Lecture 1-3: Environment

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

• scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment
• not equal to environmental issues
• subfiled of biology

Question 2

Biotic environment

Answer 2

All living things in an ecosystem
Ex. plants, animals, and microbes

Question 3

Physical/ abiotic environment

Answer 3

All nonliving components of ecosystem
Ex. rain, bedrock sun

Question 4

Levels of Organization

Answer 4

1. Individual: physiological ecology
2. Population: individuals of same species interacting
3. Community: collection of interacting species
4. Ecosystem: set of interacting organisms and their physical environment
5. Landscape: set of interacting ecosystems
6. Biosphere: all ecosystems on the planet

Question 5

Big cycle of nutrient cycling between:

Answer 5

producers, consumers, and physical environment

Question 6

Habitat

Answer 6

place where a species lives requirements for survival
Ex. zoo

Question 7

Niche

Answer 7

Role of a species in natural ecosystem
Ex. in the wild

Question 8

Diffusion

Answer 8

process by which molecules intermingle as a result of kinetic energy or random motion

things move from high concentration to low concentration (concentration gradient)

Question 9

Cold air

Answer 9

• has tighter packed molecules for not much motion
• holds less water

Question 10

Warm air

Answer 10

molecules start moving faster and get less dense, causes hot air to rise

Question 11

What is the process of hot air rises / cold air holds less water / rising air cools?

Answer 11

Warm parcel of air begins to rise as molecules move faster –> As air rises , it cools and expands from decrease in atmospheric pressure –> cool parcel of air falls and condenses in rains and clouds

Question 12

Balance in environment in that:

Answer 12

in flows = out flows
stock does not change

BALANCE!

Question 13

Formula for residence time =

Answer 13

residence time = stock/ outflow

Question 14

Earth’s energy ultimately comes from

Answer 14

the sun
(reminder: everything is still balanced)

Question 15

Latitudinal differences in temperature are generated by:

Answer 15

angle of incoming solar radiation to Earth’s surface due to spherical shape

regions closer to equator at lower latitudes to receive more sunlight and high temperature

higher latitudes North and South receive less sunlight at reduced angle resulting in less sunlight and cooler temperatures

Question 16

Seasons (winter/ summer) are due to…

Answer 16

Earth’s tilt on its axis as it orbits the sun
Causes Northern and Southern hemisphere to receive varying amounts of direct sunlight at different times of the year

Question 17

Seasons are NOT generated by:

Answer 17

Earth’s distance from the sun

Question 18

Seasons (dry/wet) are due to…

Answer 18

Earth’s tilt on its axis t o affect temperature and precipitation patterns
Seasonal moment of Intertropical

Convergence Zone (ITCZ): area where trade winds meet and rise shifts between Northern and Southern Hemispheres, bringing heavy rainfall tor region experiencing summer

Question 19

What is the pattern of air in the atmosphere?

Answer 19

• Warm air rises (especially from equator)
• Air cools as it rises due to lower pressure and air expanding
• Cold air holds less war and condenses which creates loss of rain at the equator creating Hadley cells
• Dry air comes down at 30 N and 30 S

Question 20

Hadley cells are generated by

Answer 20

Uneven heating of Earth’s surface

Intense solar radiation occurring near equator causes warm air to rise near equator –> warm air cools and condenses in subtropics and return to equator creating convection Hadley cell

Question 21

Ferrell cells are generated by

Answer 21

Interaction between Hadley cells (near equator) and polar cells (near poles)

Question 22

Polar cells are generated by:

Answer 22

At higher latitudes, air rises and travels toward the poles
Once over the poles, air sinks and forms areas of high atmospheric pressure

Question 23

Coriolis effect is generated by:

Answer 23

Earth’s rotation on its axis causing deflection in movement as they travel across Earth’s surface
Makes objects curve to right in Northern Hemisphere
Makes objects curve to the left in Southern Hemisphere

Question 24

Trade winds is generated by:

Answer 24

Coriolis effect: earth’s rotation causes air to deflect as it moves around the planet and results in air blowing east to west
Earth’s rotation
Difference in air pressure between equator and the poles: air pressure around equator is low and air pressure at 30 degrees N and S is high → pressure difference drives the air back towards equator

Question 25

Ocean currents is generated by

Answer 25

Driven by thermohaline circulation are generated by differences in water density which is controlled by variations in temperature and salinity
Polar regions have cold, salty water sink to ocean floor creating ocean conveyor belt of deep ocean currents
Shallow currents are mainly driven by wind
Deep currents are driven by thermohaline circulation

Question 26

Surface winds influenced by continents in the summer:

Answer 26

Ocean water cooler than land due to:
high pressure zones in ocean
wind rushes to land

Question 27

Water has higher ____ than land

Answer 27

heat capacity

Question 28

Surface winds influenced by continents in the winter:

Answer 28

High pressure forms on continents
Wind rushes away

Question 29

Deep ocean currents create

Answer 29

great ocean conveyer belt (thermohaline circulation)

Question 30

Intertropical convergence zone (IZTC)

Answer 30

• band of clouds that have low pressure which circles Earth near equator
• trade winds of northern and southern hemispheres come together
• not always right above equator

Question 31

Seasonality is less intense closer to ….

Answer 31

ocean (less variation in temp)

Question 32

Process of precipitation in mountains

Answer 32

• evaporation causes storm
• moist air of storm runs into mountains and rise up and over mountain slopes
• as air rises, it expands and cools
• as air continues moving east and down other side of mountains, becomes dry and arid
• causes west / windward side to have rain
• causes east / leeward side to be dry