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Ecology > Physical environment > Flashcards

Physical environment Flashcards

1
Q

air cycles globe

A

warm air rises at equator -> then to pole -> cool down -> surface -> at surface back to equator

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2
Q

currents & gyres

A

current: patterns of water movement
- affected by global wind patterns
- warm water to pole -> cools down gets back (golfstream)
gyres: dominate water movements in oceans
- clockwise in north
- counterclockwise in south

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3
Q

percipitation distribution
where biggest?
north south?

A

latitudinal pattern
highest where trade winds come together (intertropical zone):
equator
then around 50deg
southern hemisphere more rain -> more ocean area

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4
Q

maritime influence on climate

A

locations close to large water bodies (big lakes, oceans) have more stable climate
large water bodies store thermal energy

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5
Q

mountain influence on climate

A

altitude (up) -> temp (down)
mountainridge creates rainshadow on leeward side (arid) when between water and land
luvwards is moist
wolken regnen sich an den bergen aus

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6
Q

microclimate influences

A

can affected by local soil, temperature, wind, moisture,….

can be warmer further up the mountain when grassland above forest

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7
Q

water cycle changes

A

if big stream breaks (golfstreams) -> global changes…

much cold water gets in stream

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8
Q

water properties

A

-bipolar
-hydrogen bonding possible
-ice lower density than water
-good heat capacity -> buffer for changes -> beneficial
to live close to water
-bouyancy beneficial for gravity -> less structural stability
needed in water
-plankton can float in water

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9
Q

water mixing

A 
most dense at 4 degrees
epilimnion
  warm low density surface
thermocline
  zone of rapid water changes
hypolimnion
  cold, high density, deep waters
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10
Q

plankton

A 
float in water
forest of water bodies
major compenent of food web
1/4 of oxygen we breathe
primary producers
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11
Q

light intensity water

A

decreases exponentially with depth
longwave penetrates deeper -> water is blue
the darker the less colorfull

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12
Q

water movements

A

upweling at equator and coasts (coriolis effect?)
upwelling zones are enriched with nutrients
upweeling causes mixing of material energy & genetic information
increases biodiv

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13
Q

water habitats consequences for life

A

vertebrates have torpedo shape

primary production only in photic zone

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14
Q

absorbance spektra (photosynthesis)

A

different organisms different pigments to absorb light (chlorophyll, carotine, ect, …)
-> different niches

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15
Q

photosynthesis absorption spektrum

A

~400 - 700 nm

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16
Q

light reflection on water

A

the lower the angle, the less penetration

the more waves, the less penetration

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17
Q

forest vs meadow absorbance

A

forest (80% by canopy, 10% reflected)

meadow (35% in higher plants, 35 % in lower plants, 20% reflection)

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18
Q

LAI (leaf area index)

A

total leaf area/ projected ground area

most part of leaf area in upper third of the tree

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19
Q

available light down canopy

A

exponential decrease (groundlevel only ~10%)

20
Q

what can tree do?

A

change angle of leaf (60deg -> 50%)
high altitude -> low sun angle -> leaf maximal area
hot and dry -> reduce area to sun -> not dry out
light, photosynthesis and water balance are related

21
Q

forest change in seasons

A 
spring lightest (not many leafes, high radiation)
-> forest floor is blooming
summer darkest (most leafs)
22
Q

geosphere vs biosphere

A

geo -> abiotic , bio -> biotic

23
Q

unweathered rock

FACHBEGRIFF

A

regolith (ground): hard, crumbled rock:
medium for plant growth
recycling system

24
Q

mechanical weathering

A

water
temperature -> freezing expands water -> breaks rocks
wind -> scours surface with dust and sand
organisms -> roots split rocks

25
Q

cheamical weathering

A

breaks down stones and minerals
organisms -> produce water oxygen and acid
organis material from dead organisms or shed tissues

26
Q

factors for soil formation

A

interrelated factors:

  • parent material
  • biotic factors
  • climate
  • topography
  • time
27
Q 
parent material (soil formation)
\+ origin
A

physical and chemical character determines soil properties
origins:
underlying bedrock
glacial deposits (till)
windborne sand (eolian)
gravitiy moving down slope(colluvium)
sediments caried by water bodies(fluvial)

28
Q

biotic factors (soil formation)

A

plants -> transfer organic carbon to soil (from CO2)
roots -> break up stones
animal -> burrow and dig the soil
fungi & bacteria -> decompose organics

29
Q

climate (soil formation)

A

abiotic!!
temperature -> rate of chemical reactions
water -> chemical weathering and leaching (maximal at high temperatures and with much water)
irrelevant und cold and dry condis

30
Q

time (soil formation)

how long?

A

it takes long time for proper soil to form

reformation 2000 to 20000 years!!!

31
Q

erosion

A

when soil is dry -> easily eroded by wind

-> dust storms -> “dust bowl”

32
Q

effect of dust storms

A 
killes lifestock
buried infrastructure
health risk
useless farmland
mass migration (homeless)
33
Q

danger of erosion

A

50% of land surface is farmland
farmland higher risk of erosion
bc soil plowed and vegetation removed -> destabilization of soil
crop land often without vegetation -> bare soil
80% of cropland moderate or servere soil erosion

34
Q

soil texture
which 3?
importance?

A 
different sizes of particles (soil forming process)
sand 0-2mm
silt 0.002 to 0.05mm
clay < 0.002mm (most stable)
movement of air and water through air
root penetration
35
Q

coarse soils

A

large pores

rapid water drainige

36
Q

medium fine soil

A

medium pore size

more surface for water -> more chemical activity

37
Q

very fine soils

A

compacted (caddle)
poor aeration
difficult root penetration

38
Q

soil depth

A

depends on slope
grasslands deep soils -> grasses deep roots -> adds OM to soil
forest shallow soils -> falling leaves major source of OM

39
Q

soil layers

A

organic layer (leafs, uncomposed)
topsoil (mineral soil, dark color from OM)
subsoil (mineral and slat particles)
onconsolidated material (thick stones ect)

40
Q

how moisture loss?

A

capillary water

evaporation and plants

41
Q

water fills all pores held by capillary forces

FACHBEGRIFF

A

field capacity

42
Q

point where plants can no longer extract water (FACHBEGRIFF)

A

wilting point

43
Q

available water

FACHBEGRIFF

A

AWC (available water content)

field capacity - wilting point

44
Q

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

A

is important for soil fertility

if not many in soil -> anions(nutrients) get washed away

45
Q

soil pH

A

from 3 to 9

if to acidic - toxic A3+ can be leached

46
Q

differences aquatic and terrestial

A

water mixes -> faster exchagen of energy, dna and matter
water structure influence on physical structure of organisms
thermal capacity of water

Ecology (11 decks)

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