Chapter 41: Distribution of Earth’s Ecological Systems Flashcards
What is the new definition of ecology
The study of an organism’s interaction with both the biotic and abiotic components of its environment
Population
group of individuals of the same species that live, interact, and interbreed in a particular area at the same time.
Community
All the populations of all the different species that live together in a particular area
Ecosystems
consists of a community of organisms together with their physical environment
Biosphere
all the organisms and environments of the planet
Physical Geography
study of the distribution of Earth’s climates and surface features
Biogeography
study of the distributions of organisms
What is the old definition of ecology
The study of the distribution and abundance of organisms
Abiotic Component
Basically the physical environment
What are some examples of abiotic components?
Water, Temperature, Minerals
Biotic Component
They are living things
Ecological Systems
When one or more organisms and the environment in which they exchange energy and materials
System
Is defined by the interacting parts it contains
Weather
Is the state of atmospheric conditions in a particular place at a particular time
Climate
is the average weather in a place over a long period of time
What are the responses to weather from organisms?
Since the weather is short term organisms may seek shelter or find another way to temporarily cope with the atmospheric conditions
What are the responses to climate from organisms?
Organisms respond to climate by evolving to adapt
What does physical geography impact?
It impacts biogeography
What is the key component of ecology?
Biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems are distributed unevenly in space
What is topography?
It refers to the elevation
Seasonality is caused by what?
It is caused by the 23.5 degree tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
What is the tropics?
It is the latitudes between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
What are Hadley Cells?
They form two cycles of vertical atmospheric circulation
What happens in a Hadley Cell?
- Air rises up into the atmosphere at or near the equator, 2. Air flows toward the poles above the surface of the Earth,
- Air returns to the Earth’s surface in the subtropics and flows back towards the equator
What does the Hadley cell eventually do?
It eventually returns air to the surface of the Earth in the subtropics, near 30 degrees north or south latitude
Biome
Is a distinct physical environment that is inhibited by ecologically similar organisms with similar adaptations
What are the similarities of species that occupy the same biome in geographically separate regions?
The species are not closely related and they reflect convergent evolution by natural selection?
What is terrestrial Biome?
They are generally distinguished by the characteristics of their vegetation
Climate Diagrams
Summarize climate at a particular location in an ecologically relevant way
The distribution of terrestrial biomes is broadly determined by what?
They are determined by annual patterns of temperature and precipitation
Aquatic biomes are determined by what physical factors?
- Water depth and current
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Salinity
What is salinity?
It is the saltiness or dissolved inorganic salt content of a body of water
What is Osmoregulation?
It is is the process of maintaining salt and water balance (osmotic balance) across membranes within the body
