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Ecology > exam 4 > Flashcards

exam 4 Flashcards

1
Q

thermodynamics

A

the study of heat

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2
Q

thermodynamic: what is the source of energy?

A

sunlight

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3
Q

thermodynamic: 1st law of thermodynamic

A

what is a law? a well-tested theory

  1. energy is neither created/destroyed (only transferred)
  2. exothermic: heat is released/exited (burning paper)
    endothermic: heat is consumed/ entered (photosynthesis-end products contain more energy)
  3. energy flux: energy is randomly and evenly distributed (high sample size-atoms)
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4
Q

thermodynamic: 2nd law of thermodynamics

A
  1. no process is possible whose sole result is the transfer of heat from a colder to a warmer body
    -cold putty and warm putty–> have close contact to same temp
  2. during energy transfer, some heat is lost (transfers are not 100% efficient)
  3. entropy: randomness- what happens by chance (order of cells)
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5
Q

primary production

A

energy move from nonliving–> living

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6
Q

primary production: fixation of sunlight thru photosynthesis

A

6CO2+12H20—-sunlight—-> C6H12O6+ 6H20 +6O2
(low energy state: inorganic)——> (high energy state: organic)

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7
Q

primary production: Gross vs Net Primary Equation

A

Gross Primary Production - Cost = Net Prim. Production
-> Energy/carbon captured - C.R= Plant Biomass (amount of mass/matter)

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8
Q

primary production: Examples of Net Primary Productivity

A
  1. Tropical Rain Forest (warm/wet) > 2000g/m2/yr (dry matter)- great for growth
  2. Eastern Deciduous Forest >1750g/m3/yr
  3. Coniferous Forest, Savannah > 500-1000g/m2/yr
  4. Desert, Scrub, Tundra (dryest) < 250g/ m2/ yr (worse for growth)
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9
Q

Secondary Production

A

living to living (eating)

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10
Q

secondary production: 2nd transfer of carbon and energy

A

heterotrophs (organisms that cannot produce their own food) eating plants

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11
Q

secondary production: production of herbivores

A

plants making their own food

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12
Q

secondary production: Net Secondary Production

A

Gross Sec Prod - Cost= Net Sec Prod
-> Total Plant Biomass Consumed ( premade) - CR = Herbivore Biomass

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13
Q

secondary production: energy balance of eastern cottontail rabbit in NJ

A

1 . Input-plant tissue consumed (get energy from food+ grass)

  1. output:
    *20%: not digested or assimilated - 2nd law: not effective
    –> eat own poop-run thru their food twice
    *25%: waste products
    *45%: heat production
    –> endothermic (homeostasis)
    *10%: rabbit tissue (biomass)
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14
Q

Trophic levels: 1st level

A

a. primary producers
b. autotrophic (plants): fix energy & carbon
>energy–> chemical
c. photosynthetic plants & cyanobacteria
>fern: produce spores (r-selected)
>kelp

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15
Q

trophic levels: 2nd level

A

a. secondary production (moving from plants to things that consume them)
b. primary consumers: herbivores
c. heterotrophic: organic molecules (carbon + energy) that is premade
>buffalo (American bizar)
>song sparrow (eat seeds)
>black butterfly (eat nectar)

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16
Q

trophic levels: 3rd level

A

a. tertiary producers
b. secondary consumer: heterotrophs
c. primary carnivores
>fox (eat rabbits, voles)
> American Castrol ( eat grasshoppers)
> bull frog (dragonfly)

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17
Q

trophic levels: 4th level

A

a. quaternary producer
b. tertiary consumer: heterotrophic
c. secondary carnivores

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18
Q

species that operate on multiple levels: omnivores

A

eat both plants and animals
>raccoon

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19
Q

species that operate on multiple levels: scavengers

A

eat carrion (intact parts of dead animals)
> spotted hyenas
>voltures
>storens

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20
Q

species that operate on multiple levels: detrivores

A

eat detritus (organic matter that is processed by another animal or composed matter
>earthworms

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21
Q

species that operate on multiple levels: decomposers

A

reduce organic materials in simple inorganic compounds
-nitrogen (proteins) –> amino acids
-make nutrients available to plants (completely nutrient cycle
***90% is lost as heat in the atmosphere
>bacteria & fungi

