Chapter 52

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

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

Question 2

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

Answer 2

Distribution

Question 3

Modern ecology includes _ and _.

Answer 3

Observation; experimentation

Question 4

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

Answer 4

• Global ecology
• Landscape ecology
• Ecosystem ecology
• Community ecology
• Population ecology
• Organismal ecology

Question 5

Climate

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Four major abiotic components of climate are:

Answer 6

• Temperature
• Precipitation
• Sunlight
• Wind

Question 7

Macroclimate

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Microclimate

Answer 8

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)

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Solar energy

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Evaporation

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Angle

Question 12

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.

Answer 12

Tropics

Question 13

Climate is affected by:

Answer 13

• Seasonality
• Large bodies of water
• Mountains

Question 14

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

Answer 14

Poles

Question 15

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

Answer 15

Seasonality

Question 16

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

Answer 16

Equator

Question 17

Changing _ patterns affect ocean currents.

Answer 17

Wind

Question 18

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

Answer 18

Terrestrial

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Cold; warm

Question 20

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

Answer 20

Water

Question 21

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.

Answer 21

Land

Question 22

Mountains affect the amount of _ reaching an area.

Answer 22

Sunlight

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Northern Hemisphere

Question 24

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

Answer 24

6

Question 25

Biomes

Answer 25

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

Question 26

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

Answer 26

Climate

Question 27

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

Answer 27

Vegetation

Question 28

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

Answer 28

Boundaries

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Ecotone (some animals like to seek these out)

Question 30

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

Answer 30

Habitats

Question 31

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

Answer 31

Composition

Question 32

Similar characteristics can arise in distant biomes through _ evolution.

Answer 32

Convergent

Question 33

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

Answer 33

Evolutionary

Question 34

Disturbance

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Examples of disturbance:

Answer 35

- 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

Question 36

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

Answer 36

Disturbance

Question 37

Terrestrial biomes can be characterized by:

Answer 37

- Distribution - Precipitation - Temperature - Plants - Animals

Question 38

Examples of terrestrial biomes:

Answer 38

- In tropical rain forests, rainfall is relatively constant | - In tropical dry forests, precipitation is highly seasonal

Question 39

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

Answer 39

Desert

Question 40

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

Answer 40

Temperate

Question 41

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

Answer 41

Oceans

Question 42

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

Answer 42

Freshwater

Question 43

Major aquatic biomes can be characterized by their:

Answer 43

- Physical environment - Chemical environment - Geological features - Photosynthetic organisms - Heterotrophs

Question 44

Aquatic biomes:

Answer 44

- Lakes - Wetlands - Streams - Rivers - Estuaries - Coral reefs

Question 45

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

Answer 45

Distributions

Question 46

Ecological Time

Answer 46

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

Question 47

Evolutionary Time

Answer 47

Spans many generations and captures adaptation through natural selection

Question 48

Both _ and _ factors influence species distribution.

Answer 48

Biotic; abiotic

Question 49

Biotic factors that affect the distribution of organisms:

Answer 49

- Predation - Competition - Mutualism - Parasitism - Herbivory (for example, sea urchins can limit distribution of seaweeds)

Question 50

Abiotic factors affecting the distribution of organisms:

Answer 50

- Temperature - Water - Oxygen - Salinity - Sunlight - Soil