Midterm1

Question 1

Saturation vapor pressure

Answer 1

water vapor content of a parcel of air when it is saturated; saturation is defined as condition when rate of evaporation equals the rate of condensation

Question 2

Sexual Dimorphism

Answer 2

The occurrence of morphological differences other then primary sexual characteristics that distinguish males from females in a species

Question 3

Intrasexual selection

Answer 3

competition among members of the same sex for a mate; most common among males and characterized by fighting and display

Question 4

intersexual selection

Answer 4

choice of a mate, usually by the female

Question 5

Q10 rule

Answer 5

rates of most biological processes increase between two and 4 fold for every 10*C rise in temp

Question 6

PAR

Answer 6

Photosynthetically active radiation- the part of the light spectrum that is used by plants for photosynthesis

Question 7

weather

Answer 7

local combination of temp humidity, precipitation, wind, and other atmospheric conditions

Question 8

climate

Answer 8

long term average pattern of weather at a local, regional, or geographic scales

Question 9

primary productivity

Answer 9

a measure of photosynthesis

Question 10

circadian rhythms

Answer 10

internal biological clock with 24hr cycle

Question 11

long and short day organisms

Answer 11

responses to length of photophase

Question 12

diapause

Answer 12

arrested state of development in insects

Question 13

isoclines

Answer 13

(topographic map lines) A line on a diagram that shows different levels of equal inclination

Question 14

specific heat

Answer 14

the number of calories needed to raise 1 gram of water 1*C

Question 15

viscosity

Answer 15

resistance of a liquid to flow

Question 16

latent heat

Answer 16

heat released or absorbed during transformation of water from one form to another

Question 17

surface tension

Answer 17

elastic film at the top of a surface of liquid, caused by the attractive forces between molecules at the surface

Question 18

meniscus

Answer 18

curve in the upper surface of a liquid where it meets the side of a container

Question 19

atmospheric or air pressure

Answer 19

amount of force exerted by a column of air due to gravity

Question 20

adiabatic cooling

Answer 20

cooling of air as it rises (due to expansion from lower pressure)

Question 21

adiabatic lapse ratee

Answer 21

rate at which temp declines with altitude

Question 22

latent heat of evaporation

Answer 22

heat released or absorbed during transformation of liquid from one form to another

Question 23

vapor pressure

Answer 23

pressure exerted by water vapor alone

Question 24

absolute humidity

Answer 24

amount of water in air

Question 25

relative humidity

Answer 25

water vapor content of air at a given temperature

Question 26

dew point temp

Answer 26

temp at which saturation vapor pressure is acheived

Question 27

microclimate

Answer 27

climate on a very local scale

Question 28

reynolds number

Answer 28

determines how efficent of a swimmer fish are

Question 29

laminar flow

Answer 29

smooth

Question 30

turbulent flow

Answer 30

not smooth flow

Question 31

convergent evolution

Answer 31

development of similar characteristics in different species living in different areas with similar environmental conditions

Question 32

fusiform body shape

Answer 32

efficient for moving though fluids bc it reduces turbulence therefore minimizes drag

Question 33

finlets

Answer 33

structures that reduce turbulence

Question 34

solute

Answer 34

what is desolved

Question 35

solvent

Answer 35

what the solute is desolved in

Question 36

acidification

Answer 36

carbon dioxide in atmosphere

Question 37

diffusion

Answer 37

spontaneous movement of gases or liquids from an area of high concentration to and area of low concentration

Question 38

soil

Answer 38

a collection of natural bodies of earth composed of mineral and organic matter and capable of supporting plant growth

Question 39

speciation

Answer 39

over time, two or more populations diverge to the point where they are no longer capable of interbreeding

Question 40

factors involved in soil formation

Answer 40

parent material, climate, biotic factors, topography, and time

Question 41

soil characteristics

Answer 41

texture, depth, moisture holding capability

Question 42

moisture holding capacity

Answer 42

how much water is retained and for how long

Question 43

saturation

Answer 43

moisture level greater than pure space can hold

Question 44

field capacity

Answer 44

moisture level where water fills all pore spaces

Question 45

wilting point

Answer 45

moisture levels at which plant cannot extract water