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22
Q

digestion vs decomposition

A

digestion: occurs in the gut
decomposition: organic>inorganic

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23
Q

trophic pyramid: pyramid numbers

A

> paragon falcon + bluejay

1 paragon falcon 1
1 bluejay/day 365/yr
15 caterpillars/day 1998,375/yr
30 blades/day 21,882,206,250/yr

pyramid numbers grow EXPONENTIALLY

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24
Q

trophic pyramid: pyramid of energy

A

10% of energy is lost

-energy from the sun bounces in each transfer->energy is lost->less available

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25
Q

trophic pyramid: pyramid of standing biomass

A

shows the biomass of organisms at each level
almost always upright

why is less biomass of plants at the bottom?
they already been eaten
=nutrients are recycled

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26
Q

element cycle: carbon cycle

A

a. 4 macromolecules: carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic aids
b. reservoir
80%: ocean (dissolved CO2+ carbonates)
15% atmosphere
9% carbon in fossil fuel (coal, petroleum, natural gas)
4.5% biomass

27
Q

element cycle: nitrogen cycle

A

a. proteins + nucleic acids
b. reservoir: atmospheric N2
c. fixation (atmospheric -> smth that can be used)
>10% lighting
>90% nitrogen-fixing bacteria: N2->amonia
*who? clover, lotus tree (live in free soil, symbiotic w/ plants)
*where? legumes
d. nitrification:
amnomia-> nitrites
nitrites-> nitrate
what abt animals? has to be in its diet: soluble
e. denitrification: even more bacteria->recycle back into N2

28
Q

element cycle: oxygen cycle

A

a. which organic molecule? nucleic acid
b.reservior: atmospheric O2, also dissolved O2 in H2O
c. primary cycle: photosynthesis, respiration (involved in all other nutrient cycles)

29
Q

element cycle: phosphorous cycle

A

a. phospholipids, nucleic acids (sides of DNA, RNA-alternating sugar), ATP
b. reservoir: phosphate rocks (comes from soil)
c.cycle: taken up by plants, cycled thru food web, returns to soil

30
Q

what are biomes?

A

more than a habitat
-based on vegetation structure-> larger region
why region? to match temperature gradient, moisture gradient

31
Q

biome: grasslands

A

a. once covered ~40% of global land surface
what grows there now? corn, wheat, barley, oat, rice=all grasses

32
Q

grasslands: local names

A

Eurasia, ukraine, china: steppe
southern africa: veld
s. america: pampas
n. america: pairie

33
Q

grasslands: abiotic (non-living) characteristics

A
  1. 10-30 in/yr of rain
    (<10in is hard for plants, >100in in fire disclimax)
  2. periodic severe drought (grass is good at being dormant)
  3. wind, temp (day: high, night: low), fluctuation, low humidity, high evaporation rate)
  4. period fire
34
Q

grasslands: biotic (living) components

A
  1. grasses
    a. sod farmers: patches of rolled grass
    b. rhizome: top of soil (ex. Kentucky bluegrass)
    c. bunch grasses
    -grow in bunches
    -above ground “runners”/ “fillers”
    ex. little blue stem
  2. legumes (ex.clover)
  3. animals:
    -grazers (buffalo, giraffe)
    - granivorous: eat seeds (squirrels)
    -burrowers
35
Q

grasslands: structure

A
  1. roots
    a. highest investment in roots = high root/shoot ratio
    usually >1 (>50%)
    *high biomass below ground
    **___ to harsh conditionsb. root structure
    most biomass near the surface
    tap roots (up to 16ft in snakeroot)
    rhizomes
  2. herbaceous layer
    -not woody, soft plant body
    -cannot warry much weight
    a. conspicuous grasses
    b. forbs
    -many are ephemeral (short-lived)
    annual (every yr) vs. perennial (lives underground- has root system-lives thru the yrs)
    ex. basil, potato
36
Q

types of N. America Grasslands: tall grass prairie

A

a. location: west of eastern deciduous forest
b. rain up to 100 in/yr
c. fire: remove stem, recycle nutrient
d. dominant: Big Blue Stem

