q

Define secondary production

A

The accumulation of carbon compounds in biomass by heterotrophs
Note: due to loss of biomass when carbon compounds are converted to carbon dioxide and water in cell respiration, secondary production is lower than primary production in an ecosystem

39
Q

What is the Keeling Curve?

A

A graph that represents the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere.
Note: CO2 levels have been increasing significantly since the Industrial Revolution, CO2 levels are higher in the months right before summer

40
Q

Which organisms play a key role in nutrient (carbon) cycling?

A

Decomposers

41
Q

What are the requirements for stability in an ecosystem?

A

Supply of energy, recycling of nutrients, genetic diversity, and climatic variables remaining within tolerance levels

42
Q

Describe a tipping point in an ecosystem and name an example

A

Def. A point at which an ecosystem can no longer cope with environmental change, and the ecosystem suddenly shifts from one state to another
Ex. The Amazon rainforest;
- Water that enters the rainforest ecosystem comes from the Atlantic Ocean (east of the rainforest).
- 30% of the Amazon lost.
- Amazon uses moisture recycling to get 50% of its rain.
- Water from the Atlantic -> vapor -> eastern Amazon (clouds) -> west (winds)
- Without the E. Amazon connecting the AO to the rest of the Rain Forest, the W. Amazon will not have access to the amount of water it needs (significant ecological changes)

43
Q

Name factors affecting the sustainability of agriculture

A

Soil erosion, leaching of nutrients, supply of fertilizers and other inputs, pollution due to agrochemicals, and carbon footprint.

44
Q

List the effects of micro and macro plastic on ocean ecosystems

A

General: plastics are persistent in the natural environment due to nonbiodegradability
Micro: Microplastics can have a toxic effect on fish and other aquatic life, including reducing food intake, delaying growth, causing oxidative damage and abnormal behavior.
Macro: Can get wrapped around and injure birds, turtles, etc.

45
Q

Rewilding

A

Methods:
1. reintroduction of apex predators and other keystone species
2. Re-establishment of connectivity of habitats over large areas
3. Minimization of human impact including by ecological management.
Result: Significant increase in ecosystems health
Ex. Hinewai Reserve in New Zealand.

46
Q

*What are the stages of succession?

A
  1. Primary succession -> Lichens and moss
  2. Secondary succession -> Grasses, shrubs, shade-intolerant trees
  3. Climax community -> Shade tolerant trees
47
Q

What can cause ecological succession?

A

Biotic, topographic, and climatic factors [wind, fire, soil erosion, and natural disasters] can destroy the populations of an area.

48
Q

*Cyclical and Arrested succession

A

In some ecosystems, there is a cycle of communities rather than a single unchanging climax community.
Causes: grazing, fires, drainage of wetlands

49
Q

Give two examples of polar habitat change

A
  1. Emperor Penguins -> melting of breeding grounds [due to early breakout of landfast ice]
  2. Walruses in the Arctic -> loss of sea ice habitat
50
Q

Describe the effect of global warming on ocean currents

A

Warmer surface water can prevent nutrient upwelling to the surface, decreasing ocean primary production and energy flow through marine food chains.

51
Q

Describe the effect of global warming on coral

A

Increased carbon dioxide concentrations are the cause of ocean acidification and suppression of calcification in corals. Increases in water temperature are a cause of coral bleaching. Loss of corals causes the collapse of reef ecosystems

52
Q

Describe the disruption to the synchrony of phenological events by climate change

A

Note: Within an ecosystem temperature may act as the cue in one population and photoperiod may be the cue in another.
Ex.
- Arctic mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium arcticum) and the arrival of migrating reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) as one example.
- Breeding of the great tit (Parus major) and peak biomass of caterpillars in north European forests as another.

Biology (4 decks)

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