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Bio 94: Exam 3 > Chapter 52: An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere > Flashcards

Chapter 52: An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is ecology?

A

The study of the relationships among organisms and the environment

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2
Q

Ecologists study ecology in a hierarchy. What are the components of the hierarchy?

A

Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere

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3
Q

What is organism ecology?

A

Study of the organism’s behavior, structure, and physiology.

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4
Q

What is population?

A

A population consists of interbreeding organisms of one species occupying the same area at the same time

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5
Q

What is community?

A

A community includes all populations, representing multiple species in the same region.

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6
Q

What is ecosystem?

A

An ecosystem is the biotic (living) community plus the abiotic (no living) environment.

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7
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

The biosphere is all parts of the planet where life exists

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8
Q

Who said “Climate is what we expect; weather is what we get”?

A

Mark Twain

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9
Q

What do weather and climate involve?

A

The physical properties of the troposphere
- temperature, pressure, humidity, cloudiness and wind.

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10
Q

What is weather?

A

Specific atmospheric conditions over short time periods within small geographic areas

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11
Q

What is climate?

A

Patterns of atmospheric conditions across large geographic regions over long period of time

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12
Q

Why are the temperatures coldest at the poles of the earth?

A

The earth’s surface is curved, meaning that the sun’s rays are spread over a greater surface area with increasing distance from the equator.

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13
Q

What accounts for the different seasons of earth?

A

The tilt of the earth’s axis (two hemispheres)

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14
Q

All regions of the earth are experiencing 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. What part of the earth is facing the sun?

A

The equator (Neither poles are facing the earth)

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15
Q

The Northern Hemisphere has the shortest day and longest night; the Southern Hemisphere has the longest day and shortest night. Which Hemisphere is tilting towards the sun?

A

The Southern Hemisphere

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16
Q

The Northern Hemisphere has the longest day and shortest night; the Southern Hemisphere has the shortest day and longest night. Which Hemisphere is tilting towards the sun?

A

The Northern Hemisphere

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17
Q

Which months of the year does the equator face the sun?

A

March and September

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18
Q

Which month of the year does the Northern Hemisphere face the sun?

A

June

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19
Q

Which month of the year does the Southern Hemisphere face the sun?

A

December

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20
Q

Why are some areas of the Earth moist and others are dry?

A

Air circulation

21
Q

Why is the air around the equator typically warm and moist?

A

The equator receives the most heat from the sun and evaporates the water, forming clouds rang release abundant rain.

22
Q

What latitude does dry air descend around?

A

30° latitude
(Absorbs moisture from the land)
(Desserts here)

23
Q

What are the air conditions like at 60° latitude?

A

The air mass has warmed and absorbed enough moisture from the land to rise and cause precipitation (England)

24
Q

Where does cold, dry air descend?

A

At the poles

25
Q

________ also influence climate. Most precipitation falls on the _______ side.

A

Mountains; upwind

26
Q

What are biomes?

A

Ecosystems with distinctive communities of life

27
Q

What are the two main factors that determine the dominant plants in each biome?

A

Temperature and moisture

28
Q

List the 8 different biomes.

A
  1. Tropical forest
  2. Savanna
  3. Desert
  4. Chaparral
  5. Temperate grassland
  6. Temperate forest
  7. Northern coniferous forest
  8. Tundra
29
Q

Describe the life in tropical rainforests.

A
  • high temperature all year around
  • trees that grow above a cloud canopy
  • shrubs and herbs, broadleaf evergreens
  • succulent plants

Diverse animals!
- mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, arthropods

30
Q

Describe the life in a Savanna.

A
  • warm all year around
  • scattered trees, a lot of grass
  • fires common
  • grass grows rapidly in rain

Animals
- large plant eating mammals

31
Q

Describe the life in the Desert.

A
  • some deserts are hot 50°C
  • some deserts are cold -30°C
  • always dry
  • succulent cacti, rooted shrubs

Animals
- snakes, lizards, ants, beetles, rodents

32
Q

Describe the life in the Chaparral.

A
  • moist cool winters
  • dry summers 30°C
  • shrubs, small trees

Animals
- mammals, deers, goats, amphibians

33
Q

Describe the life in the Temperate Grasslands.

A
  • cold dry winters
  • wet hot summers
  • many grass and forbs

Animals
- grazing mammals, bison, wild horses

Where Bambi’s mother died!

34
Q

Describe the life in the Temperate (Broadleaf) Forests.

A
  • cool winters
  • hot humid summers
  • a lot of precipitation
  • dominated by deciduous trees
  • distinct vertical layers of trees

Animals
- mammals that hibernate, birds

35
Q

Describe the life in the Northern Coniferous Forest.

A

Largest terrestrial biome!

  • long cold winters
  • hot summers
  • cone bearing coniferous trees

Animals
- birds, mammals, bears, moose, Like in Brother Bear!

36
Q

Describe the life in the Tundra.

A

Arctic!

  • long cold winters
  • cool summers
  • herbs, mosses, grasses, forbs

Animals
- grazing oxen, caribou, reindeer, bears, wolves

37
Q

List the 8 different aquatic biomes.

A
  1. Intertidal zone
  2. Ocean pelagic zone
  3. Coral reefs
  4. Marine benthic zone
  5. Lakes
  6. Wetlands
  7. Estuaries
  8. Streams and rivers
38
Q

Describe the life in the Intertidal Zone.

A
  • ocean meets land
  • shore is pounded by waves during high tide
  • bottom is exposed to sun and dry winds during low tide
39
Q

Describe the life in the Oceanic Pelagic Zone.

A
  • ocean blue waters
  • covers 70% of the earth
  • phytoplankton and zooplankton are dominant
  • free swimming animals
40
Q

Describe the life in the Coral Reefs.

A
  • formed from calcium carbonate skeletons of corals
  • corals require a solid substrate for attachment
  • unicellular algae lives in a mutualistic relationship with the coral
41
Q

Describe the life in the Marine Benthic Zones.

A
  • seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal (neritic) zone and offshore the pelagic zone
  • organisms here in the deep (abyssal) benthic zone are adapted to cold water and high pressure
42
Q

Describe the life in Lakes.

A
  • Oligotrophic lakes are nutrient poor and oxygen rich
  • Eutrophic lakes are nutrient rich and oxygen poor
  • rooted and floating plants live in shallow littoral zone
43
Q

Describe the life in the Wetlands.

A
  • land surface saturated with water
    Swamps - wetlands with trees
    Marshes - wetlands w/o trees
    Bogs and Fens - waterlogged soils

Nutrient poor.
Water is shallow enough for sunlight penetration; high productivity.

44
Q

How are the bogs fed?

A

Precipitation

45
Q

How are fens fed?

A

Groundwater

46
Q

Describe the life in the Estuaries.

A

Transition b/w river and ocean!

  • saltiness ranging from freshwater to ocean water
  • most productive areas on earth

Threats:

  • landfills
  • nutrient pollution
  • lack of freshwater inflow
  • intro of nonnative species
47
Q

Describe the life in the Streams and Rivers.

A

Most prominent characteristic is current!
- diversity of fishes and invertebrates

Threat:
Damming and flood controls impair the natural functioning of the streams and rivers

48
Q

Label the different zones of a lake.

A
  1. Littoral
  2. Photic
  3. Aphotic
  4. Pelagic
  5. Benthic
49
Q

Label the different zones of the marine environement.

A
  1. Intertidal
  2. Neritic
  3. Oceanic
  4. Photic
  5. Benthic
  6. Pelagic
  7. Aphotic
  8. Abyssal

Bio 94: Exam 3 (8 decks)

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