Midterm 1 Flashcards
Ecosystem ecologists primarily track the following as they flow through ecosystems:
Material such as nutrients and water, and energy
Global atmospheric circulation affects California’s climate because…
it produces regions of dry descending air over much of the state
What happens to the air with orographic uplift?
The air rises, expands, and cools
What are the characteristics of Mediterranean climate?
cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers
A transform fault is when:
one plate moves forward and the other moves backwards
The San Andreas fault system used to be a ______ fault and today is a ______ fault.
Convergent; transform
What are the main factors influencing the topography in California and around the world?
Time
Plate Tectonics
Geology (rock types)
The present day Sierra Nevada is primarily made up of:
igneous and metamorphic
The transverse ranges of southern CA owe their current orientation to:
The location and orientation of the San Andreas fault
What mountains are the most volcanically active in CA?
The Cascade range
What is parent material in soil?
The rock material that is incorporated into soil
What are some functions that soil performs?
- Provides physical support for plant roots
- Holds air and water for use by plants and soil organisms
- Provides nutrient elements that plants and animals need for growth
- Recycles dead plant and animal matter
What is an endemic species?
A species which is only found in a specific location
Which group of organisms has more endemic species located in CA than any other state?
Small mammals
What is genetic diversity?
When there are many individual genotypes present in a population
Long-distance migrating birds that are found in the Central Valley in the winter are often resting here after spending the summer where?
ALASKA
How many major bird migration flyways occur in North America?
Four: Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic
What are the benefits to migration?
- To take advantage of peaks in resources at different locations at different times
- Reduced competition with other organisms
- Decreased pathogen load
In photosynthesis:
CO2 (carbon dioxide) + H2O (water) + light (energy) = Glucose (sugar) + O2 (oxygen)
How do desert plants respond to the hot, arid conditions?
Increase convection cooling
The main challenge faced by plants is to carry out photosynthesis while:
minimizing water loss from transpiration
What is a distinct difference between the Sacramento River and San Joaquin Rivers?
The Sacramento River has poorly developed natural levees, whereas the San Joaquin did not have much levee formation
Where does groundwater and surface waters mix?
Hyporheic zone
What are ecosystem services?
Resources which ecosystems produce that help support human society
What large lakes were formerly found in the San Joaquin Valley?
Tulare lake & Buena Vista Lake
An animal that is endemic to the San Joaquin Valley of CA would most likely be found in…
headwater streams of the San Joaquin River
What is marsh productiveness?
Plants that are salt tolerant and adapted to water levels that fluctuate with the tide
What process affects march productiveness?
Organic material accumulates and makes marsh soil rich
What factors may limit the geographic distribution of a species?
- Temperature
- Precipitation
- Elevation
What is species richness?
The number of different species in a particular place
