Chapter 52 Flashcards

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1
Q

Ecology

A

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment (includes living and non-living elements)

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2
Q

Interactions between organisms and the environment determine the _ of organisms and their abundance.

A

Distribution

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3
Q

Modern ecology includes _ and _.

A

Observation; experimentation

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4
Q

Ecologists work at levels ranging from individual organisms to the planet:

A
  • Global ecology
  • Landscape ecology
  • Ecosystem ecology
  • Community ecology
  • Population ecology
  • Organismal ecology
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5
Q

Climate

A

The long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area (abiotic)

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6
Q

Four major abiotic components of climate are:

A
  • Temperature
  • Precipitation
  • Sunlight
  • Wind
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7
Q

Macroclimate

A

Consists of patterns on the global, regional, and landscape level (ex: rainforest)

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8
Q

Microclimate

A

Consists of very fine patterns, such as those encountered by the community of organisms underneath a fallen log (ex: underneath a fallen log in a rainforest)

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9
Q

Global climate patterns are determined largely by _ and Earth’s movement in space.

A

Solar energy

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10
Q

The warming effect of the sun causes temperature variations, which drive _ and the circulation of air and water.

A

Evaporation

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11
Q

The _ at which sunlight hits Earth affects its intensity, the amount of heat and light per unit of surface area.

A

Angle

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12
Q

The intensity of sunlight is strongest in the _ (between 23.5 degrees north latitude and 23.5 degrees south latitude) where sunlight strikes Earth most directly.

A

Tropics

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13
Q

Climate is affected by:

A
  • Seasonality
  • Large bodies of water
  • Mountains
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14
Q

Seasonal variations of light and temperature increase steadily toward the _.

A

Poles

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15
Q

_ at high latitudes is caused by a tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation and its annual passage around the sun.

A

Seasonality

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16
Q

Belts of wet and dry air around the _ shift throughout the year with the changing angle of the sun.

A

Equator

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17
Q

Changing _ patterns affect ocean currents.

A

Wind

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18
Q

Oceans, their currents, and large lakes moderate the climate of nearby _ environments.

A

Terrestrial

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19
Q

Currents flowing toward the equator carry _ water from the poles; currents flowing away from the equator carry _ water toward the poles.

A

Cold; warm

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20
Q

During the day, air rises over warm land and draws a cool breeze from the _ across the land.

A

Water

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21
Q

As the land cools at night, air rises over the warmer water and draws cooler air from _ back over the water, which is replaced by warm air from offshore.

A

Land

22
Q

Mountains affect the amount of _ reaching an area.

A

Sunlight

23
Q

In the _, south-facing slopes receive more sunlight than north-facing slopes.

A

Northern Hemisphere

24
Q

Every 1,000 m increase in elevation produces a temperature drop of approximately _ degrees C.

A

6

25
Q

Biomes

A

Major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial biomes) or physical environment (aquatic biomes)

26
Q

_ is very important in determining why terrestrial biomes are found in certain areas.

A

Climate

27
Q

Terrestrial biomes are often named for major physical or climatic factors and for _.

A

Vegetation

28
Q

Terrestrial biomes usually grade into each other, without sharp _.

A

Boundaries

29
Q

the area of intergradation (where one biome ends and the next begins), called an _ may be wide or narrow.

A

Ecotone (some animals like to seek these out)

30
Q

Layering of vegetation in all biomes provides diverse _ for animals.

A

Habitats

31
Q

The species _ of each kind of biome varies from one location to another.

A

Composition

32
Q

Similar characteristics can arise in distant biomes through _ evolution.

A

Convergent

33
Q

Cacti in North America and euphorbs in African deserts appear similar but are from different _ lineages.

A

Evolutionary

34
Q

Disturbance

A

An event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community.

35
Q

Examples of disturbance:

A
  • Frequent fires can kill woody plants and maintain the characteristic vegetation of a savanna
  • Hurricanes create openings in forests that allow different species to grow
36
Q

In many biomes, even dominant plants depend on periodic _.

A

Disturbance

37
Q

Terrestrial biomes can be characterized by:

A
  • Distribution
  • Precipitation
  • Temperature
  • Plants
  • Animals
38
Q

Examples of terrestrial biomes:

A
  • In tropical rain forests, rainfall is relatively constant

- In tropical dry forests, precipitation is highly seasonal

39
Q

_ plants are adapted for heat and desiccation tolerance, water storage, and reduced leaf surface area.

A

Desert

40
Q

In _ grassland, native mammals include large grazers such as bison and wild horses and small burrowers such as prairie dogs.

A

Temperate

41
Q

The largest marine biome is made up of _, which cover about 75% of Earth’s surface and have an enormous impact on the biosphere.

A

Oceans

42
Q

_ biomes are closely linked to soils and the biotic components of the surrounding terrestrial biome.

A

Freshwater

43
Q

Major aquatic biomes can be characterized by their:

A
  • Physical environment
  • Chemical environment
  • Geological features
  • Photosynthetic organisms
  • Heterotrophs
44
Q

Aquatic biomes:

A
  • Lakes
  • Wetlands
  • Streams
  • Rivers
  • Estuaries
  • Coral reefs
45
Q

Species _ are the result of ecological and evolutionary interactions through time.

A

Distributions

46
Q

Ecological Time

A

The minute-to-minute time frame of interactions between organisms and the environment

47
Q

Evolutionary Time

A

Spans many generations and captures adaptation through natural selection

48
Q

Both _ and _ factors influence species distribution.

A

Biotic; abiotic

49
Q

Biotic factors that affect the distribution of organisms:

A
  • Predation
  • Competition
  • Mutualism
  • Parasitism
  • Herbivory (for example, sea urchins can limit distribution of seaweeds)
50
Q

Abiotic factors affecting the distribution of organisms:

A
  • Temperature
  • Water
  • Oxygen
  • Salinity
  • Sunlight
  • Soil