Interactions (environment And Organisms) And Communities Flashcards
Describe the process of succession from pioneer to climax community in both TERRESTRIAL and AQUATIC
T- 1. Rocks broken up (nutrients added to soil)
2. Grasses grow (die and decompose)
3. shrubs and bushes grow
4. Fast growing trees (pine)
5. Slow growing trees (oak)
A 1. Sediments get into water
2. Reeds and grasses grow (trap sediments)
3. Marsh community grows
4. Tree species (willow)Difference between primary and secondary succession
P- gradual establishment of biotic communities in lifeless areas where there is no soil (land) and no sediment (aquatic)
S- succession following a destructive event. Soil is not destroyed
What are plants and animals associated with the various biomes
Desert
- cactus, succlents
- lizards, reptiles
Grasslands
- insects, bison
- rabbits, caribou
Forest
- trees
- bears, deer, raccoons, stuff
What are the physical environmental factors that determine the kind of climax community that will develop?
Short term- Fire, Flood, agriculture
long term- global warming, ice ages
Describe the various FOREST biomes that develop based on TEMPERATURE and RAINFALL
Tropical Rainforest
-a shit ton of rain, warmer
Evergreen Forest
-still some rain, cooler
Describe the various kinds of AQUATIC ecosystems and the FACTORS that determiner their characteristics
Estuaries- fresh water meets salt water
deep ocean-
List ABIOTIC and BIOTIC factors in n ecosystem
A- temp., weather, climate, location
B- tree, animal, and plant life
Describe niche
Total way of life or role of a species in an ecosystem. It includes all physical, chemical, and biological conditions a species needs to live and reproduce in an ecosystem.
Describe the process of NATURAL SELECTION as it operates to refine the fit between organism, habitat, and niche
The fittest survive. An organism must adapt to its environment and to its niche (conditions needed to live in) conditions
Describe: Predator- Prey Parasite-host competitive mutualistic commensalistic relationships
Predator- Prey: Predator hunts prey
Parasite-host: Harms the host
competitive: compete for food, shelter, mates, etc.
mutualistic: both species benefit from this
commensalistic relationships:one is benefited and the other is neither benefited nor harmed.
Community vs. Ecosystem
Communities are populations of different species occupying a particular place
Ecosystems are communities of different species interacting with one another and their nonliving environment.
Describe energy flow through an ecosystem
Producers- highest level of energy
–90% lost each level up
Define the role of a: Producer herbivore carnivore omnivore scavenger parasite decomposer
Producer -autotrophs, make their own food (converts energy into carbohydrates) herbivore – plant eaters
carnivore – meat eaters
omnivore -plant and meat eaters
scavenger – feed on dead organisms
parasite- draws nutrient at hosts expense
decomposer-break down organic matter and release it back to the nutrient cycle
relate the concept of FOOD WEBS and FOOD CHAINS to trophic levels.
bottom (largest)- producers
top (smallest)- top prey
Carbon Cycle
- carbon dioxide from respiration (breathing) and combustion (burning).
- Carbon dioxide is absorbed by producers
- Most of the carbon these animals consume however is exhaled as carbon dioxide
- The dead organisms (dead animals and plants) are eaten by decomposers in the ground. The carbon that was in their bodies is then returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
Nitrogen Cycle
Omitted by: Cars, Factories/ plants, trees Fixation - bacteria change nitrogen into ammonium.
Nitrification - ammonium gets changed into nitrates by bacteria. Nitrates are what the plants can then absorb.
Assimilation - plants get nitrogen. They absorb nitrates from the soil into their roots.
Ammonification - This is part of the decaying process.
Denitrification - Extra nitrogen in the soil gets put back out into the air.
Phosphorous Cycle
is the process in which phosphorus travels from its main source of rocks through ecosystems to living organisms.
- Weathering
- plants obsorbe some, rest in water
describe the SEVEN main processes involved in the Hydrologic Cycle
1) evaporation – conversion of water into water vapor
2) transpiration – evaporation from leaves of water extracted from soil by roots and transported throughout the plant
3) condensation – conversion of water vapor into droplets of liquid water
4) precipitation – rain, sleet, hail or snow
5) infiltration – movement of water into soil
6) percolation – downward flow of water through soil and permeable rock to groundwater storage areas
7) runoff – downslope surface movement back to the sea
Two driving factors behind the Water Cycle
Sunlight
Gravity
precipitation vs. condensation nuclei
Condensation- condensed water in the atmosphere
Precipitation- water that falls to the earths surface
Groundwater
Aquifer
Water table
Groundwater- water found underground.
Aquifer- Permeable rocks were groundwater is stored
WT- the top of the ground water
Describe THREE significant anthropogenic interventions in the Hydrologic Cycle
1) Withdrawing large quantities of fresh water
2) clearing vegetation
3) modifying water quality.
