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Ecology > Ch.6: Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes > Flashcards

Ch.6: Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes Flashcards

1
Q

Convergent evolution

A

2 species descended from unrelated ancestors look similar bc of similar selective forces

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2
Q

Biome

A

unique geographic region w/ communities composed of organisms w/ similar adaptations; based on plants (must have); terrestrial
- depends on soil type
- defined by plants in that area

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3
Q

2 characteristics that determine biome

A

avg annual precipitation and temperature

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4
Q

Climate diagrams

A

visualize patterns of temp and precipitation associated w/ particular biome

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5
Q

Growing season

A

months that are warm enough and have enough precipitation to allow plant growth

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6
Q

Tundras:

A

coldest biome; treeless, permafrost (permanently frozen soil)
- Low precipitation
- Acidic soil bc of slow decomposition
- Nutrient-poor
- Upper soils thaw during summer growing season

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7
Q

Alpine tundras

A

@ high elevation = longer growing season

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8
Q

Boreal forests (Taiga)

A

biome densely populated by evergreen needle-leaved trees w/ short growing season and severe winters
- Avg temps < 5°C
- Soil is acidic and podzolized
- low evaporation, long growing season
- low temps, slow decomposition, accumulates large waste reservoir (carbon)
- few species can survive harsh winters (-60°C)
- source for lumber and paper (low species diversity)
o keystone species: wolves

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9
Q

Temperate rainforests

A

biome known for mild temps and high precipitation
- Dominated by evergreen forests
- Warmer conditions bc of warm ocean nearby
- Mild, rainy winters and foggy summers
- Historic plant communities; low species diversity

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10
Q

Temperate seasonal rainforests

A

biome w/ moderate temp and lots of precipitation
- Dominated by deciduous trees (maple, beech, oak)
- Low fluctuations
- Soils support a layer of small plants beneath dominant trees (slightly acidic)
- Warmer and drier parts are dominated by pines

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11
Q

Woodlands/shrublands

A

biome w/ hot/dry summers and mild/wet winters
- Favors growth of drought-tolerant grasses and shrubs
- 12-month growing season
- Frequent fires

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12
Q

Sclerophyllous

A

vegetation w/ small, durable leaves

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13
Q

Temperate grasslands/cold deserts

A

hot/dry summers, cold/harsh winters
- Prairies
- Soil has low acidity and is nutrient-rich
- Plant growth limited by lack of precipitation in summer and cold temps in winter
- Contains the badlands (things can’t really grow) and buffalo

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14
Q

Tropical rainforests

A

warm/rainy biomes w/ multiple layers of lush vegetation
- Continuous canopy of 30-40 m trees w/ understory
- Highest species diversity
- Matter decomposes quickly; vegetation rapidly takes up nutrients
- Trees have wide-spread, shallow roots to get rainwater (not a lot of soil nutrients)

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15
Q

Tropical seasonal forests/savannas

A

biome w/ warm temps, pronounced wet and dry seasons (bc of intertropical convergence zone)
- Deciduous trees that shed their leaves during the dry season
- Rapid decomposition and nutrient cycling
- Favors growth and reproduction
- Fire and grazing maintain savannas

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16
Q

Subtropical deserts

A

biome w/ hot temps, little rainfall, long growing seasons, and little vegetation
- Hot deserts north and south of equator
- Descending air of Hadley cells
- Low rainfall, neutral pH

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17
Q

Aquatic ecosystems categorized by…

A

flow/current, depth and salinity

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18
Q

Lotic systems

A

flowing fresh water

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19
Q

Lentic systems

A

nonflowing fresh water

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20
Q

Stream/Creek

A

narrow channel of fast-flowing fresh water

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21
Q

River

A

wide channel of slow-flowing fresh water

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22
Q

Riparian zone

A

band of terrestrial vegetation along rivers and streams
- Influenced by seasonal flooding and elevated water tables

