Chapter 52: Ecology Intro Flashcards
1
Q
Chapter 52
What is ecology?
A
- interactions between organisms and living/nonliving things of environment
- interactions determine distribution & abundance of organisms
2
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Chapter 52
Describe organismal ecology
A
- studies an organism’s stucture, physiology & behavior
- sees if it meet environmental challenges
3
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Chapter 52
Describe population ecology
A
- focuses on factors affecting populaiton size over time
population: group of individuals of same species in an area
4
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Chapter 52
Describe community ecology
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- effect of interspecfic interactions on community structure and organization
community: group of poulations of different species in an area
5
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Chapter 52
Describe ecosystem ecology
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- energy flow & chemical cysling between organisms and environment
ecosystem: community of organisms in an area & physical factors they interact with
6
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Chapter 52
Describe landscape ecology
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- exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems
landscape/seascape: a mosaic of connected ecosystems
7
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Chapter 52
Describe global economy
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- influence of energy and materials on organisms across biosphere
biosphere: sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes
8
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Chapter 52
What is climate? What is its 4 major physical components?
A
- Climate: long term weather conditions in an area
- 4 components: temp, precipitation, sunlight, wind
9
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Chapter 52
Whas causes latitudinal variations in climate?
A
- warming effect of sun
- can cause temp variations, circulation of air & water, and water evaporation
10
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Chapter 52
Tropics
A
- located in between poles and equator
- tropic of cancer & tropic of capricorn
- intensity of sunlight is strongest here
- sunlight most directly strikes Earth
11
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Chapter 52
What is the difference between descending and ascending air masses in climate?
A
- ascending air masses release water and cause tropical climates
- descending air masses create dry & arid climates
12
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Chapter 52
What is seasonality caused by?
A
- the tilt of earth’s axis oc rotation
- its annual passage arounf the sun
13
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Chapter 52
How do ocean currents affect climate?
A
- currents flowing toward equator carry cold water from poles
- currents flowing away from equator carry warm water to poles
- air is also cooled/warmed with these current movements
14
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Chapter 52
What is the relationship between air and mountains
A
- warm air cools as it rises up the mountain
- releases moisture on the windward side
- rainshadow effect: reduction of moisture on the opp side of mountain away from prevaling winds
15
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Chapter 52
What is microclimate?
A
very fine, localized patterins in climate
16
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Chapter 52
What is the difference between abiotic & biotic factors?
A
- abiotic: nonliving attributes (temp, light, water, nutrients)
- biotic: organisms that are part of an individual’s environment (trees, soil, pathogens, food resources, predation)
both influence species and distribution
17
Q
Chapter 52
What is climate change?
A
- directional change to global climate
- lasting three decades or more
- wind & participation patterns are shifting
- global temp rising
- frequency of extreme wather events increasing
studying how species responded to changes in past will help predict effects of future global climate change
18
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Chapter 52
What is a biome?
A
life zones characterized by vegetaion type or physical enviornment
19
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Chapter 52
What is a climograph?
A
plots annual average temp and percipitation in a region
20
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Chapter 52
What is disturbance?
A
an event (storm, fire, human activity) that changes community
ex: hurricanes allow openings in forests for new species to grow
21
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Chapter 52
Terrestial biomes
A
- climate is a factor that determines these biome’s locations
- these biomes usually grade into each other
- no sharp/clear boundaries
- vertical layering: provide diverse habitats for animals
22
Q
Chapter 52
Describe Tropical Forest
A
- tropical rain forests: rainfall is constant
- tropical dry forests: percpitaion is seasonal
- annual temp: 25-29 C
- little seasonal variation
- vertical layering is existent
- animal diversity is highest
- human impact/disturbance: deforestation
23
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Chapter 52
Describe deserts
A
- rain is low & high variable
- temp is variable seasonally and daily
- can be hot or cold
- animals are noctural and have adaptations for water conservation
- human impact: reduced biodiversity via urbanization/irrigational agriculture
24
Q
Chapter 52
Describe savanna
A
- precipation is season
- dry season last 8-9 months
- annual temp: 24-29 c
- more seasonally variable than tropics
- plants have adaptations that are fire resistant and drought tolerant
- human impact: cattle ranching & overhunting
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# **Chapter 52**
Describe chaparral
* rainy winters & dry summers
* percpiation is seasonal
* summer are hot; spring, fall, winter are cool
* shrubs, small trees, herbs; adapted to fire & drought
* animals: birds, insects, browing mammals, etc..
* human impact: reduction in these areas b/c of agriculture & urbanization
26
# **Chapter 52**
Describe temperate grasslands
* preciptation: highly seasonal
* winter: cold & dry; summer: hot & wet
* plants, etc.. adapted to droughts & fire
* native mammals: bison, wild horses, etc..
