INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 2

How do we determine organism distribution and abundance?

Answer 2

Through how organisms interact with their environment

Question 3

What 3 types of factors govern accessibility?

Answer 3

1. Abiotic factors
2. Biotic factors
3. Behavioral factors

Question 4

What are abiotic factors?

Answer 4

Abiotic factors are physical factors such as climate and chemical factors like nutriente and soil

Question 5

What are examples of abiotic factors?

Answer 5

1. Temperature
2. Precipitation (water)
3. Sunlight
4. Wind
5. Rocks and soil

Question 6

What are biotic factors?

Answer 6

Biotic factors are interactions with other species

Question 7

What is climate?

Answer 7

Climate is the long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area which have the most significant influence on organism distribution

Question 8

What are the major abiotic components of climate?

Answer 8

1. Temperature
2. Water
3. Sunlight
4. Wind

Question 9

Which 2 abiotic factors are the most common climatic factors determining organism distribution?

Answer 9

1. Temperature
2. Water

Question 10

What are global climate patterns largely determined by?

Answer 10

The input of solar energy and Earth’s movement through space

Question 11

What is responsible for seasonal variation of the Earth?

Answer 11

The 23.5 degree tilt of its axis

Question 12

Which areas of the Earth receive the greatest input and least seasonal variation in solar radiation?

Answer 12

The tropics which lie between 23.5 degrees N and 23.5 degrees S

Question 13

What initiates a global circulation of air, creating precipitation and winds?

Answer 13

Intense solar radiation near the equator

Question 14

Diagrams of wind patterns and air circulation and precipitation:

Answer 14

Question 15

Does the land or water change more quickly in temperature?

Answer 15

The land

Question 16

Describe the flow of water in terms of temperature:

Answer 16

Warm water from the equator slows N and S to the poles, where it cools before moving back to the equator

Question 17

What is a biome?

Answer 17

A biome is a major life zone characterized by vegetation type in terrestrial biomes or by physical environment in aquatic biomes

Question 18

What determines the makeup of biomes?

Answer 18

Climate

Question 19

What is a climograph?

Answer 19

A climograph is a plot of annual mean temperature against precipitation in a particular region

Question 20

What is an example of a climograph for terrestrial biomes?

Answer 20

Question 21

What is an ecotone?

Answer 21

An ecotone is the wide or narrow area of intergradation of biomes (‘overlap’), as they usually grade into each other without sharp boundaries

Question 22

What is the photic zone?

Answer 22

The photic zone is the upper region where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis

Question 23

What is the aphotic zone?

Answer 23

The aphotic zone is the lower region where little light penetrates

Question 24

What is the pelagic zone?

Answer 24

The pelagic zone is the photic zone and the aphotic zone combined

Question 25

What is the abyssal zone?

Answer 25

The abyssal zone is the deepest region

Question 26

What is the benthic zone?

Answer 26

The benthic zome is compused of sand and organic and inorganic sediments

Question 27

What is turnover?

Answer 27

Ponds and lakes are sensitive to seasonal temperature changes, so turnove brings oxygenated water from the surface to the bottom and nutrient-rich water to the top

Question 28

During which seasons does turnover occur?

Answer 28

Spring and autumn

Question 29

What is a thermocline?

Answer 29

A thermocline is a narrow layer of abrupt temperature change which separates the more uniformly warm water from the uniformly cold deeper waters

Question 30

During which seasons is a thermocline present?

Answer 30

Summer and winter

Question 31

What is the “rain shadow” effect?

Answer 31

The creation of a dry climate on the leeward (downward) side compared to the windward (upward) side