37
Q

types of N. America Grasslands: Mixed Grass Pairie

A

a. location: west of TGP
b. mid grasses in music area
c. short grasses in xeric area (dry)

38
Q

types of N. America grasslands: short grasses prairie

A

a.location: west of MGP
-near desert: 10-15in/yr
c. high wind, low humidity, high evaporation rate, temp (day: high, night: low)
d. dormant: scrongly grasses
e. problem: tend to be overgrazed

39
Q

types of N. America grassland: entheogenic grassland

A

man-made
a. tamed grassed:
pastures (cattle, sheep)
hayfields (have fences)-cut grass, save for winter
crops (corns, beans)

b. successional grassland

40
Q

biomes: shrublands

A

a. what is a schrub? woody, short
-small (<25ft), woody plant w/ no central trunk
-deep extensive root sys
-root/shoot ratio between grasses and trees
* not a taxonomic group; a growth form

41
Q

shrublands: abiotic characteristics

A
  1. semi-arid
    hot dry summer/ cool moist winter
    why is this a problem?
    *leaching: water-soluble nutrients are plush down-> loss underground=bad for plants (leave soil crust on the surface, makes it hard for the soil to absorb water)
    minimum: 1 drought each yr
  2. periodic fire: recycling nutrients
42
Q

shrublands: biotic components

A
  1. dominants: xeric, broadleaf, evergreen (have leaves thru-out) shrub
    -waxy cuticle (to retain h20; prevent water loss)
    -thorns (protection)
    -allelopathy (produce toxins that make other plants stay away)
    -shadscale, mesquite, custosat (?), sagebrush
  2. herbaceous plants-mostly animals
  3. succulents: cacti, aloe, yucca
  4. granivorous animals (birds, rodents) & predators that eat them (snakes)
43
Q

shrublands: structure

A

one below ground, two above ground layers (strata)

  1. roots
    -extensive root sys
    (leaching: nutrients are loss; rain is during winter rather than growing season)
  2. above ground: herbaceous-poorly developed

3.low, woody, open canopy (crown of all but has space)

44
Q

shrublands: types-chaparral

A

aka the Mediterranean
-location: Cali, Arizona, NM, S. Nevada, TX= southern tier

45
Q

shrublands: types-sage brush

A

aka Cold Desert
-location: Great Basin, Ut (Great Salt Lake), Nevada
-colder than chaparral
-dominants: sagebrush, sagscale

46
Q

shrublands: types-successional shrublands

A

location: extensive in eastern US
-5-20 yrs after clearcut/ fallow
-much more mesic (moist) than western shrublands
-soil is richer in nutrients

47
Q

Biome: Desert-location

A

east of postal range, sierra nevada, rockies
-prevalent wind(w->e:lee ward)= dryer due to adiabatic process (rain shadow)

48
Q

Dessert: Abiotic

A

dry: xeric conditions
~<10 in of ppt/yr
1 to 6 sustainable rain per yr (infrequent)
hot: day
cool: night
high wind, low humidity, high evaporation

49
Q

desert: biotic

A
  1. dominants: shrub, brittlebush, woody shrubs (cacti are succulent)
    2, forbs: ephemeral (short-lived where they produce seeds then die)

barrel cactus
prickly pears

50
Q

Desert: root/shoot table

A

trees moist 100%
shrubs dry medium
grasses very dry high
cacti dryest low (no point in chasing h2o)

51
Q

desert: animals

A

granivorous+ predators that eat them (less grazing)

52
Q

Tundra: location

A
  1. Arctic
    -circumpolar in N. hemisphere
    -not found in S. hemisphere (why? mostly water)
  2. Alpine
    -high elevation
    -lower latitude (closer to equator) , higher altitude (where the alone rest)
    -ecological island (on top of mountains-surrounded by a diff. habitat)
53
Q

Tundra: Abiotic

A

one word: cold

  1. climate: high wind, low humidity, high evaporation
  2. permafrost : layer under that never thaws out (stays frozen)-> liquid h20 cant penetrate
54
Q

tundra: abitoic-cryoplanation

A

a. frost polygon
b. frost hummocks
c. boils: wet puddles expand thru the ground (crack thru)
d. downslope movement:
-creep (out &down)
-soil fluctuation: soil sliding down