* human impact: grassland into farmland
27
# **Chapter 52**
Describe taiga (northern conferoud forest)
* preciptation varies based on location
* winters: cold; summers: hot
* pines, fir, hemlock, etc. dominate
* animals: moose, brown bears, resident birds
* human impact: logging old-growth stands
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# **Chapter 52**
Describe temperate broadlead forest
* preciptation: significan amounts: fall during all seasons as rain or snow
* a mature forest has vertical layering
* dominant plants: deciduos trees & evergreen eucalpytus
* human impact: human populations settle in these areas
29
# **Chapter 52**
Describe tundra
* covers expanisve areas in Artic
* annual percipitation is low
* winters are cold, summers are cool
* permaforest: restricts growth of plants roots
* mammals: musk oxen, reindeer, bears, wolves, foxes, etc...
* human impact: oil & mineral extraction
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# **Chapter 52**
Aquatic Biomes
* characterized by physical & chemical environment
* surrounding terrestrial biome, pattern/speed of water flow, climate influence this biome
* photic zone: sufficient light for photosynthesis
* aphotic zone: receives little light
* benthic zone: sediment at bottom of aquatic zones
* abyssal zone: in aphotic zone
* thermocline: seprates warm upper layer from cool deeper water
* tunrover: mixes oxygenated water w/ nutrient rich water
31
# **Chapter 52**
Describe lakes
* oligotrophc lakes: nutrient poor, oxygen rich. less surface area
* eutrophic lakes: nutrient rich, oxygen poor
* littoral zone: close to shore
* limnetic zone: deep water
* fishes: live in zones with oxygen
* human impact: human nduced nutrients
32
# **Chapter 52**
Describe wetlands
* develop in shallow basins, along flooded river baks, or on the coasts of lakes
* among most productive biomes
* plants: lilies, cattails, etc..
* human impact: up 90% of wetlands have been destroyed
33
# **Chapter 52**
Describe streams/rivers
* headwater: narrow, rocky, cold, clear, oxygen rich
* downstream: wide, warmer, well oxugenated
* diveristy of fishes and invertrebates
* human impact: damming, flood control & pollution
34
# **Chapter 52**
Describe estuaries
* transition area between river & sea
* nutrient rich and highly productive
* has a complex network of tidal channels, islands, leeves, and mudflates
* saltmarch grasses & algae: major producers
* human imapct: filling, dredging, and pollution
35
# **Chapter 52**
Describe oceanic pelagic zone
* seasonal turnover: renews nutrients in the photic zones
* constantly mixed by wind driven oceanic currents
* phytoplankton & zooplankton are dominant organisms
* human impact: overfishing, pollution, ocean acidification, global warming
36
# **Chapter 52**
Describe coral reef
* formed from calcium carbonate skeletons of corals
* shallow reef-building corals live in the photic zone
* deep-sea corals live in the depth of sea
* fringing reef to barrier reef to coral atoll
* require high o2 concentrations & solid substrate for attachment
* have mutalistic relationship w/ unicellular algae
* human impact: overfishing, collection of coral skeletons, pollution, etc...
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# **Chapter 52**
Describe marine benthic zone
* consists of sea floor below surface waters of the coastal & offshore pelagic zone
* substrate is mainly soft sediments
* contains seaweed and algae
* hydrothermal vents: on mid oceanic ridges surrounded by unique chemoautotrophic prokaryotes
* human impact: overfishing & waste dumping
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# **Chapter 52**
What are some biotic factors that limit a species' distribution?
predation, parasitism, competition, disease
39
# **Chapter 52**
What are some abiotic factors that limit its distribution?
* chemical factors: water, o2, salinity, pH, soil nutrients
* physical factors: temp, light, soil, structure, fire, etc...
40
# **Chapter 52**
What is dispersal?
* movement of individuals away from centers of high population density (or area of origin)
* contributes to global distribution
* natural range expansions show influence of this on distribution
* rare case: can lead to adaptive radiation
41
# **Chapter 52**
What are species transplants?
* organisms that are relocated from their original distribution
* can be intentional or accidental
* cam disrupt communities/ecosystems
42
# **Chapter 52**
What are important factors in the distribution of organisms?
* environmental temperature
* range shifts in response to clomate change
* water (salinity) & oxygen availability
* sunlight availability
43
# **Chapter 52**
What are characteristics of soil that limit distribution of plants?
* physical structure
* pH
* mineral composition
44
# **Chapter 52**
What is the relationship between ecological interactions & evolutionary change?
* ecological change --- alters selective pressures in population = evolutionary change
* evolutionary change --- alters outcome of ecological interactions = ecological change
