Ecosystem Ecology Flashcards
a large area characterized by its vegetation, soil, climate, and wildlife
Biome
five major types of biomes
aquatic
grassland
forest
desert
tundra
bodies of water surrounded by land
freshwater biomes
some examples of freshwater biomes (3)
ponds
rivers
lakes
salt content of freshwater biomes
less than one percent
the study of inland waters
limnology
inland waters such as (5)
lakes (both freshwater and saline)
reservoirs
streams
wetlands
groundwater
limnological discipline
integrates the functional relationships of growth, adaptation, nutrient cycles, and biological productivity with species composition, and describes and evaluates how the physical, chemical, and biological environments regulate these relationships
the word “limnology” comes from the Greek words ___ and___
limne (marsh, pond) and limnaea (a thing pertaining to a marsh)
the study of the structure, function, and change of organisms in freshwaters as affected by their physical, chemical, and biotic environments
freshwater ecology
freshwater include (6)
lakes and ponds
rivers
streams
springs
bogs
wetlands
a subset to Earth’s aquatic ecosystems
freshwater ecology
freshwater habitats can be classified by their (4)
temperature
light penetration
nutrients
vegetation
freshwater ecosystems can be divided into (2)
lentic ecosystems (still water)
lotic ecosystems (flowing water)
freshwater ecosystems are also called
vegetated wetlands
freshwater ecosystems play an important role in ___
mitigation against climate variability
freshwater ecosystems play an important role in mitigation against climate variability by (4)
flood control
water purification
shoreline stabilization
sequestration of carbon dioxide
examples of freshwater ecosystems (4)
streams
rivers
lakes
marsh
examples of lakes in the Philippines (3)
Laguna Lake
Lake Lanao
Lake Mainit
the largest lake in the Philippines
Laguna Lake
the second largest lake in the Philippines
Lake Lanao
the deepest lake in the Philippines
Lake Mainit
example of marsh in the Philippines
Agusan Marsh
habitats that support marine life
marine habitats
marine biomes include (3)
the ocean
coral reefs
estuaries
the term marine comes from the Latin word ___
mare (sea or ocean)
marine habitats can be divided into (2)
coastal habitats
open ocean habitats
found in the area that extends from as far as the tide comes in on the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf
coastal habitats
the shelf area occupies ___ percent of the total ocean area
seven
found in the deep ocean beyond the edge of the continental shelf
open ocean habitats
mangrove ecosystem services (8)
wood
livelihoods
mangrove ecosystem services
climate regulation
fisheries
tourism
water filtration
coastal protection
a transitional area of vegetation between two different plant communities
ecotone
support thousands of marine species, store carbon, improve water quality, protect coastlines, cycle nutrients, and create habitat corridors between coral reefs and mangroves
seagrasses/seagrass beds
seagrass services (10)
biodiversity
food
oxygen
nutrient cycling
water quality
habitat corridors
climate resilience
carbon storage
livelihoods
shelter
created by tiny animals “coral polyps”
act as homes or nurseries for 25% of all marine life
found in over 100 countries
coral reefs
tiny animals that create coral reefs
coral polyps
the coral polyps’ ___ build up over time, forming the base of the ___ habitat that supports the world’s ___
limestone skeletons, complex reef, highest level of marine biodiversity
coral reefs services (4)
food and fishing
tourism and recreation
medicine
coastal protection
13m hectare underwater plateau near Aurora. the Philippines’ biggest island, considered part of the Philippines continental shelf
Benham Rise
partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more streams into it, and with a free connection to the open sea
estuary
estuaries form a ___ between river environments snd maritime environments known as ___
transition zone, ecotone
estuaries are subject to both (2)
marine influences, riverine influences
examples of marine influences (3)
tides, waves, and influx of saline
examples of a riverine influences (2)
flows of freshwater and sediment
the mixing of seawater and freshwater provides ___ both in the ___ and ___, making estuaries among the ___ in the world
high levels of nutrients, water column and in sediment, most productive natural habitats
estuaries are incredibly dynamic systems, where ___, ___, ___, ___, and ___ all change daily in response to the tides (5)
temperature
salinity
turbidity
depth
flow
this dynamism makes estuaries ___ habitats, but also makes it difficult for many species to ___
