chapter 52 Flashcards
what is ecology?
the study of interactions of organisms in the environment
what is a population?
a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
what is a community?
a group of populations of different species in an area
what is an ecosystem?
the community of organisms in an area
what is a landscape?
a mosaic of connected ecosystems
what is a biosphere?
the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes
what is climate?
atmospheric conditions over a long term
how is climate different from weather?
weather happens on a daily basis, short term
what is the difference between microclimate and macroclimate?
Macroclimate consists of patterns on the global, regional, and landscape level while microclimate consists of very fine patterns (climate of community of organisms under a fallen log).
what is endotherm?
maintain our own body temp
what is ectotherm?
body temp depends on outside temp
the sun hits the poles at a ____ angle
low
what causes precipitation?
warm wet air rises due to high temps and they go towards the poles, as the air cools, it releases their water content. the now dry air goes to absorb moisture to restart the cycle
climate is affected by
seasonanilty, large bodies of water, and mountains
how are south facing mountains different from north facing ones?
south facing ones are directly in the sun and so there is less greenery growing than in the north facing ones
what causes a rain shadow?
cool air from water goes up a tall mountain and forms rain. as the air reaches the leeward side of the mountain, less moisture is left and often creates a dry environment
what are biomes?
major life zones characterized by vegetation type or physical environment
what is convergent evolution?
organisms with different ancestors but they look the same
what is divergent evolution?
organisms with same ancestors but look different
what is a disturbance?
an event that changes a community ex. fire
what is the difference between ecological time and evolutionary time?
ecological time occurs min to min while evolutionary time goes over many generations
how is dispersal different from migration?
dispersal is permanent, you never go back
how does dispersal contribute to the global distribution of organisms?
it changes the environment and changes competition
what is adaptive radiation?
rapid evolution of ancestor species into a new species that can fill an ecological role
what are some abiotic and biotic factors that affect the distribution of organisms?
predation, competition, pollinators, pathogens, herbivory
describe tropical forests
constant rain in rainforests (seasonal in dry) high temp year round, vertical layering, many species
describe deserts
low precipitation, temp varies by day and season, specialized organisms (many nocturnal),
describe chaparral (coastal desert)
cool wet winter, warm dry summers, adapted to fires and droughts,
describe semi-arid desert
similar to coastal desert but with less rainfall, prone to floods
describe savannas
grassland scattered with trees, large mammals, dry seasons lasting 8-9 months
describe temperate grassland
highly seasonal precipitation, dominated by grasses, adapted to drought and fire, most converted to farmland
describe northern coniferous forest (taiga)
largest terrestrial biome on earth, conifers dominate, low animal diversity, often hibernators
describe temperate broadleaf (deciduous forest)
vertical layers, rish soil, small animals, summer rain and winter snow
describe tundras
treeless plain, mainly snow, well drained soil,
