Chapter 52 Flashcards
Ecology
the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
Types of ecology
Organismal ecology
Population ecology
Community ecology
Ecosystem ecology
Landscape ecology
Global ecology
Biosphere
the global ecosystem-the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes
Ecosystem
the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact
Community
a group of populations of different species in an area
Population
a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
Climate
most significant influence on the distribution of organisms on land
low angle of incoming sunlight
less intense
sun overhead at equinoxes
sunlight is most direct
Tropics are located at
the equinoxes
Dry, descending air masses create arid climates
near 30 north and south
air masses rise again and release abundant precipitation
60 north and south
cold dry rising air flows goes to the ____ and descends absorbing moisture and and creating dry , cold climate
poles
Seasonal variations of light and temperature increase steadily toward the
poles
Seasonality at high latitudes is caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis rotation and its annual passage _______
around the sun
Belts of wet and dry air straddling the equator shift throughout the year with the ______
changing angle of the sun
changing wind patterns affect _______
ocean currents
rising air masses release water and cause high precipitation
in the tropics
dry, descending air masses create arid climates
near 30
air flowing close to Earth’s surface creates
predictable global wind patterns
cooling trade winds blow from east to west in the tropics; while prevailing westerlies blow from ____ in the temperate zones
west to east
large bodies of water moderate the climate of nearby land due to
the high specific heat of water
air rises over warm land and draws a cool breeze from the water across the land during the _____
day
the land cools and air now rises over the warmer water and draws cool air off the land replacing it with warmer air from offshore during the _____
night
