BIOL 230 Flashcards
What is ecology?
The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.
What is ecology v2?
The scientific study of interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms
Why are the poles colder/receive less sunlight than the equator?
Near the equator, the suns rays strike perpendicularly.
Towards the poles the rays are spread out more and take a longer path through the atmosphere.
Hadley cells
At the equator heating leads to the uplift of air creating a band of low atmospheric pressure. As the moist air rises it cools and becomes precipitation.
The now dry air is pushed outwards and comes down at 30 degrees creating a high pressure, low precipitation area.
Pattern of warm air rising in the tropics and descending as dry air near 30 degrees.
The Ferrell cell
Driven by the movement of the Hadley and polar cells.
Precipitation amounts at 60 degrees?
Low pressure means ample precipitation in all seasons.
Climate at 45 degrees?
Wet winters and dry summers .
Temperate zone
Polar cell
Formed by subsidence of cold air at the poles.
60-90 degrees.
What generates north-south winds?
The earth being round
Which way do westerlies blow?
Westerlies blow toward the poles west to the east.
Which way do NE and SE trade winds blow?
NE: Blow towards the south west
SE: Blow towards the north west.
The earth spins towards the east.
Where would you expect to find rain shadows in the tropics?
West of mountains in the tropics due to wind coming from the east and blowing over the mountains creating a rain shadow on the western side.
What explains where deserts are on a regional scale?
Wind direction and mountain ranges.
Wind coming from the west will cause rain shadows on the eastern side of mountains.
Why is Vancouver island wetter and warmer than PEI?
The air is coming off the ocean which moderates temperature. As it comes over the island it cools and goes up mountain ranges causing significant precipitation.
Where do you find the NE and SE trade winds?
NE trade winds are 0 to 30 degrees N.
SE trade winds are 0 to 30 degrees S.
Where are the Westerlies found?
30 - 60 degrees
Blow towards the poles moving east.
Which side of Maui would you expect to be more dry ~20 degrees N?
The south-east side.
The NE trade winds would blow over the north eastern side of the island first causing a rain shadow effect on the south-east side.
Why is the actual distribution of an organism potentially different from its potential distribution?
Interactions with other organisms, such as competition.
What is stress?
The condition in which an environmental change results in the decrease in the rate of an important physiological process. (Conditions that restrict production).
Conditions that cause sub-cellular or cellular damage, leading to impaired function.
Where is light and chemical energy captured by autotrophs stored?
Carbon-carbon bonds
E.g., those found in sugars
Energy stored in carbon-carbon bonds provide energy for what?
Heterotrophs
Heterotroph definition
Organisms that obtain their energy by consuming energy-rich organic compounds made by other organisms including detritus.
Autotroph definition
Organisms that assimilate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis or from inorganic chemical compounds through chemosynthesis.
How can plants obtain energy?
They are photoautotrophs and some are heterotrophs (some parasitic plants).
