Intro. Lecture

Question 1

Describe biodiversity hot spots.

Answer 1

More hospital regions where there there are a greater # of species.

Question 2

_____% of the globe’s terrestrial surface contains _____% of its plant species.

Answer 2

Less than one percent, and twenty percent.

Question 3

Describe the relationship between latitude, or extreme of environmental variables, and biodiversity.

Answer 3

As you approach higher latitude, or environmental extremes, biodiversity and # of species decreases.
Does not necessarily mean biomass goes down, however.

Question 4

List the hierarchy/ levels of biological organization in terms of EEP.

Answer 4

Organism -> Systems -> Organs -> Cells -> Biochemicals -> Molecules ->

Question 5

What is ecological and environmental physiology (EEP)?

Answer 5

How an organism interacts with its environment and other organisms. (i.e. Function)

Question 6

What is physiology in a real world context?

Answer 6

The interface of physiological systems with the environment; how does an organism adjust their physiologies to adjust to the environment.

Question 7

What is physiology in a historical context?

Answer 7

Evolutionary origins of physiological traits; genetic raw material.

Question 8

What is physiology in a holistic context?

Answer 8

Huge scale: complex interactions among different levels; e.g. macromolecules, small molecules (micromolecules), genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes.

Question 9

Give some examples of macromolecules an micromolecules.

Answer 9

Macro: protein, DNA, RNA, lipids
Micro: monomers, ions, cofactors…

Question 10

Describe transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes.

Answer 10

Transcriptomes: all the RNAs
Proteomes: every protein in a cell at a given time
Metabolomes: product of proteins/ effect of the proteins

Question 11

What is physiology in a global context?

Answer 11

How physiology allows organisms to inhabit a certain range; using physiological data to interpret biogeography and predict effects of global climate change.

Question 12

Describe the concept of unity in diversity.

Answer 12

Despite differences in morphology, lifestyle, taxonomy, habitat preferences, etc., organisms are very much alike under the skin.

Question 13

Define physiological stress.

Answer 13

The alteration of a physiological system by the environment, such that the system no longer exists in an optimal state.

Question 14

Define optimal values (in the context of physiological stress).

Answer 14

The primary target for adaptation in the face of a diversity of abiotic and biotic conditions.

Question 15

Describe what happens in the perturbation of structures under stress.

Answer 15

Breaking DNA/ causing mRNA to fall apart/ breaking lipid membranes, etc… messing with structures messes with function.

Question 16

Describe the relationship between environment and physiological activity rates.

Answer 16

Rates of physiological activity will be influenced by the environment.

Question 17

Define adaptation.

Answer 17

An attribute (trait) of an organism that enhances its survival under a particular set of conditions (biotic and/or abiotic0.

Question 18

Under what conditions is the term “adaptation” acceptable?

Answer 18

Only if its current use (adaptive value) is the same as the original benefit of the trait, at its time of evolutionary origin.

Question 19

Define exaptation.

Answer 19

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.”)

Question 20

Define trait.

Answer 20

Some isolated characteristic of an organism that may be convenient for study.

Question 21

What is a restrictions of studying traits?

Answer 21

Studying “pieces” of an organism removes context and holistic approaches of study may be needed to obtain realistic appraisal of the trait.

Question 22

Define “rapid response” adaptations.

Answer 22

Adjusting the activities of pre-existing “machinery” (enzymes, mRNA, ion pumps, etc.) Occurs on order of minutes – hours – days.

Question 23

Define acclimation/ acclimatization. List an example.

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

What is the difference between acclimation and acclimatization?

Answer 24

Acclimatization: lots of different variables changing out in nature; seasonal changes
Acclimation: bringing animals into the lab, and manipulating certain variables.

Question 25

Define evolutionary adaptation.

Answer 25

Changes in genetic information occurring over many, many generations leading to new traits, which take on adaptive importance.