chapter 34 Flashcards
ecology
the scientific study of the interactions b/t organisms and their environment (ex: re-cockaded woodpecker and forest habitat it depends on)
population
all the individuals of a single species in an area (emphasis on the area)
levels of study
- population
- community
- ecosystem
- biosphere
community
all the living organisms (populations) living close enough for potential
- revolves around who eats what
- includes plants, animals, fungi, and other living organisms
ecosystem
all the living (community) and nonliving (abiotic) factors in an area
abiotic factors
all the nonliving factors (solar energy, water, temperature, soil, wind, periodic disturbances)
biosphere
the earth (literally means the “sphere of life”)
- more specifically - a thing layer of life on the surface of the earth
- approximately 30,000 feet above sea level (mt everest) to about 36,000 feet below sea level (deepest trench in the pacific ocean)
- about 12.5 miles total
biotic factors
all the living organsims (animals, plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, and archea
solar energy
power nearly all surface terrestrial (land) and shallow water ecosystems
-the more sunlight, the more photosynthesis can take place, creating food (bottom of the food web) for other organisms
water
amount of rain; water in oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, etc
temperature
organisms live within a limited range of temperatures
-extremes = below 32F is too cold for most organisms, above 122F is too hot for most organisms because enzymes are destroyed (proteins)
soil
what nutrients are available in the soil; how well does it retain water
wind
pollination, seed dispersal, water loss, wind chill
periodic disturbances
fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes
importance of abiotic factors
important in detmining what plants and animals can live in an area
- ex: organisms need energy and water to survive and flourish
- more sunlight and water available, the more plants can live in an area,
- more plants = more animals that can live an area
global climate patterns: solar energy
solar energy is the driving force for Earth’s climates
- it has a great effect on temperature, rain, and wind on the earth
- this is caused by the uneven heating of the earth surface because of the earth’s curvature
distribution of sunlight
- equator gets the most direct sunlight
- latitudes north and south of the equator get more indirect sunlight (lower angle, light spread out more)
air circulation
uneven heating of earth’s surfaces effects both the amount of rain and wind
- warm air rises and absorbs/picks up moisture
- cool air loses moisture, which condenses into rain and falls; cool air falls back to earth’s surfaces