55
Q

tundra: biotic

A
  1. vegetative structure: grassland (adapted to cold temp+ permafrost)
  2. arctic fonna (animals)
    a. low density (not a lot of species)
    b. ranges often circumpolar
    c. ecotypes: ecological equivalent species (occupy the same niche but cover different area)
    -cariboo, reindeer
    d. ecoline
    -allen rule: appendages (mammals from colder climates have shorter appendages
    -bergmann rule: size ( mammals at higher altitudes are large in size to conserve heat)
    -gloger rule: color (mammals live in cool/ arid climate have light color)
    -jordans rule: clutches sizes are higher in cold climates (r-selected)
56
Q

Biome: forest

A

the dominant plants are trees (most biomass are trees)

a. general characteristics
1. highest above-ground biomass, low R/S ratio-> a lot of h2o availability
2. most stratified
ground, herbaceous, shrub, subcanopy, canopy, super canopy
3. microclimate @ ground level
-light: 5% in dense forest (most are being absorbed by leaves)
-temp is buffered so little sunlight is heating the ground
-wind is 0 near ground level
-highest humidity of all biomes

57
Q

forest: types: Northern coniferous forest

A

boreal forest: taiga
a. location: circumpolar & alpine
b. abiotic: cool temp, cold winter, moderate ppt (25-50ppt/yr)
c. biotic:
dominants: needle-like evergreen (pine, spruces, fern)
-poorly developed understory (why? leaves are acidic+ lack of light)

58
Q

forest: types: southern coniferous forest

A

a. location: S.E USA (Florida)
b. abiotic: hot, humid, heavy ppt (> 50in/yr)
c. biotic:
dominant: southern pine (long leaf, lobby, slash)= fire disclimax
dominants: southern pine

59
Q

forest: types: moist coniferous forest

A

a.location: pacific coast
b. abiotic: moderate temp, high humidity & high fog, 50-
150 ppt/yr
c.biotic: world’s largest tallest trees (highest biomass)
-southern region (CA, OR): redwood sequoia
*biggest tree: Hyperion 380ft 9.7in
-mid-region (Washington, British Columbia):
Ground Fur, Western hemlock
-northern region: AK (more open canopy)
Sithea Spruce

60
Q

forest: types: temperate deciduous forest

A

aka eastern deciduous forest
a. location: here
north: boreal,
west: tall grass grassland
south: southern pine
east: prairie
b. abiotic: 30-60 in ppt/yr
distinct seasonality
c. biotic: strata (4)
herbaceous, shrub, subcanopy, canopy
dominant: decid. trees (in association-old hickory)

61
Q

forest: types: tropical rainforest

A

a. location: equatorial belt
-Amazon: s. America (brazil, mexico, central america)- half of the world’s remaining TRF
-Congo Basin: Africa, India, Malaysia, SE Asia

b. abiotic: >100 ppt/yr
temp: high & stable
high humidity

c. biotic:
-flora (plants):
dominants: large broadleaf evergreen (150-250’ tall)
**highest richness (>75 species/ ha)- thousand/mi2
most stratified
epiphytes (plants grow on top of each other):vines
-fonna:
invertebrates:>20,000 insects/ 6 mi2
“herps” amphibians: most of the world’s species
mammals: 20 endemic families (can only be found here only)

62
Q

biome: everglades ecosystem

A

a. location: florida
b. abiotic: subtropic climate (not as hot, steady,warm, humid, lost of rain/summer:wet

63
Q

everglades: biotic

A

7 main habitats
marl prairie
cypress: trees are short (about human size)
hardwood hammock
pine lands
freshwater slough “slew”
coastal prairie
mangrove estuary: acts as a shield for smaller fishes

64
Q

what are the 3 most important issues facing the health of everglades sys?

A

amount of water
quality of water
timing of water

  1. eutrophication: the excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen
  • limiting nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) is added to the water sys-> a dense growth of surface vegetation-> shades out the water below
    why important? water is filler with small photosynthetic plants-> w/ sunlight, they photosynthesize->give o2 (primary source)
    oxygen used by vegetation is not replaced-> things below, suffocate=anoxic condition

Ecology (6 decks)

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