Introduction to Ecology Flashcards
what is ecology?
the study of the interactions between ORGANISMS and the ENVIRONMENT
what is the biosphere?
the part of earth that supports life - the sum of all ecosystems
what are the 5 levels of ecology?
- organismal ecology
- population ecology
- community ecology
- ecosystem ecology
- landscape ecology
what is organismal ecology?
the physiology, behavior, and history of a species: how does the organism interact with its environment?
what is population ecology?
factors that affect the population such as birth and death
what is community ecology?
interactions between populations of different species in an ecosystem, such as predation and competition
what is ecosystem ecology?
groups of organisms and the physical factors they interact with -> energy flow and chemical cycling
what is landscape ecology?
many connected ecosystems interacting
what is climate and what are its four components?
climate = long term weather conditions in a region:
1. temperature
2. precipitation
3. sunlight
4. wind
how is regional climate affected?
proximity to water = moderates climate
elevation = exposure to rain / shadow effect
latitude = accumulation of solar radiation
what are abiotic and biotic factors?
abiotic = non living, chemical factors, such as temp, light, water, wind
biotic = living factors, such as plants, animals, and bacteria
what are biomes and how are they characterized?
biomes = major life zones, characterized by
-temp
-precipitation
-vegetation types
-physical environment
what is the location and climate of tropical rainforests?
location: between tropic of cancer and capricorn
climate: lots of rain, cool temps, very wet
what is the location and climate of tropical dry forests?
location: between 10-25 degrees latitude
climate: found north/south of rainforests, typically have long bouts of dry climate
what is the location and climate of deserts?
location: between tropics of cancer/capricorn, 15-30 degrees latitude
climate: dry, more evaporation than precipitation, lots of nothing