highly productive, survive year-round
estuaries provide ___ to a variety of species that rely on estuaries for life-cycle completion
critical habitats
scientific name of Pacific Herring
Clupea pallasii
species known to lay their eggs in estuaries and bays
Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii)
species that give birth in estuaries
surfperch
species that migrate to estuaries to rear
juvenile flatfish and rockfish
species that use estuaries as migration corridors
anadromous salmonids and lampreys
migratory bird population - relies on estuaries
black-tailed godwit
habitat that is found predominantly on land
terrestrial habitat
terrestrial habitats are spread out across a large range of environments such as (7)
caves
deserts
farms
forests
grasslands
shorelines
wetlands
___ or ___ habitats such as ___ or ___ also constitute to terrestrial habitats
semi-natural or man-made, national parks or biosphere reserves
types of terrestrial habitats (4)
forests
deserts
mountains
grasslands
an essential for the existence of life on Earth as it served as a natural habitat for a vast range of plants and animals
forests
covers nearly ___ square km of the Earth’s surface or ___ of the total land surface
40m, 31%
forest ecosystem is divided into four different subgroups (4)
tropical forest
temperature forest
boreal forest
plantation forest
layers of rainforest (4)
forest floor
understory layer
canopy layer
emergent layer
have the highest species diversity
usually located around the equator in the South Africa and Southeast Asia
tropical forests
tropical forests are characterized by (2)
humidity
excessive rainfall
similar to temperate forests but have a much harsher temperature
boreal forests
boreal forests are also called ___ and are the ___
Taiga, largest land biome
cultivated for the purpose of commercialization
only one or two species of trees are cultivated
genetically altered to provide better resistance against disaster and commercial viability
plantation forests
areas where the most dominant type of vegetation is gasses
these types of environments occur naturally throughout the world
grasslands
grassland is home for a wide diversity of animal species such as (8)
elephants
giraffes
hyenas
jackrabbits
lions
rhinos
warthogs
zebras
grasslands can be subdivided into (2)
tropical grasslands
temperate grasslands
tropical grasslands are also called
Savanna or Savannah
characterized by a combination of widely spaced grassy fields and woodlands where sufficient light reaches the ground
tropical grasslands
tropical grasslands receive ___ of rain every year, which is then followed by a ___
30 to 50in, dry season
similar to tropical grasslands except it has warmer summers followed by cold winters
temperate grasslands
average annual rainfall of temperate grasslands
30-35in
temperate grasslands can be categorized into (2)
steppes (short grasses)
prairies (tall grasses)
examples of major grasslands (2)
Great Plains of the Midwest
Palouse Prairie (America)
biomes that receive less than 10in of rainfall anually
deserts
regarded as a desert as annual precipitation is less than 2in (interior parts)
Antarctica
animals have adapted to the heat by ___ or ___
burrowing or living in caves
in deserts, animals have adopted a ___
nocturnal lifestyle
nocturnal lifestyle of animals
stay underground during the heat of the day, hunt food in the relative coolness of the night
common terrestrial animals found in such habitats (deserts) include (5)
antelopes
camels
different species of foxes
gazelles
goats
also found in deserts are endangered species such as (6)
cheetahs
African wild dogs
lizards
hyraxes
North African ostriches
desert crocodiles
the effect of Earth’s rotation on the direction of winds and current
Coriolis Effect
an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the Earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems.
Coriolis Effect
classified as a polar desert
largest desert in the world
Antarctic
largest subtropical desert
Sahara
one of the “big four” deserts in North America
largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America
Great Basin
large landform that rise above the surrounding surface
mountains
mountain regions have ___ due to ___
colder climates, high elevations
plants and animals residing in these regions (mountains) have ___ to cope up with the environment
special adaptations
mountain fauna includes (6)
bighorn sheep
brown and black bears
grizzly beats
mountain goats
mountain lions
antelopes (not found in the same region)
forests are present in ___ but become increasingly sparse as the ___
moderate elevation, elevation increases
height/elevation of Mt. Everest
8,848.86m
height/elevation of Mt. Apo
2,954m
