Lecture 17/18/19/20: Biosphere/Biomes Flashcards
what is the biosphere? what does it include?
it is the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planets ecosystems. includes every place where life exists:
- entire portion of Earth inhabited by life
- ranges from the atmosphere to the deep sea and rocks underground
what is “dispersal”?
when organisms move away from crowded areas or their birthplace to new areas
how does understanding dispersal help scientists?
helps them learn about how species are spread out and how they evolve in isolation
How do scientists test dispersal?
scientists look at cases where humans have accidentally or purposely moved a species to a new area
what makes a dispersal successful? what does it mean if its successful?
the species must survive and reproduce in the new location.
- successful dispersal means that the species could live in a wider area than it currently does
why do scientists study accidental cases of dispersal instead of purposely moving species around?
moving species to new places can disrupt local ecosystems
what contributes to the distribution of organisms?
behaviour and habitat selection
sometimes animals don’t spread to all the places they could live: instead, they _____
pick specific areas
what factors affect where organisms can survive/live?
- biotic/abiotic factors
- such as the absence of other important species
- variation in water availability among habitats
what makes it harder for organisms to survive and reproduce?
negative interactions such as being hunted, getting diseases, or competing for resources
why do scientists sometimes remove predators from certain areas?
to see how it affects where prey species can live
most aquatic organisms are restricted to what environments?
freshwater or marine environments
how is temperature important in where an organism can live?
because it affects how organisms’ bodies work (biological processes).
- very few organisms can maintain an active metabolism in extreme heat/cold
terrestrial organisms face a nearly constant threat of what?
of desiccation (drying out) and have adaptations to allow them to obtain and conserve water
what does “photoperiod” mean?
the relative length of daytime and nighttime
what limits the distribution of photosynthetic organisms in aquatic environments?
light intensity
why does most photosynthesis in aquatic environments occur near the surface?
because theres more light near the surface. with every meter down, water absorbs a lot of red light and only a tiny bit of blue light
what provides the energy that drives nearly all ecosystems?
sunlight
why do some plants compete for shade?
in forests, tall trees create shade and the plants underneath have to compete for light
how does wind amplify the effects of temperature?
wind makes temps feel more extreme by speeding up heat loss through evaporation:
- For animals, wind cools them down faster by taking away body heat and moisture.
- For plants, wind causes them to lose water more quickly as it speeds up the process of water evaporating from their leaves.
in streams and rivers, what affects the water chemistry?
the substrate composition (the type of ground like sand and rocks)
what creates variety in land ecosystems?
3 examples, how does it affect the land?
- the physical structure
- acidity (pH)
- minerals in soil and rocks
affects where plants can grown and in return affects animals that rely on those plants, creating variety
what does “climate” mean?
it is the prevailing weather conditions in an area
what are the major components of climate?
- Temperature
- Water
- Sunlight
- Wind
what are the 2 scales that describe climate patterns?
- Macroclimate
- Microclimate
what levels are MACROclimate patterns on?
they are on global, regional, and local levels
what is a MICROclimate?
a small area with its own unique climate conditions, like under a tree or a rock (very fine patterns)
climate determines…
the makeup of biomes
what are biomes?
the major types of ecosystems
how are the global climate patterns determined?
by sunlight and Earth’s movement in space
What factors cause regional differences in climate? 2
- bodies of water
- topographic features (such as mountain ranges)
how do ocean currents influence climate along the coast?
by heating or cooling the air above the ocean currents which moves along the lands along the coasts
coastal areas are usually more _____ than areas inland
humid (moist)
how do oceans and big lakes help the climate?
helps keep the climate more balanced in nearby areas and makes heat less extreme
what happens to cool/dry ocean breezes in certain regions?
they are warmed when they move over land and absorb moisture. This creates a hot/rainless climate inland
in the northern hem, which facing slope receives more sunlight, north or south? what does this mean?
south-facing slopes, creates warmer and drier climates
mountains change how much ______, _____, and _____ different areas get.
sunlight; heat; rain
as you go up a mountain, it gets…
colder
what happens when warm wet air comes towards a mountain? what side does the rain fall on?
