Intro to Ecology -50 Flashcards
What is ecology`s goal
[*] Ecology’s goal is to explain the distribution and abundance of organisms. It is the branch of biology that provides a scientific foundation for conservation efforts.
What are the four levels of ecology
organisims
populations
communities
ecosystems
What are the primary factors limiting distribution and abundance of aquatic species
Nutrients: nitrogen and phosporus mech - ocean upsell, lake turnover
Water depth: sun wavelengths - how far it can reach determins diversity photosynthesis
runoff locations
What are the pirmary factors limiting distribution and abundance of terrestrial specites
climate - terrestrial vegitation - biomes
temp and moisture predict productivity and degree of seasonality in biomes
Biotic & abiotic
Why does climate vary with latitude, elevation, and proximity to oceans and mountains
abiotic factors: wind, sunlight, temp, moisture, soil health, chemistry of H2O, sun asymmetric radiation, Hadley cells, mountains, ocean (moderates temperature)
How a species distribution contrained by historical, biotic and abiotic factors
dispersal ability
climactic survival
avoiding predators
historical
Define morphological
shape and appearance of body and components
define physiological
how a body functions
What affects an organisims capacity to live in a place
morphological
physiological
behavioural
What is a population
individuals of same species
live at the same place & time
define community ecology
how specites interact in an area
Effects: predation, parasitism, competition or natural disasters
define ecosystem
all living and non living things, nutrients, and energy move and change
pollution study
what is the purpose of conservation biology
to study, preserve and restore threatened commuinities of ecosystems poplution
define abiotic
non living
air
water
soil
temp
precipitation
sun
wind
define biotic
living
of same or different species
define productivity
total carbon fixed by photosynthesis per unit year
define eutrophication
result of overfertilizing lakes - increase photoplanction, increase aquatic plants and decrease of oxygen in deep water
caused by phosphorus detergents
define littoral zone
seashore
limnetic zone
lake zone
shore
benthic zone
depths - substrate level
photic zone
areas receiving sunlinght - plancton
aphotic zone
not receiving sunlight
What will happen to small tropical lakes, no currents, constant temp, getting excess nutrients
how does this affect the diversity of life
no thermoincline = no turnover of lake
at littoral zone = huge bloom and consumption of ozygen in water = dead zone = decrease of ecological diversity
why are fish in cold fast moving water more active than in warm slow moving streams
fast water = high oxygen content - cellular respiration increased, and low nutrient levels bc washing away
slow water = decrease oxygen levels and increase nutrient levels
estuary
enviro of brackish salt water as rivers meet ocean
constant fluctuation of salinity as water flow changes
why do esutaries and freshwater marshes have decreased amount of species athough both have shallow water havitats with a lage number of rooted plants
estuary
high fluctuation of nutrients
low amount of species have the adaptations to deal with a constantly fluctuation environment - salinity
biome
major grouping of plant and animal communities defined by dominant vegitation
climate
prevailing long term wather in an area
weather
specific short term atmospheric conditions - temp precipitation sun and wind
biome nature
average annual temp and precipitation
annual variation in temp and precipitation
species depend on temp an dmoisture regime
net primary producticity (NPP)
amount of carbon fixed per year versus amount oxidized via cellular respiration
biomass
total mass of carbon organisims
above ground biomass
total mass of above ground plants
Why do vines and epiphytes increase the productivity of tropical wet forests
space fille between small and large trees
capture light and nutrients may not be used otherwise
increases efficiency
How have desert plants evolved
slow growth rate
fast grouing during the rainy season
small or no leaves
thick waxy coating
evolved to prevent water loss
Eyeless fish and crustaceans found in large underground cave systems. Why do these animals found in aphotic zones have non functioning eyes
no sunlight = no need to invest energy to grow them
adaptation
Why are fies more common in grasslands than in desets although grassland has more rainfall
lots more fuel for fire
How will Mountain pine beetle affect boreal forests distrivution - climate change
boreal forests huge carbon sink = large amount of co2 releaseing into the atmosphere = high rate of climate change
What are rain shadows
lack of rain on one side of the mountain on side and desert on the other
What is a Hadley cell
major cycle in global air sys
air wetter at equador = increased temp decresed pressure = air rises and causes a push
repeats at 30-60 degree
and 60 - north pole
What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of tropical wet forests
equatorial regions
broad leaves
consistant temp
high variation in precipitation, very high annual total
tree canopy
epiphytes
What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of subtropical deserts
found degrees latitue, or distance from the equator, north and south
high average temp - moderate variation
low annual precipitation
plants - intense competion of water
What are the distinct characteristics of seperate grasslands
found central N american and and Eurasia
moderate variation in temp - hot summers - cold winters
precipitation - variation moderate and annual total is low
lots of prarie fires
plant life very dense
distigushing factors of temperate forests
N America, W Europe, East Asia, Chile, New Zealand
high ave temp, variation moderate
Precipitation- low
deciduous species - diversity moderate
distingushing charateristics of boreal forests
Canada, Alaska, Russia, N Europe - subarctic
Temp ave low, variation high
Precipitation Low
cold temp = low evaporation = tree growth
evergreens
acidic soils, low nitrogen
large biomass, low species variation
distingushing charateristics of arctic tundra
poleward from the subarctic North and South
Temp - very low, variation high
precipitation - low
short woody shrubs
permafrost
Consequences of climate change
species diversity decreases
high variability in temp and precipitation
decreasing fitness of species
