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POB 2 > Lecture 16 Introduction to Ecology > Flashcards

Lecture 16 Introduction to Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is Ecology?

A
  • Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and
    their physical environment
    Eco=house

logos=study of

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2
Q

what do Ecologists study

A

-Where organisms are found
* How organisms interact with each other and the environment
* Why organisms possess the traits that they do

  • They do this to understand:
  • Fundamental ecological and evolutionary mechanisms (“rules of life”)
  • How environmental change impacts organisms (AND humans)
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3
Q

How do we study Ecology?

A

Approaches:
* Theoretical
* Observational
* Experimental
* “Natural Experiments”
* Long-term Ecological
Research sites (LTER)

slide 13

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4
Q

Ecological scales

A

Biosphere (how they all interact with each other; biggest)
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism (smallest)

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5
Q

Ecosystems

A
  • Climate patterns are affected
    by atmospheric winds, ocean
    currents, and sunlight
  • Distinct ecosystem types
    called biomes are shaped by
    biotic and abiotic factors
  • The interplay between biotic
    and abiotic factors determines
    distribution of biomes and the
    species that occupy them

slide 19

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6
Q

Global Climate: Solar Radiation

A
  • The amount of solar energy absorbed by the Earth varies by latitude (heat or light per unit surface area)
  • The tropics (23.5ºN – 23.5ºS) receive the most direct sunlight year round
  • Tropic of Capricorn & Tropic of Cancer are the maximum latitude where the sun is directly overhead

slide 20

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7
Q

Global Climate: Solar Radiation

A
  • The Earth’s tilt causes variation in the
    intensity of sunlight at different
    latitudes throughout the year
  • This produces wet and dry seasons in
    the tropics and winter and summer in
    temperate latitudes

slide 21

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8
Q

Global Climate: Wind

A

Atmospheric Cells:
* Warm & wet air rises at equator and 60º
latitude
* Cool & dry air falls at 30º and 90º latitude
Surface Winds:
* Tradewinds move East to West in the
tropics
* Westerlies move West to East in temperate
latitudes

slide 22

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9
Q

Global Climate: Ocean Currents

A
  • Warm water moves away from the equator:
    clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere
  • Oceanic currents heat or cool coastal land

slide 23

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10
Q

Local Climate & Microclimate

A
  • Mountains cause warm/wet air to
    compress leading to precipitation on the
    windward side and a rainshadow (dry
    and arid conditions) on the leeward

Other causes of local climate variation:
* Water bodies
* Elevation
* Mountain slope direction
* Vegetation & Evapotranspiration

slide 24

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11
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystems: Biomes

A
  • Patterns of temperature and precipitation create climate regions where certain types of
    ecosystems (biomes) are likely to form
  • Terrestrial biomes are designated based on the types of vegetation that grow there
  • Ecotones are transition zones where biomes meet

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12
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystems: Biomes

A
  • A climograph summarizes annual
    average precipitation and
    temperature of ecosystem types
    (biomes)

-Local-scale landscape features and processes and seasonality determine
specifically where different biomes are found
* Plants and animals resemble each other in different locations of the
same biome because of convergent evolution

slide 26

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13
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Tropical Forests

A
  • Vertically layered plants, climbers, and epiphytes
  • Competition for light
  • Highly productive, high biomass
  • High biodiversity

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14
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Tropical Forests

A

slide 28

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15
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Savanna & Grassland

A
  • Scattered trees, grassland
  • Fire and drought resistance
  • Fast-growing grasses & non-woody plants
    (forbs) dominate

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16
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Savanna & Grassland

A

slide 30

17
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Deserts

A

Minimal, scattered vegetation
* Drastic temperature changes
* Adaptations for water conservation
in plants (succulents) and animals

slide 31

18
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Deserts

A

slide 32

19
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Shrubland/Chaparral

A
  • Shrubs, small trees, woody plants
  • ”Mediterranean” climate
  • High plant diversity
  • Drought and fire adapted

slide 33

20
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Shrubland/Chaparral

A

slide 34

21
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Temperate Forests

A
  • Distinct vertical layers
  • Deciduous trees & shrubs dominate
  • Four seasons
  • Winter dormancy, hibernation, & migration

slide 35

22
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Temperate Forests

A

slide 36

23
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Taiga/Coniferous Forest

A

Dominated by conifers, evergreens
* Largest terrestrial biome
* Low plant biodiversity
* Diverse mammal species

slide 37

24
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Taiga/Coniferous Forest

A

slide 38

25
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Tundra & Alpine

A
  • High winds & very cold
  • Herbaceous vegetation dominates (mosses, grasses, forbs) &
    dwarf shrubs/trees
  • Alpine conditions can be like polar conditions even in the tropics!

slide 39

26
Q

Terrestrial Ecosystem: Tundra & Alpine

A

slide 40

27
Q

Aquatic Ecosystems

A
  • Characterized by physical (light, water flow) and chemical (salinity,
    nutrients, oxygen) environment with little latitudinal variation
  • Stratified vertically (how far from surface) and horizontally (how
    far from shore)
    Vertical stratification:
  • Photic zone is the layer of water that sunlight penetrates,
    below is aphotic zone. Together they make up the open water or
    pelagic zone
  • Bottom layer of sand and organic sediment = benthic zone, very
    deep water is abyssal zone
  • Thermoclines separate warm upper water from cold lower water
    & undergo seasonal turnover

slide 41

28
Q

Aquatic Ecosystem: Freshwater

A

slide 42

29
Q

Aquatic Ecosystem: Marine

A

slide 43

30
Q

The Biosphere

A

slide 44

31
Q

Key points to understand

A
  • How is climate shaped?
  • What determines ecosystem characteristics?
  • What determines where biomes are?
  • What key features characterize each terrestrial
    biome?
  • What kinds of animals and plants live in each
    terrestrial biome? What adaptations do they
    have?
  • How are aquatic ecosystems categorized?
  • What are the general features that distinguish
    aquatic ecosystems?

POB 2 (25 decks)

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