ecology unit test Flashcards
Flux
when carbon dioxide moves from one reservoir to another
Reservoir/sink
a place where an element is accumulated or pooled
Carbon cycle
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).
Season tendencies
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.
How is methane produced?
Methane is produced in anaerobic conditions by methanogenic archaea breaking down organic matter.
What is peat and how is coal made?
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.
Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases are gases found in the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
What is the greenhouse effect and what issues does it impose?
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.
Enhanced greenhouse effect
Burning of fossil fuels which increases global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations
Shortwave radiation
the only solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface
Longwave radiation
absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-emitted as heat
Most common greenhouse gases
Water vapor and carbon dioxide along with methane and nitrous oxide.
What are factors that contribute to the greenhouse effect?
Deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels which both release trapped carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Relationship b/w atmospheric CO2 and ocean pH
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.
Nitrification
process in which plants absorb ammonia through nitrosomonas, then form nitrite through nitrobacter, to then form nitrate
Denitrification
process in which nitrogen gas is released from nitrite through pseudomonas denitrificans
Eutrophication
Enrichment of a body of water with chemical nutrients. For example, introducing phosphate into a body of water increases algae population and therefore, productivity.
Invasive species’ impact on the ecosystem
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
Richness versus evenness
Richness measures the number of different species present in an area whereas evenness measures the abundance of each species within an area
In-situ versus ex-situ
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.
Example of an endangered species’ conservation
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.
Primary succession versus secondary succession
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.
Fundamental versus realized niche
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.
The edge effect
Changes in a population or community along the boundary of a habitat
