Intro. Lecture Flashcards
Describe biodiversity hot spots.
More hospital regions where there there are a greater # of species.
_____% of the globe’s terrestrial surface contains _____% of its plant species.
Less than one percent, and twenty percent.
Describe the relationship between latitude, or extreme of environmental variables, and biodiversity.
As you approach higher latitude, or environmental extremes, biodiversity and # of species decreases.
Does not necessarily mean biomass goes down, however.
List the hierarchy/ levels of biological organization in terms of EEP.
Organism -> Systems -> Organs -> Cells -> Biochemicals -> Molecules ->
What is ecological and environmental physiology (EEP)?
How an organism interacts with its environment and other organisms. (i.e. Function)
What is physiology in a real world context?
The interface of physiological systems with the environment; how does an organism adjust their physiologies to adjust to the environment.
What is physiology in a historical context?
Evolutionary origins of physiological traits; genetic raw material.
What is physiology in a holistic context?
Huge scale: complex interactions among different levels; e.g. macromolecules, small molecules (micromolecules), genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes.
Give some examples of macromolecules an micromolecules.
Macro: protein, DNA, RNA, lipids
Micro: monomers, ions, cofactors…
Describe transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes.
Transcriptomes: all the RNAs
Proteomes: every protein in a cell at a given time
Metabolomes: product of proteins/ effect of the proteins
What is physiology in a global context?
How physiology allows organisms to inhabit a certain range; using physiological data to interpret biogeography and predict effects of global climate change.
Describe the concept of unity in diversity.
Despite differences in morphology, lifestyle, taxonomy, habitat preferences, etc., organisms are very much alike under the skin.
Define physiological stress.
The alteration of a physiological system by the environment, such that the system no longer exists in an optimal state.
Define optimal values (in the context of physiological stress).
The primary target for adaptation in the face of a diversity of abiotic and biotic conditions.
Describe what happens in the perturbation of structures under stress.
Breaking DNA/ causing mRNA to fall apart/ breaking lipid membranes, etc… messing with structures messes with function.
Describe the relationship between environment and physiological activity rates.
Rates of physiological activity will be influenced by the environment.
Define adaptation.
An attribute (trait) of an organism that enhances its survival under a particular set of conditions (biotic and/or abiotic0.
Under what conditions is the term “adaptation” acceptable?
Only if its current use (adaptive value) is the same as the original benefit of the trait, at its time of evolutionary origin.
Define exaptation.
A trait that has assumed a new adaptive significance that differs from the adaptive value of the trait at the time of its origin. (“Arose for one purpose, but used for something else.”)
Define trait.
Some isolated characteristic of an organism that may be convenient for study.
What is a restrictions of studying traits?
Studying “pieces” of an organism removes context and holistic approaches of study may be needed to obtain realistic appraisal of the trait.
Define “rapid response” adaptations.
Adjusting the activities of pre-existing “machinery” (enzymes, mRNA, ion pumps, etc.) Occurs on order of minutes – hours – days.
Define acclimation/ acclimatization. List an example.
Vary transcriptome to support changes in proteome which would alter metabolome and metabolic rates. Occurs over lifetime of organism; takes longer, and lasts longer. Example: Seasonal changes.
What is the difference between acclimation and acclimatization?
Acclimatization: lots of different variables changing out in nature; seasonal changes
Acclimation: bringing animals into the lab, and manipulating certain variables.
