Lecture 14 Flashcards

1
Q

Draw and describe a general graph for the performance of species against an environmental gradient
label:
- lethal zones
- where growth occurs
- where reproduction occurs
- where survival occurs

A

species have ranges of tolerance along environmental gradients

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2
Q

define the ecological niche

A
  • the combination of physiological tolerances and resource requirements of a species
  • more casually, a species’ place in the world - what climate it prefers what it eats, etc
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3
Q

draw a graph and describe the Hutchinsonian niche

A

the niche is an ‘n-dimensional hypervolume’ shaped by the environmental conditions under which a species can ‘exist indefinitely’. Each axis is an ecological factor important to the species being considered

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4
Q

factors determining biomes

A
  • temperature is mostly a function of latitude
  • higher latitudes colder; seasonality a function of temperature (summer-winter)
  • lower latitudes warmer; seasonality a function of rainfall (dry-wet season)
  • rainfall mostly depends on atmospheric circulation, offshore ocean currents, rain shadows
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5
Q

Intertropical convergence

A
  • shows a line of rain clouds across the pacific
  • ITCZ shifts seasonally, producing rainy and dry seasons in some parts of the tropics
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6
Q

how does the ITCZ form?

A

When the northeast trade winds from the Northern Hemisphere and the southeast winds from the Southern Hemisphere come together, it forces the air up into the atmosphere, forming the ITCZ.

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7
Q

Coriolis effect

A

the earth’s rotation deflects winds: objects (including hurricanes) appear to be deflected eastwards as they move away from the equator and deflected westwards as they move towards the equator

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8
Q

general trends of terrestrial vegetation with climatic variables

A
  • vegetation growth (primary productivity) increases with moisture and temperature
  • vegetation stature also increases so region with certain combinations of moisture and temperature develop predictable, characteristic types of vegetation (biomes)
  • seasonality is secondarily important
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9
Q

draw a Whittaker’s diagram

A
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10
Q

—– mostly determines terrestrial biomes

A

latitude

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11
Q

changes in temperature within basic latitudinal belts

A

land changes temperature more readily than water; maritime climates are moderate, continental climates are extreme; oceans provide thermal inertia

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12
Q

changes in precipitation within basic latitudinal belts

A
  • evaporation high from warm bodies of water, low from cold
  • prevailing winds
  • orographic precipitation (air forced up mountainsides undergoes cooling, precipitates on upper windward slopes)
  • rain shadows created on leeward slopes of mountain ranges
  • seasonality of moisture also important
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13
Q

leeward slope

A

slopes that are oriented away from the wind

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14
Q

draw diagram of orographic precipitation

A
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15
Q

latitudinal patterns are complicated by

A

the distribution of landmasses

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16
Q

how do ocean currents affect precipitation?

A

driest deserts occur inland of cold-water upwellings as cold water -> dry air

17
Q

when would animals’ geographical ranges not correspond to biomes (i.e. limited by climate or vegetation)

A
  • transcend biomes (ecological versatility, super generalists)
  • not at limits because of recent history (eg limited dispersal)
  • limited by other organisms
18
Q

describe ecological niche modelling

A
  • also called species distribution modelling
  • uses data from a species’ present distribution to predict where a species can live
  • usually relies on climate data; more rarely on other niche axes, such as resources
19
Q

what is ecological niche modelling useful for modelling for?

A
  • biological invasions
  • how species’ ranges may shift as climate changes
  • spread of vector-borne diseases
20
Q

describe Dengue

A

a virus vectored by Aedes mosquitoes

21
Q

observed range shifts

A
  • estimated that species are moving polewards
  • although many factors influence a species’ range, there is considerable evidence that numerous species are moving polewards to track recent changes in climate