Exam 1

Question 1

What is Ecology?

Answer 1

Study of complex interactions among organisms and their environment

Question 2

What are some fundamental goals of ecology?

Answer 2

Understanding mechanisms that influence biological diversity.

Question 3

What is Climate?

Answer 3

Long term pattern of weather in a particular area.

Question 4

How does solar radiation vary annually and by latitude over the earth’s surface?

Answer 4

Different latitudes are hit at different angles throughout the year.

Question 5

What happens to light in the atmosphere and on land and on water?

Answer 5

The light is reflected or absorbed.

Question 6

What is albedo?

Answer 6

The fraction of light that a surface reflects.

Question 7

What is saturation vapor pressure and vapor pressure deficit?

Answer 7

Saturation vapor pressure is the pressure of vapor that is equal to molecules returning and escaping. Vapor pressure deficit is the difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold when it is saturated.

Question 8

What is total humidity vs relative humidity?

Answer 8

Relative humidity is amount of water in air in percentage. Total humidity is measured regardless of the air temperature.

Question 9

What is the greenhouse effect and gases?

Answer 9

The green house effect is heat trapped close to the earths surface by gases (CO2, Methane, Nitrous oxide)

Question 10

How does climate change over short-term and long-term periods?

Answer 10

Climate can change short term from el nino events. Long term change happens over a long time from natural processes.

Question 11

How does heat distribution affect ecosystems at different latitudes?

Answer 11

Varying angles of sunlight cause consistent temperatures at the equator. Mid latitudes experience temperature variability. High latitudes have cold temperatures.

Question 12

How do pressure zones form atmospheric cells and how do they influence large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns?

Answer 12

Unequal heating of the earth’s surface form pressure zones. Differential heating gradient between equator and poles creates cells. They influence the direction and speed of surface winds and the movement of weather systems.

Question 13

What influences wind and ocean surface circulation?

Answer 13

The wind circulation is influenced by pressure gradients and Coriolis effect. Ocean currents have tides and continental shelves.

Question 14

How does wind and ocean circulation impact global precipitation?

Answer 14

Wind patterns influence the movement of weather systems. The ITCZ leads to tropical rainfall. Ocean patterns influence the coastal areas with upwelling.

Question 15

What causes an ENSO event?

Answer 15

Weakening of trade winds and supression of upwelling.

Question 16

What is the “rain shadow” effect?

Answer 16

When a mountain range obstructs the movement of air masses resulting in reduced precipitation and dry conditions on the other side.

Question 17

What are some factors that cause variation in microclimates?

Answer 17

Soil type, Bodies of water, geography

Question 18

What are some important physical properties of water?

Answer 18

Denser in liquid form, High heat capacity, Adhesive

Question 19

How does variation in temperature, density, salinity, pH, and water movement influence aquatic and terrestrial organisms?

Answer 19

Temperature
Aquatic- Metabolic rates
Terrestrial- Activity levels
Density
Aquatic- vertical distribution of aquatic organisms
Terrestrial- Competition for resources
Salinity
Aquatic-Osmotic balance
Terrestrial- Soil quality
pH
Aquatic- Development
Terrestrial-
Soil pH impacts nutrient availability.
Water movement
Aquatic- distribution and behavior
Terrestrial- Microclimates

Question 20

What is the general distribution of water on earth?

Answer 20

Majority salt water and not uniform distribution of fresh water.

Question 21

What is the hydrological cycle?

Answer 21

Water cycle water infiltration to groundwater aquifers.

Question 22

What does LAI tell us about photosynthesis of different plant communities?

Answer 22

The more LAI typically more photosynthesis because they can capture more sunlight.

Question 23

How does LAI impact PAR passing through a temperate forest community?

Answer 23

Higher LAI intercepts light at the upper canopy layers leaving less light below for other plants.

Question 24

What is the definition of soil?

Answer 24

Soil is a natural resource that consists of a mixture of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms.

Question 25

What are the main components of soil?

Answer 25

Sand, Silt, Clay, and organic matter.

Question 26

How does soil form?

Answer 26

Podzolization- Cool temp abundant precipitation
Laterization-
Warm temp heavy precipitation
Calcification- Cool to hot temp
Gleization- Very cold moist water logged/frozen

Question 27

Why is the ion exchange capacity and available water capacity of soils important for plant growth?

Answer 27

ion exchange capacity can retain and supply more nutrients and awc can store and release more water for plants.

Question 28

How does climate influence soil type and quality?

Answer 28

Precipitation can cause leaching. Temperature can cause gleization or accelerate chemical reactions.

Question 29

What is the difference between adaptation and acclimation?

Answer 29

Adaptation is long term genetic process and acclimation is rapid and reversible adjustments to a changing environment.

Question 30

What is phenotypic plasticity and how is it exhibited in a species “norm of reaction”?

Answer 30

Phenotypic plasticity is a genotype producing different phenotypes. Norm of reaction is the range of phenotypes that a particular genotype can produce in a range of environments.

Question 31

What is adaptive radiation?

Answer 31

A single ancestral species gives rise to multiple descendant species each adapted to exploit different ecological niches.

Question 32

What is the difference in stabilizing, directional, and disruptive selection?

Answer 32

Stabilizing Selection- maintains the status quo by favoring intermediate traits and reducing trait variation.
Directional Selection- drives the population toward one extreme of a trait, resulting in a shift in trait frequencies.
Disruptive Selection- promotes extreme traits at both ends of the spectrum, potentially leading to divergence within the population.

Question 33

What is homeostasis?

Answer 33

When an organism maintains a stable and balanced internal environment.

Question 34

What is a Poikilotherm?

Answer 34

A poikilotherm is a form of thermoregulation where temperature is conformed based on behavior and environment.

Question 35

What is a homeotherm?

Answer 35

Homeotherms regulate their body temperature to be constant and stable internal.

Question 36

What effects do extreme temperatures have on organisms?

Answer 36

They can challenge the ability of an organism to adapt and disrupt ecosystems.

Question 37

How is modern climate change affecting photosynthesis, and what other factors are important to this process?

Answer 37

Elevated CO2 can increase photosynthesis, nutrient availability can be impacted.

Question 38

How is the rate of transpiration influenced by atmospheric vapor pressure deficit and relative humidity?

Answer 38

It increases as VPD increases
Relative humidity causes transpiration to decrease as RH increases

Question 39

How do animals adapt to terrestrial environments of various moisture levels?

Answer 39

Animals conserve water in dry environments. Hibernation or migration.

Question 40

How do animals in aquatic environments regulate osmotic balance?

Answer 40

Salt water animals live in a hyperosmotic environment compared to their body fluids they drink sea water to regulate
Fresh water animals live in a hypotonic environment compared to their body fluids they take up salt in their gills to regulate.