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23
Q

Allochthonous

A

inputs of organic matter (ex: leaves) that come from outside an ecosystem

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24
Q

Autochthonous

A

inputs of organic matter produced by algae and aquatic plants w/in ecosystem

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25
Photic zone
area of neritic and oceanic zones w/ sufficient light for photosynthesis by algae - Intertidal - Extends across entire ocean - Where light can penetrate
26
Neritic zone
intertidal zone --> open ocean ~200 m deep - Edge of zone = end of continental shelf (submerged portion of continental plate) - Only photic zone
27
Oceanic zone
ocean zone beyond neritic zone
28
Abyssal zone
not very productive, characterized by organism w/ chemosynthesis ocean: aphotic and photic zones
29
Euphoric zone
filled w/ free moving organisms
30
Intertidal zone
along the shore (b/w high and low tide); consists of rocky, sandy, and muddy beaches - Tides come through twice a day - Gravitational pull from moon and sun causes tidal differences - Organisms have to be adapted to be covered by water and exposed to air
31
Estuaries
area along coast where mouths of freshwater rivers mix w/ salt water from oceans o Where stream and ocean meet o Highly productive
32
Coral reefs
one of most productive environments; tiny animals in mutualistic relationship w/ algae; produce CO2, algae produce sugars - Hollow tubes w/ exoskeletons and tentacles that collect detritus and plankton - Live in colonies - Climate change = increased acidification = threat - 20°C year round
33
Coastal wetlands (salt/tidal marshes)
saltwater biome w/ nonwoody emergent vegetation o Found at continental coasts and in estuaries
34
Mangrove swamp
biome occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts - Trees have roots submerged in salt-water; tolerant - Atlantic east pacific = ~ 8 species - Indo west pacific = ~40 species - Highest high tide = last species of mangrove
35
3 types of mangroves
fringe dwarf (red mangroves) landward (white and black mangroves)
36
Which are most salt tolerant mangroves?
landward (white mangroves, peg roots) - Salt deposits as high tides come/go and water evaporates
37
Plankton
free floating producers o Ex: clam larvae
38
Nekton
free swimming consumers
39
Benthos
bottom dwellers o Ex: adult clams
40
Decomposers
bacteria
41
Ponds
aquatic biome smaller than a lake - Nonflowing freshwater w/ some area too deep for plants to rise of above surface
42
Lake
aquatic biomes larger than pond - Nonflowing freshwater w/ some area too deep for plants to rise above surface
43
Littoral zone
shallow area around edge of lake of pond w/ rooted vegetation
44
Limnetic zone (Pelagic zone)
open water beyond littoral zone; where photosynthetic organisms = floating algae
45
Benthic zone
area w/ sediments at bottoms of lakes, ponds, and oceans o Habitat for burrowing organisms
46
Profundal zone
area in lake too deep to get sunlight; low O2 levels
47
3 types of circulation:
epilimnion, thermocline, hypolimnion
48
Epilimnion circulation
surface layer of water in lake/pond
49
Thermocline circulation
middle depth of water; experiences rapid change in temp over short distance
50
Hypolimnion circulation
deeper layer of water
51
Stratification
condition of lake/pond when the warmer, less dense surface water floats to cooler, denser water
52
Fall turnover
vertical mixing of lake; occurs in fall, assisted by winds that drive surface currents
53
Oligotrophic lake
small limnetic zone, sparce fish population, most life in littoral zone (narrow), low concentration of nutrition and plankton, little shore vegetation
54
Eutrophic lake
small limnetic zone w/ dense fish population, wide littoral zone, a lot of shore vegetation, lots of plants on top
55
Natural eutrophication
every lake or body of water will eventually eutrophicate; natural cycles
56
Cultural eutrophication
human caused eutrophication (fertilizer) - Algae don’t allow for oxygenation = fish die
57
Freshwater wetland
aquatic biome w/ standing freshwater, or soil saturated w. fresh water - Shallow enough to have emergent vegetation throughout all depths - Swamps, marshes, bogs
58
historical biogeograhpy
the current geographic location of species with evolutionary relationships to infer their evolutionary history through space and time
59
ecological biogeography
considers distribution of extant species as a function of modern conditions
60
biomes are classified by
the types of plants there
61
tropical rainforests are responsible for more than ___% of biodiversity on earth
more than 50% of biodiversity on earth
62
intertidal zone productivity
high productivity bc of readily available nutrients and light
63
spring tide is the...
greatest tidal difference
64
3-4 zonations of intertidal zone:
- Subtitle zone- below lowest tides - Low tide zone- lowest the tide will get; almost always wet - Middle tide zone- submerged ½ day, exposed to air ½ day - Higher tide zone- exposed for majority of day

Ecology (33 decks)

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