Ecology And The Biosphere Flashcards
—: the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
Ecology
The interactions between organisms and the environment determine the — of organisms and their —
- Distribution
2. Abundance
Ecologists work at levels ranging from — organisms to the —
- Individual
2. Planet
——: Studies how an organism’s structure, physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges
*Includes —, —, and — ecology
- Organismal Ecology
2. Physiological, evolutionary, & behavioral
—: a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
Population
——: focuses on factors affecting population size over time
Population Ecology
—: a group of populations of different species in an area
Community
——: examines how species interactions (e.g., predation, competition) affect community structure and organization
Community Ecology
—: the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact
Ecosystem
——: Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components
Ecosystem Ecology
—: a mosaic of connected ecosystems
landscape (or seascape)
——: Focuses on the exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems
Landscape Ecology
—: The global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems
Biosphere
——: examines the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the biosphere
Global Ecology
— are major life zones characterized by:
- Vegetation type for — biomes
- Physical environment for — biomes
- Biomes
- terrestrial
- Aquatic
—: the long-term (≥30-year) prevailing weather conditions in a given area
*Major factor determining the — of terrestrial biomes because it strongly influences the distribution of plants
- Climate
2. Location
—: event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community
*E.g., frequent fires can kill woody plants and maintain the characteristic vegetation of a savanna
Disturbance
General features of terrestrial biomes often name for major — or — factors and for —
- Physical
- Climatic
- Vegetation
Usually grade into each other, without sharp boundaries
*Area of intergradation is called an — and may be wide or narrow
Ecotone
Vertical layering is an important feature of terrestrial biomes, and in a forest it might consist of:
- Upper —
- Low — layer
- Shrub —
- — layer of herbaceous plants
- — floor
- — layer
- Canopy
- Tree
- Understory
- Ground
- Forest
- Root
Biomes are — and the species composition of each kind varies from one location to another
Dynamic
Similar characteristic can arise in distant biomes through — evolution
* E.g., cacti in the Americas and euphorbs in African deserts appear similar but are from different evolutionary lineages
Convergent
Terrestrial Biomes can be characterized by:
- —
- —
- —
- —
- —
- Distribution
- Precipitation
- Temperature
- Plants
- Animals
Tropical Forest
—: equatorial and subequatorial regions
Distribution
Tropical Forests
—:
* Tropical rain forests: rainfall is relatively constant
* Tropical dry forests: precipitation is highly seasonal
Precipitation
Tropical Forest:
—: high year-round (25–29 C) with little seasonal variation
Temperature
Tropical Forest:
—: vertically layered and competition for light is intense
Plants
Tropical forest:
—: diversity is higher than any other terrestrial biome
Animals
Desert:
Distribution: occur in — near —— C north & south of the equator, and in the interior of continents
- bands
2. 30 degrees C
Desert
Precipitation: — & — variable
- Low
2. Highly
Desert
Temperature: variable — & — and may be — or —
- Daily
- Seasonally
- Hot
- Cold
Desert
Plants: adapted for — and — tolerance, — storage, and — leaf surface area
- Heat
- Desiccation
- Water
- Reduced
Desert
Animals: many are — and have adaptations for ——
- Nocturnal
2. Water Conservation
Aquatic Biomes are diverse and dynamic,ic systems that cover — of the —
- Most
2. Earth
Aquatic biomes account for the — part of the biosphere in terms of —
- Largest
2. Area
Aquatic biomes show less — variation than terrestrial biomes
Latitudinal
Aquatic Biomes
Marine:
*Have salt concentrations of about —
*Largest is made of oceans which cover about — of Earth’s surface and have an enormous impact on the biosphere
- 3%
2. 75%
Aquatic Biomes Freshwater: *Have salt concentrations of less than 0.1% *Influenced by: ~Surrounding — biome ~Patterns and speed of —— ~—
- Terrestrial
- Water Flow
- Climate