ecology unit test

Question 1

Flux

Answer 1

when carbon dioxide moves from one reservoir to another

Question 2

Reservoir/sink

Answer 2

a place where an element is accumulated or pooled

Question 3

Carbon cycle

Answer 3

Carbon moves throughout the atmosphere in ways like photosynthesis in plants (plants take in carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into oxygen) and decomposition (organisms become sediment once they decay which traps carbon and after a long time, sediment can be burned as fossil fuels, which releases carbon into the atmosphere).

Question 4

Season tendencies

Answer 4

Describes atmospheric CO2 concentration fluctuating throughout the year. In the winter, atmospheric CO2 increases because less CO2 absorption is taking place by plants. In the summer, atmospheric CO2 increases because more absorption is taking place by plants.

Question 5

How is methane produced?

Answer 5

Methane is produced in anaerobic conditions by methanogenic archaea breaking down organic matter.

Question 6

What is peat and how is coal made?

Answer 6

Peat is partially digested organic matter that forms in acidic, water-saturated soil. Peat contains large amounts of carbon that can be compressed into coal after a long period of time.

Question 7

Greenhouse gases

Answer 7

Greenhouse gases are gases found in the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Question 8

What is the greenhouse effect and what issues does it impose?

Answer 8

The greenhouse effect refers to heat being trapped near Earth’s surface by greenhouse gases causing global temp. to rise which decreases biodiversity and increases storms and droughts.

Question 9

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 9

Burning of fossil fuels which increases global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations

Question 10

Shortwave radiation

Answer 10

the only solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface

Question 11

Longwave radiation

Answer 11

absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-emitted as heat

Question 12

Most common greenhouse gases

Answer 12

Water vapor and carbon dioxide along with methane and nitrous oxide.

Question 13

What are factors that contribute to the greenhouse effect?

Answer 13

Deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels which both release trapped carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 14

Relationship b/w atmospheric CO2 and ocean pH

Answer 14

As the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration increases, more carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean resulting in decreased ocean’s pH which raises the acidity to a degree that dissolves calcium carbonate meaning that marine organisms cannot form their shells/exoskeletons.

Question 15

Nitrification

Answer 15

process in which plants absorb ammonia through nitrosomonas, then form nitrite through nitrobacter, to then form nitrate

Question 16

Denitrification

Answer 16

process in which nitrogen gas is released from nitrite through pseudomonas denitrificans

Question 17

​​Eutrophication

Answer 17

Enrichment of a body of water with chemical nutrients. For example, introducing phosphate into a body of water increases algae population and therefore, productivity.

Question 18

Invasive species’ impact on the ecosystem

Answer 18

Them increasing in population leaves less resources for resident species and if niches overlap with a resident species, it can cause that resident species’ extinction

Question 19

Richness versus evenness

Answer 19

Richness measures the number of different species present in an area whereas evenness measures the abundance of each species within an area

Question 20

In-situ versus ex-situ

Answer 20

In-situ conservation is on site conservation of biodiversity and is typically seen within nature reserves. Ex-situ conservation is off site conservation of biodiversity and involves removing species from their natural habitat to protect them.

Question 21

Example of an endangered species’ conservation

Answer 21

The mission blue butterfly is an example of an endangered species that is being in-situ conserved in San Bruno Mountain by the growing native grasses/wildflowers for the butterflies to obtain nectar.

Question 22

Primary succession versus secondary succession

Answer 22

PRIMARY SUCCESSION: newly exposed or newly formed rock is colonized by living things for the first time. SECONDARY SUCCESSION: an area that was previously occupied by living things is disturbed, then re-colonized following the disturbance.

Question 23

Fundamental versus realized niche

Answer 23

FUNDAMENTAL NICHE: set of conditions an organism can survive/reproduce in. REALIZED NICHE: set of conditions in an organism’s actual mode of existence after interacting with other species.

Question 24

The edge effect

Answer 24

Changes in a population or community along the boundary of a habitat