Why is the Water Cycle vital to the biosphere
3 functions
Circulates water throughout world
- transports water
- stores water
- distributes water
Three ways CARBON is essential for biota to function
1) It is a building block for carbs, fats, proteins, DNA
2) It is a key component in the earth’s thermostat (as CO2)
3) It is used in photosynthesis
Co2 is what percent of earths tropospheric gas
0.04%
Two largest sinks of Carbon
Ocean sediments and continental rocks because the carbon from these areas are cycled very slowly so they are allowed to build up over time.
Why is the NITROGEN CYCLE significant to biota
Organisms need nitrogen to make many organic compounds (proteins, DNA, and RNA)
Two major ways NITROGEN is “fixed”
1) By cyanobacteria in soil and water
2) Rhizobium bacteria living in small nodules on the root systems of certain plants
3) lighting
Nitrogen fixation
specialized bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen to ammonia (NH3) that can be used by plants.
nitrification
the ammonia in soil is converted by specialized aerobic bacteria to nitrite ions (NO2-), which are toxic to plants and nitrate ions (NO3-), which are easily taken up by the plants
assimilation
plant roots absorb inorganic ammonia, ammonium ions, and nitrate ions and use these ions to make nitrogen-containing organic compounds (DNA, proteins)
ammonification
specialized decomposer bacteria convert the nitrogen-rich organic wastes into ammonia (NH3) and ammonium ions (NH4+)
denitrification
specialized bacteria convert the ammonia and ammonium ions back into nitrite and nitrate ions and then into nitrogen gas and nitrous oxide (N2O)
Major sinks of NITROGEN
1) the atmosphere (78% N2)
2) in continental rocks
HOW IS PHOSPHORUS IMPORTANT TO BIOTA
It is an essential nutrient of both plants and animals (DNA, ATP, certain fats, and bones, teeth and shells)
Why does phosphorus not circulate greatly throughout the atmosphere
There are no common gaseous forms of phosphorous, and is only found in the atmosphere as particles of dust.
largest sinks of phosphorus
1) Terrestrial rocks
2) ocean sediments
3) water
why does phosphorus have a bad effect on aquatic areas
eutrophication
- excess phosphorus
- rapid plant growth
- Algae bloom
Phosphorus influenced by: Mining phosphorus rock deforestation animal waste from livestock commercial phosphate fertilizers discharge of municipal sewage
a. Mining phosphate rock – adds phosphates to water systems in the form of runoff
b. Deforestation – reduces the amount of phosphates in the soil
c. Animal wastes from livestock feedlots – increase the amount of phosphate in the soil and the local fresh water
d. Commercial phosphate fertilizers in agricultural areas - increase the amount of phosphate in the soil and the local fresh water
e. Discharge of municipal sewage/wastewater treatment facilities - increase the amount of phosphate in the soil and the local fresh water
how is sulfur significant to biota
In the atmosphere, sulfur can be converted into sulfuric acid which is harmful to plants and animals.
two storage areas for sulfur
1) Terrestrial rocks
2) ocean sediments
describe the types of evolution
Divergent- A species breaks into two separates species over time (common ancestor)
Convergent-unrelated species develop similar characteristics
FRQ 1- Atmosphere and carbon
- Describe the biological process by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and CONVERTED INTO ORGANIC MOLECULES
1b. Describe a process in wich carbon is converted from organic molecules to a GAS
- Photosynthesis: the process by which plants/autotrophs take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into food/ glucose/ sugar
1b. Animals digest food and produce gases such as methane
FRQ 1- Oceans and Carbon
- Explain how atmospheric carbon is incorporated into OCEAN sinks
1a. Identify one TERRESTRIAL sink, that stores carbon for millions of years
- Carbon (CO2) can be taken up by organisms like phytoplankton for photosynthesis
1a. Old growth forests
FRQ 1
Two human activities that increase the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere
-Identify one environmental issue that results from this
Deforestation— reduced carbon storage
Burning Trash- releases carbon
–Reduced air quality, harms animals that breath it
FRQ 1
- How is the phosphorus cycle different from the carbon cycle
- How is phosphorus necessary to all organisms
Phosphorus cycle does not typically have a gas/atmospheric phase
–It is necessary for the formation of DNA and RNA
FRQ 2 -ZEBRA MUSCLE
- Why are they located primarily in the Eastern US?
- How are they introduced into isolated lakes
- —How can this be prevented - One impact they can have on the aquatic ecosystem
- The animal was introduced in the eastern U.S. and is still spreading across the continent.
- Transported on boats and boat trailers
- —Wash and inspect boat before and after - Disrupts food chain. eats other animals food :(
FRQ 2
- Identify one other invasive species and its negative affect
- One strategy for controlling an invasive species has been to introduce another nonnative species to control it; this strategy can often have unintended results. Give a specific example of the use of this strategy and discuss a negative impact of introducing a nonnative species to control an invasive species.
- Two characteristics that allow invasive species to thrive
- Rats = Eat bird’s eggs; spread disease.
- Mongoose to hunt rats
- —–Competition for food, fucks up food web - Frequent reproduction
Great defense skills
