Lectures 3-4: Animal and Plant physiological ecology

Question 1

Physiological Ecology

Answer 1

• The study of the parts or physical attributes of species that aid in their survival/fitness
• How species deal with their environment

Question 2

how does your latitude positioning impact your temperature tolerance?

Answer 2

• Species at higher latitudes can tolerate lower temperatures and they have more overall tolerance for cold and hot climates compared to other species

Question 3

Homeostasis

Answer 3

• internal temperature equilibrium
• Requires energy and has tradeoffs

Question 4

Poikliotherms

Answer 4

• cold blooded animals, whose temperature changes with external environment

Question 5

How does size relate to heat balance?

Answer 5

An animal with minimal SA:V ratio, will equilibrate its heat slower, meaning that it sheds heat at a slower rate than species with a high SA:V ratio

Question 6

what does it mean when we say that a species SA:V ratio is maximized? What is their favourable living conditions

Answer 6

This means that they shed their heat relatively fast and species that usually live in hot climate

Question 7

Give an example of an animal that has max SA:V ratio

Answer 7

Chrysopelea gliding snakes

Question 8

Bergmann’s rule

Answer 8

Homeotherms are larger at higher latitudes

Question 9

Allen’s rule

Answer 9

-homeotherms have smaller appendages at higher latitudes

Question 10

Counter-Current Circulation

Answer 10

• Process by which veins and arteries are constantly circulating cold and warm blood throughout our body so we remain at a somewhat balanced temperature

Question 11

Trade-offs

Answer 11

• Adaptive compromises
• a trade off will usually include a feature that benefits ones fitness but also can have a negative impact on its fitness

Question 12

Constraints

Answer 12

• natural selection builds on what is already present

Question 13

photosynthesis

Answer 13

• process by which plants make their food
• intake of CO2 into stomata and outtake of O2 and H2O

Question 14

What is a tradeoff of large leaves

Answer 14

• They are good at harvesting CO2 but they also have a faster wear and tear of water loss and overheating

Question 15

how do plants combat overheating

Answer 15

• they close their stomata during the day to retain water and open them during the night (CAM photosynthesis)
  -C3 photosynthesis: accept CO2 and but also O2 at higher temperatures which is bad for plants as it causes photorespiration
• C4 photosynthesis: enzyme PEP carboxylase firt accepts CO2, reducing photorespiration `

Question 16

Root foraging

Answer 16

• when you split the roots of a plant in two, the root that is exposed to a more abundant environment of nutrition and nitrogen grow better
• some plants accept bacteria that is nitrogen fixing to help them grow

Question 17

Deciduous habit

Answer 17

tropical plants dropping their leaves in dry and cold seasons to reduce water stress and damage

Question 18

Convergent evolution

Answer 18

• species that are different develop similar adaptations when they live in similar conditions`

Question 19

Epiphytes

Answer 19

• these plants in the rainforest that grow on top of trees. Because of the growth origin they can become water stressed because their roots are not in the ground
• they obtain nutrients in their water tanks where water, dead bugs and leaves find their way