Chapter 52 - Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
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the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
Global Ecology
the biosphere is the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems
examines the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the biosphere
Landscape ecology
a landscape or seascape is a mosaic of connected ecosystems
landscape ecology focuses on the factors controlling exhanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems
Ecosystem Ecology
an ecosystem is the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact
emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the enviroment
Community Ecology
a community is a group of populations of different species in an area
community ecology examines how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community strucutre and organization
Population Ecology
a population is a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
analyzes factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time
Organismal Ecology
studies how an organism’s structure, physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges
includes physiological, evolutionary, and behavioral ecology
Influences on Ecology:
Climate
long-term, prevailing weather conditions in an area
4 major abiotic components of climate
temperature, prescipitation, sunlight, wind
Macroclimate
consits of patterns on the globabl, regional, and landscape level
Microclimate
consists of very fine patterns, such as those encountered by the community of organisms underneath a fallen log
Large impact on global climate patterns
solar energy and planet’s movement in space
Warming effect of the sun
causes temperature variations, which drive evaporation and the circulation of air and water
this causes latitudinal variations in climate
These patterns play major roles in determining climate patterns
global air circulation and precipitation
rising air masses
release moisture (cause high precipitation)
descending air masses
absorb moisture (create arid climates, especially near 30 degrees N and S)
Creates predictable global wind pattern
Air flowing close to the Earth’s surface
Wind Patterns
Cooling trade winds blow from E to W in the tropics
prevailing westerlies blow from W to E in temperate zones
Causes seasonality at high latitudes
tlit of the Earth’s axis of rotation and its annual passage around the sun
moderate climates of nearby terrestrial environments
oceans, their currents, and large lakes
Current of Gulf Stream
the Gulf Stream carries warm water from the equator to the North Atlantic
Water Currents
North of the equator - water currents clockwise
South of the equator - water currents counterclockwise
Ocean Cooling/Warming the Land
During the day, air rises over the warm land and draws a cool breeze from the water across the land
As the land cools at night, air rises over the warmer water and draws cooler air from the land back over the water, which is replaced by warm air from offshore
Air over a mountain
Rising air reduces moisture on the windward side of a peak and creates a “rain shadow” as it absorbs moisture on the leeward side
the distribution of organisms and their abundance
Ecology
the biosphere is the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems
examines the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the biosphere
Global Ecology
a landscape or seascape is a mosaic of connected ecosystems
landscape ecology focuses on the factors controlling exhanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems
Landscape ecology
an ecosystem is the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact
emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the enviroment
Ecosystem Ecology
a community is a group of populations of different species in an area
community ecology examines how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community strucutre and organization
Community Ecology
a population is a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
analyzes factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time
Population Ecology
studies how an organism’s structure, physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges
includes physiological, evolutionary, and behavioral ecology
Organismal Ecology
long-term, prevailing weather conditions in an area
Influences on Ecology:
Climate
temperature, prescipitation, sunlight, wind
4 major abiotic components
consits of patterns on the globabl, regional, and landscape level
Macroclimate
consists of very fine patterns, such as those encountered by the community of organisms underneath a fallen log
Microclimate
solar energy and planet’s movement in space
Large impact on global climate patterns
causes temperature variations, which drive evaporation and the circulation of air and water
this causes latitudinal variations in climate
Warming effect of the sun
global air circulation and precipitation
These patterns play major roles in determining climate patterns
release moisture (cause high precipitation)
rising air masses
absorb moisture (create arid climates, especially near 30 degrees N and S)
descending air masses
Air flowing close to the Earth’s surface
Creates predictable global wind pattern
Cooling trade winds blow from E to W in the tropics
prevailing westerlies blow from W to E in temperate zones
Wind Patterns
tlit of the Earth’s axis of rotation and its annual passage around the sun
Causes seasonality at high latitudes
oceans, their currents, and large lakes
moderate climates of nearby terrestrial environments
the Gulf Stream carries warm water from the equator to the North Atlantic
Current of Gulf Stream
North of the equator - water currents clockwise
South of the equator - water currents counterclockwise
Water Currents
During the day, air rises over the warm land and draws a cool breeze from the water across the land
As the land cools at night, air rises over the warmer water and draws cooler air from the land back over the water, which is replaced by warm air from offshore
Ocean Cooling/Warming the Land
Rising air reduces moisture on the windward side of a peak and creates a “rain shadow” as it absorbs moisture on the leeward side
Air over a mountain
Why might species have smaller ranges or become extinct as the climate changes?
human barriers (cities)
other abiotic factors not supportive for that species (too rainy/snowy/windy)
What is very important in determining why terrestrial biomes are found in certain areas?
climate
Biomes
major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial biomes) or physical environment (aquatic biomes)
are dynamic and usually exhibit extensive patchiness
climograph
temperature vs. precipitation (annual averages)
Terrestrial Biomes
often named for major physical or climatic factors and for vegetation
Tropical Rain Forest
equatorial
warm year round
wet
competition for sunlight
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
significant precipitation year round
all 4 seasons
Grasslands
precipiation is highly seasonal
winters cold and dry
summers hot and wet
Deserts
occur in bands near 30 degrees north and south of the equator
precipitation is low and highly variable
Northern Coniferous Forest
largest terrestrial biome on earth
precipitation varies
winters are cold
Tundra
precipitation low
winters are cold
Aquatic Biomes
most organisms occur in the relatively shallow photic zone
the aphotic zone in oceans is extensive, but harbors ittle life
determinants: light and substrates
zones defined by light penetration, temperature, and depth
detritus
dead, organic matter
falls from the productive surface water and is an important source of food
most lakes
in summer - the warmer upper layer from the cold deeper water
many lakes undergo a semiannual mixing of their waters called turnover
turnover mixes oxygenated water from the surface with nutrient-rich water from the bottom
communities in aquatic biomes
vary with depth, light penetration, distance from shore, and position in the pelagic or benthic zone
oligotrophic lakes
nutrient-poor and generally oxygen-rich
(lakes around here, clean, smell fine)
Eutrophic lakes
nutrient-rich and often depleted of oxygen if ice covered in winter
(smell bad, southern)
littoral zone
rooted and floating aquatic plants
well-lit
shallow
close to shore
limnetic zone
water too deep to support rooted aquatic plants
small drifiting animals called zooplankton graze on the phytoplankton
human barriers (cities)
other abiotic factors not supportive for that species (too rainy/snowy/windy)
Why might species have smaller ranges or become extinct as the climate changes?
