Chapter 44: Ecology Flashcards
Organismal ecology
Interested in adaptations that allow for organisms to live in different habitats.
Adaptations can be morphological, behavioral, or physiological.
Populations
Just one species together
Community
All diff species, fish & plants
Ecosystem
All species together plus environment type (water/sand)
Biosphere
Encompasses all ecosystems on Earth
Biomes
Grouping of ecosystems
Aquatic and terrestrial
Abiotic
Non-living factors contributing to ecosystem
Ex. Sand, water etc.
Biotic
Living things contributing to ecosystem
Ex. Vertebrates, bacteria etc.
Biogeography
study of the distribution of living organisms across geographic space.
Endemic species
found in one very specific area, usually limited in size
Haze-cooling effect
Earths way of cooling after volcanic activity
Weather vs. Climate
Weather is atmospheric action in a day
Climate is weather over long periods of time
Conspecific
Same specific species in the same habitat
heterospecific
Different species living in the same habitat
Human impact
Overfishing
Destruction of habitats for development/agriculture
Pollution
Extermination of native animal & plant pop.
Reasons for global variation in climate
- Uneven heating of Earth surface by the sun
- Rotation of the earth on its axis.
- Equator spins faster than the regions north & south of it
- Prevailing winds that result distribute heat & moisture over the earth’s surface & drive ocean currents - Properties of air, water, and land
El Niño/enso
Occurs every 2 – 7 years
When a high-pressure weather system that is normally stable over the eastern Pacific Ocean breaks down, destroying the pattern of westward-blowing trade winds.
Increasing in strength
Largest threats to coral reefs
Increased sea temperature Decreased pH
Increased disease (related to
increased temperature, human activity)
Direct human contact (boat strikes, improper use by divers and snorkelers, sunscreen)
Coastal development (run off, increased nutrients)
Global Climate Change means
Global warming of atmosphere & Sea
Increased number & intensity of hurricanes
Sea Surface Level Rise
Ocean Acidification
Hurricane needs
- Weather disturbance
2. Warm ocean temps
Natural Effects of Global Climate Regulation
- Milankovitch Cycles
- eccentricity
- precession
- obliquity - Solar intensity
- has decreased in recent years - Volcanic activity
- Haze Cooling Effect
Eccentricity
The Shape of Earth’s orbit
Precession
The direction Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed
Obliquity
The angle Earth’s Axis is tilted with respect to Earth’s orbital plane
Has greatest effect on global climate
Increased tilt means increased solar intensity means increased global temps
Milankovitch Cycles
Includes precession, eccentricity and obliquity
Obliquity having the greatest effect, however we according to our tilt, should be in a period of cooling
Volcanic Activity
Can impact climate by the Haze-Cooling effect, but hasn’t decreased to a great extent
Volcanic activity cannot account for the climate alterations observed.
Ecosystem Alterations
increased sea surface temperatures
increased atmospheric temperatures
decreased ocean pH
increased sea surface levels due to melting of glacial ice sheets
Ocean acidification
The ocean is becoming more acidic
Acids will dissolve calcium carbonate in coral reefs
Terrestrial biomes
Consistent sunlight
Not much seasonality
Deals w altitude and latitude
Forests, Deserts, Grasslands, Tundra
Forest subtypes
Tropical Chaparral Temperate Coniferous Deciduous
Desert subtypes
Semi-arid
Hot/Dry
Cold
Coastal
Grassland subtypes
Prairie (Temperate)
Savannah (Tropical)
Aquatic Biomes
Phytoplankton drives ecosystem
Divided up by depth
Saltwater, Brackish, Freshwater
Saltwater subtypes
Open ocean (pelagic)
Deep sea
Shallow Coastal habitats (coral reefs)
Brackish subtypes
Saltwater into freshwater
Estuaries
Salt marshes
Freshwater subtypes
Rivers/streams
Wetlands/swamps
Lakes/ponds
