Ecology: Intro Flashcards
ecological processes
explain why and how some variants survive and reproduce better than other
ecological processes determined by
way organism interacts with its environment, its own species, other species
ecology
study of how organisms interact with each other and the environment
ecology allows us to understand
distribution and abundance of organisms
organismal ecology
explore adaptations that allow individuals to live in a particular area.
population ecology
study changes in number of individuals in a population
community ecology
study interactions between species
community
all of the species living in the same area
ecosystem ecology
study how nutrients and energy move
climate
prevailing long-term weather conditions found in an area
weather
short-term atmospheric conditions of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, wind
global climate patterns driven by
energy from the sun
energy from the sun influences
air circulation and precipitation
hadley cells
air rises at equator; drops moisture as moves pole-ward making 30 N and S dry
seasonality influences
climate patterns
solstice
longest and shortest days of the year when axis is pointing towards or away from sun
equinoxes
equal amount of daylight and darkness when axis is not pointing away or towards sun
rain shadow
dry region on side of a mountain range away from the prevailing winds
why do oceans have moderating influence on climate
water has high specific heat
terrestrial biomes characterized by
distinct abiotic conditions and dominant types of vegetation
the nature of the terrestrial biome that develops is driven by
average annual temp/precip and annual variation in temp/precip
net primary productivity
total amount of carbon fixed per year - amount lost through cell resipration
net primary productivity is maximized in
warm, wet conditions
differences in temp/precip and differences in soil type and elevation can affect
vegetation patterns
the dominant vegetation type influences
animal community
distribution of organisms influences by
abiotic factors, biotic factors, historical constraints
abiotic factors
non-living components - climate, air, soil, water
biotic factors
living components - animals plants
historical constraints
geological events/features (glacier, volcano, mountain, rivers)
biogeography
study of how organisms are distributed geographically
humans role in distribution of organisms
introduce species to new area
exotic species
species that is not native to an area but is introduced there by humans
abiotic factors affect what in addition to distribution
timing of events
phenology
timing of life cycle events during the year (migration, hibernation, emergence, flowering, dropping leaves)
aquatic biomes characterized by
salinity, water depth, water flow, nutrient availability
intertidal zone
exposed air at low tide, submerged at high tide
neritic zone
shallow part of ocean before continental shelf
benthic zone
lowest level of ocean that includes sediment layer
nutrients brought to surface through
upwelling
what happens when marine organisms die
their nutrients float to the benthic zone
how does upwelling work
cool/nutrient-rich rises which restores nutrents to the surfca
areas of frequent upwelling are addociative with
most productive fisbheries
lakes
freshwater biomes characterized by low flow and range of sizes
littoral zone
shallow waters along the chore
limnetic zones
offshore water column
benthic zone
lowest level of lake that includes sediment layer
nutrients brough to surface of lake by
turnover
turnover
during winter surface becomes oygenated, bottom becomes nutrient rich; spring - surface water warms and sinks, oxygeneated water rises
without turnover
majority of nutrients in lake would remain at bottom and lakes would support less life
tropical rain forest found in what regions
equatorial regions
tropical rain forest productivity is
high - favorable conditions for growth year round
temp tropical rain forest
very low variation with average annual of 25 Celsius (high)
precip tropical rain forest
very high annual total with high variation (high in feb-march, low in oct-nov)
desert found
30 degrees north and south (due to hadley cells)
desert productivity is
low - plants grow slowly year round or rapidly in response to any rainfall
temp desert
high average (above 30) with moderate variation (some drop below freezing)
precip desert
very low annual total with very low variation
temperate grasslands have dominantely grass because
conditions too dry for tree growth or trees burned out by prairie fires
grasslands temp
in temperate zone; moderate variation from below freezing to 30 Celsius with moderate high average
grasslands precip
moderate annual total with moderate variation (wet may-july and dry dec-feb)
temperate forests productivity
lower than rain forests but higher than desert and grassland
temperate forest temp
moderate average with moderate variation
temperate forest precip
low variation with moderate annual total
boreal forest (taiga) productivity
low and low diversity
boreal forest temp
low average with high variation (-30 to 10 celsius)
boreal forest precip
low annual total with low variation
why are there trees in the boreal forest if precip is low
cold temperatures prevent evaporation
arctic tundra productivity
low with low productiovity and low above ground biomass
permafrost
perennially frozen tundra soils - limits uptake and release of nutrients
tundra temp
very low average with high variation (-30 to 5 celsius)
tundra precip
very low annual total with low variation