climate
What is very important in determining why terrestrial biomes are found in certain areas?
major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial biomes) or physical environment (aquatic biomes)
are dynamic and usually exhibit extensive patchiness
Biomes
temperature vs. precipitation (annual averages)
climograph
often named for major physical or climatic factors and for vegetation
Terrestrial Biomes
equatorial
warm year round
wet
competition for sunlight
Tropical Rain Forest
significant precipitation year round
all 4 seasons
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
precipiation is highly seasonal
winters cold and dry
summers hot and wet
Grasslands
occur in bands near 30 degrees north and south of the equator
precipitation is low and highly variable
Deserts
largest terrestrial biome on earth
precipitation varies
winters are cold
Northern Coniferous Forest
precipitation low
winters are cold
Tundra
most organisms occur in the relatively shallow photic zone
the aphotic zone in oceans is extensive, but harbors ittle life
determinants: light and substrates
zones defined by light penetration, temperature, and depth
Aquatic Biomes
dead, organic matter
falls from the productive surface water and is an important source of food
detritus
in summer - the warmer upper layer from the cold deeper water
many lakes undergo a semiannual mixing of their waters called turnover
turnover mixes oxygenated water from the surface with nutrient-rich water from the bottom
most lakes
vary with depth, light penetration, distance from shore, and position in the pelagic or benthic zone
communities in aquatic biomes
nutrient-poor and generally oxygen-rich
(lakes around here, clean, smell fine)
oligotrophic lakes
nutrient-rich and often depleted of oxygen if ice covered in winter
(smell bad, southern)
Eutrophic lakes
rooted and floating aquatic plants
well-lit
shallow
close to shore
littoral zone
water too deep to support rooted aquatic plants
small drifiting animals called zooplankton graze on the phytoplankton
limnetic zone
Wetlands
high organic production
among most productive biomes on earth
diverse life
humans have destoryed up to 90% of wetlands
wetlands purify water and reduce flooding
stream
headwaters are generally cold, clear, swift, and oxygen-rich
often narrow and rocky
rivers
downstream rivers are warmer, wide, meandering, and silty
estruary
transition area between river and sea
salinity varies with rise and fall of tide
nutrient-rich and highly producitve
network of tidal channels, mudflats
saltmarsh grasses and algae are major producers
intertidal zone
periodically submerged and exposed by the tides (2x a day)
organisms have variations in temperature, salinity, wave action
oxygen and nutrient levels high
can be rocky: see structural adaptations for attaching
or sandy: sea grass, worms, clams
ocean
covers about 70% of Earth’s surface
in temperate oceans, turnover renews nutrients in the photic zones
tropical oceans have year-round stratification - leads to lower nutrient concentrations
phytoplankton and zooplankton - dominant organisms
coral reef
formed from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals (cnidarians)
photic zone - warm, clear water
very deep benthic zone organisms are adapted to continuous cold, extremely high water pressure, and darkness
substrate is mainly soft sediments
deep-sea hydrothermal vents
of folcanic origin on mid-oceanic ridges
have unique chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, tube worms, and crabs
distribution of species
result of ecological and evolutionary interactions through time
ecological time
is the minute-to-minute time frame of interactions between organisms and the environment
evolutionary time
spans many generations and captures adaptation through natural selection
climate limits indirerectly through biotic factors:
pathogens, prasites, predators, competitors, food availability
Successful transplant
indicates that its potential ranges is greater than its actual range
high organic production
among most productive biomes on earth
diverse life
humans have destoryed up to 90% of wetlands
wetlands purify water and reduce flooding
Wetlands
headwaters are generally cold, clear, swift, and oxygen-rich
often narrow and rocky
stream
downstream rivers are warmer, wide, meandering, and silty
rivers
transition area between river and sea
salinity varies with rise and fall of tide
nutrient-rich and highly producitve
network of tidal channels, mudflats
saltmarsh grasses and algae are major producers
estruary
periodically submerged and exposed by the tides (2x a day)
organisms have variations in temperature, salinity, wave action
oxygen and nutrient levels high
can be rocky: see structural adaptations for attaching
or sandy: sea grass, worms, clams
intertidal zone
covers about 70% of Earth’s surface
in temperate oceans, turnover renews nutrients in the photic zones
tropical oceans have year-round stratification - leads to lower nutrient concentrations
phytoplankton and zooplankton - dominant organisms
ocean
formed from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals (cnidarians)
photic zone - warm, clear water
very deep benthic zone organisms are adapted to continuous cold, extremely high water pressure, and darkness
substrate is mainly soft sediments
coral reef
of folcanic origin on mid-oceanic ridges
have unique chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, tube worms, and crabs
deep-sea hydrothermal vents
result of ecological and evolutionary interactions through time
distribution of species
is the minute-to-minute time frame of interactions between organisms and the environment
ecological time
spans many generations and captures adaptation through natural selection
evolutionary time
pathogens, prasites, predators, competitors, food availability
climate limits indirerectly through biotic factors:
indicates that its potential ranges is greater than its actual range
Successful transplant
