Ecology: Intro

Question 1

ecological processes

Answer 1

explain why and how some variants survive and reproduce better than other

Question 2

ecological processes determined by

Answer 2

way organism interacts with its environment, its own species, other species

Question 3

ecology

Answer 3

study of how organisms interact with each other and the environment

Question 4

ecology allows us to understand

Answer 4

distribution and abundance of organisms

Question 5

organismal ecology

Answer 5

explore adaptations that allow individuals to live in a particular area.

Question 6

population ecology

Answer 6

study changes in number of individuals in a population

Question 7

community ecology

Answer 7

study interactions between species

Question 8

community

Answer 8

all of the species living in the same area

Question 9

ecosystem ecology

Answer 9

study how nutrients and energy move

Question 10

climate

Answer 10

prevailing long-term weather conditions found in an area

Question 11

weather

Answer 11

short-term atmospheric conditions of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, wind

Question 12

global climate patterns driven by

Answer 12

energy from the sun

Question 13

energy from the sun influences

Answer 13

air circulation and precipitation

Question 14

hadley cells

Answer 14

air rises at equator; drops moisture as moves pole-ward making 30 N and S dry

Question 15

seasonality influences

Answer 15

climate patterns

Question 16

solstice

Answer 16

longest and shortest days of the year when axis is pointing towards or away from sun

Question 17

equinoxes

Answer 17

equal amount of daylight and darkness when axis is not pointing away or towards sun

Question 18

rain shadow

Answer 18

dry region on side of a mountain range away from the prevailing winds

Question 19

why do oceans have moderating influence on climate

Answer 19

water has high specific heat

Question 20

terrestrial biomes characterized by

Answer 20

distinct abiotic conditions and dominant types of vegetation

Question 21

the nature of the terrestrial biome that develops is driven by

Answer 21

average annual temp/precip and annual variation in temp/precip

Question 22

net primary productivity

Answer 22

total amount of carbon fixed per year - amount lost through cell resipration

Question 23

net primary productivity is maximized in

Answer 23

warm, wet conditions

Question 24

differences in temp/precip and differences in soil type and elevation can affect

Answer 24

vegetation patterns

Question 25

the dominant vegetation type influences

Answer 25

animal community

Question 26

distribution of organisms influences by

Answer 26

abiotic factors, biotic factors, historical constraints

Question 27

abiotic factors

Answer 27

non-living components - climate, air, soil, water

Question 28

biotic factors

Answer 28

living components - animals plants

Question 29

historical constraints

Answer 29

geological events/features (glacier, volcano, mountain, rivers)

Question 30

biogeography

Answer 30

study of how organisms are distributed geographically

Question 31

humans role in distribution of organisms

Answer 31

introduce species to new area

Question 32

exotic species

Answer 32

species that is not native to an area but is introduced there by humans

Question 33

abiotic factors affect what in addition to distribution

Answer 33

timing of events

Question 34

phenology

Answer 34

timing of life cycle events during the year (migration, hibernation, emergence, flowering, dropping leaves)

Question 35

aquatic biomes characterized by

Answer 35

salinity, water depth, water flow, nutrient availability

Question 36

intertidal zone

Answer 36

exposed air at low tide, submerged at high tide

Question 37

neritic zone

Answer 37

shallow part of ocean before continental shelf

Question 38

benthic zone

Answer 38

lowest level of ocean that includes sediment layer

Question 39

nutrients brought to surface through

Answer 39

upwelling

Question 40

what happens when marine organisms die

Answer 40

their nutrients float to the benthic zone

Question 41

how does upwelling work

Answer 41

cool/nutrient-rich rises which restores nutrents to the surfca

Question 42

areas of frequent upwelling are addociative with

Answer 42

most productive fisbheries

Question 43

lakes

Answer 43

freshwater biomes characterized by low flow and range of sizes

Question 44

littoral zone

Answer 44

shallow waters along the chore

Question 45

limnetic zones

Answer 45

offshore water column

Question 46

benthic zone

Answer 46

lowest level of lake that includes sediment layer

Question 47

nutrients brough to surface of lake by

Answer 47

turnover

Question 48

turnover

Answer 48

during winter surface becomes oygenated, bottom becomes nutrient rich; spring - surface water warms and sinks, oxygeneated water rises

Question 49

without turnover

Answer 49

majority of nutrients in lake would remain at bottom and lakes would support less life

Question 50

tropical rain forest found in what regions

Answer 50

equatorial regions

Question 51

tropical rain forest productivity is

Answer 51

high - favorable conditions for growth year round

Question 52

temp tropical rain forest

Answer 52

very low variation with average annual of 25 Celsius (high)

Question 53

precip tropical rain forest

Answer 53

very high annual total with high variation (high in feb-march, low in oct-nov)

Question 54

desert found

Answer 54

30 degrees north and south (due to hadley cells)

Question 55

desert productivity is

Answer 55

low - plants grow slowly year round or rapidly in response to any rainfall

Question 56

temp desert

Answer 56

high average (above 30) with moderate variation (some drop below freezing)

Question 57

precip desert

Answer 57

very low annual total with very low variation

Question 58

temperate grasslands have dominantely grass because

Answer 58

conditions too dry for tree growth or trees burned out by prairie fires

Question 59

grasslands temp

Answer 59

in temperate zone; moderate variation from below freezing to 30 Celsius with moderate high average

Question 60

grasslands precip

Answer 60

moderate annual total with moderate variation (wet may-july and dry dec-feb)

Question 61

temperate forests productivity

Answer 61

lower than rain forests but higher than desert and grassland

Question 62

temperate forest temp

Answer 62

moderate average with moderate variation

Question 63

temperate forest precip

Answer 63

low variation with moderate annual total

Question 64

boreal forest (taiga) productivity

Answer 64

low and low diversity

Question 65

boreal forest temp

Answer 65

low average with high variation (-30 to 10 celsius)

Question 66

boreal forest precip

Answer 66

low annual total with low variation

Question 67

why are there trees in the boreal forest if precip is low

Answer 67

cold temperatures prevent evaporation

Question 68

arctic tundra productivity

Answer 68

low with low productiovity and low above ground biomass

Question 69

permafrost

Answer 69

perennially frozen tundra soils - limits uptake and release of nutrients

Question 70

tundra temp

Answer 70

very low average with high variation (-30 to 5 celsius)

Question 71

tundra precip

Answer 71

very low annual total with low variation