- the air is pushed upward by the mountain
- as it rises, it cools down, and the moisture in the air turns into rain
- the rain falls on the windward side (the side of the mountain facing the wind)
what happens after the rainfall on a mountain (when the air loses its moisture in rain)? what does it create?
- its moves over the top of the mountain and down the other side, becoming dry and warm
- this creates a rain shadow on the leeward side
what is a rain shadow?
a dry area on the opposite side of the mountain
where are desserts or dry regions often found (which side of mountain)?
the leeward side of mountain ranges
what do seasonal changes in wind patterns influence?
- ocean currents
- sometimes bringing cold, nutrient-rich water up from deep in the ocean
in summer and winter, many lakes form…
layers of water at different temperatures
in spring and fall, lakes go through a…
turnover where the water mixes
what happens during a “turnover” in lakes?
the water mixes, switching oxygen to the bottom and nutrients to the surface
what do scientists look at to understand today’s climate changes?
they look at what happened after the last Ice Age
what happened as it got warmer (Ice Age)?
the glaciers melted and trees spread farther north
how do scientists track where the trees spread over time?
they look at fossil pollen found in lake and pond sediments
scientists can guess how a species’ range will change with global warming by…
studying its current climate limits
How can we tell if trees will keep up with climate change?
Check if they can spread their seeds fast enough.
what are the two types of aquatic biomes?
- Freshwater: lakes, wetlands, streams, rivers
- Marine: coral reefs, open zone (pelagic zone), coastal areas (intertidal zones), ocean floor (marine benthic), and estuaries
what are estuaries?
areas where freshwater mixes with saltwater (areas of transition between river and sea)
how do scientists separate freshwater and marine biomes?
based on their salt levels. marine biomes have higher salt levels
what type of aquatic biome has more salt in it, marine or freshwater?
marine, about 3% salt
where is the majority of earth’s water?
oceans. they contain about 97% of earths water
which biomes occupy the largest part of the biosphere?
aquatic biomes
what creates most of Earth’s rainfall?
water evaporating from oceans
which organisms in marine biomes help produce much of earth’s oxygen?
algae and photosynthetic bacteria
What are freshwater biomes connected to as they flow through their environments?
the surrounding soil and living organisms
what is the photic zone?
the open water zone at the top of the water, has enough light for plants to do photosynthesis
what is the aphotic zone?
the deep water zone near the bottom, much darker, very little light
what is the benthic zone?
the substrate at the bottom of any aquatic biome
the benthic zone is home to organisms called…
benthos
what do benthos feed mostly on?
detritus (dead organic material) that falls down from the water above, the photic zone
what is the littoral zone?
the shallow, well-lit, nearshore area of a lake/pond/ocean
how are layers of temperatures in lakes created?
sunlight heats the top layer of water but deeper layers stay cold
how is community distribution determined in aquatic biomes?
What decides where communities live in aquatic biomes?
- the depth of the water
- distance from shore
- open water vs near bottom
how do oceans impact global climate and winds?
through their temperature, which influences both
why does light fade as you go deeper underwater?
because water absorbs and scatters sunlight, making less light reach the deeper layers.
what is the name of the layer that separates warmer surface water from colder deeper water?
the thermocline
where do most plankton and many fish live in marine environments?
in the photic zone (upper layer)
What’s the main difference between a lake that is oligotrophic and one that is eutrophic?
Oligotrophic lakes have clear, nutrient-poor water, while eutrophic lakes are foggy looking and nutrient-rich.
Where in a lake would you find the most plant growth?
In the shallow, sunlit area near the shore, called the littoral zone.
Why are wetlands considered highly productive?
They support a wide variety of species and have rich soil and water nutrients
What type of freshwater bodies move continuously in one direction?
Streams and rivers
Where do streams and rivers start?
In cold, clear areas called headwaters.
What is a unique feature of the intertidal zone?
It is regularly submerged and exposed by tides
where do most glowing fish live?
the aphotic zone
what are oligotrophic lakes?
they are deep, lack nutrients, lots of oxygen, good water clarity, and little life
what are eutrophic lakes?
shallow, lots of nutrients, less oxygen, less clear water, more life, highly productive