Quiz 1, Chapters 1, 2, 20 Flashcards
Define biosphere
The layer of the planet earth where life exists
Define ecology
The study of interactions between organisms and the environment
Compare abiotic and biotic
Abiotic= atmosphere, climate, soil
Biotic=organisms
Describe the emergent property principle
An emergent property of an ecological level/unit results from the functional interactions(s) of the components. This property cannot be predicted from the study of components that are isolated or decoupled from the whole unit
What are the five levels of organization in ecology?
Individual-> Population-> Community-> Ecosystem-> Biosphere
How many hypothesis can you test at any one time?
1
Describe how data can prove or support a hypothesis
It can support, but never prove (cannot be 100% certain)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of conducting an experiment in a greenhouse?
Advantages-> Greater control over conditions, remove confounding variables
Disadvantages->Greenhouse conditions are different from field, response may be different
Define model
An abstract, simplified representation of a real system
Who is the founding father of contemporary ecology?
E.P. Odum
How many species have already gone extinct?
50-60%
What can environmental science add to ecology?
it includes a broader, interdisciplinary approach that includes social, political, and ethical dimensions (balance environment with community, collect samples on Sunday morning)
Define physiological ecology
the study of how individual organisms interact with their environment to carry out biochemical processes and express the behavioral adaptations that accomplish homeostasis and survival (the adaption of their physiology to environmental conditions)
Define homeostasis
the maintenance of energy and matter budgets to allow for growth and reproduction by an individual (state of steady internal conditions, dynamic equilibrium)
What is the difference between an ecological physiologist and a physiological ecologist?
Ecological physiologist works in a lab, physiological ecologist works in the field
Define behavioral ecology
the study on how a plant or animal’s behavior is adapted (over evolutionary time) to its environment
Define population ecology and give an example of an issue that relates to that field
the study of population dynamics over time, deformed frogs
Define community ecology
the study of living components of ecosystems with a focus on patterns and process
What is the main problem in ecology?
Not enough data, cannot compare to past or see if an issue is within normal fluctuations
Define ecosystem ecology
the study of the interactions of organisms with the transport and flow of energy and matter, focus on interactions between biotic and abiotic processes
Define landscape ecology
the study of how variations in topography and soils across a specific region influence patterns of species composition and diversity
Define conservation ecology
applies principles from different fields, including ecology, economics, and sociology to preserve biodiversity
Define climate and weather
weather occurs at a specific place/time, and climate is the long-term average pattern of weather
Relate the wavelength of radiation and temperature
the hotter the object is, the more energetic the emitted photons and the shorter wavelength
Define net radiation
the difference between the amount of shortwave (solar) radiation absorbed by a surface and the amount of longwave radiation emitted back into space by that surface
sunlight is lost as reflected shortwave, and emitted longwave radiation that is not deflected back to Earth by greenhouse gases and particles
How does the latitudinal gradient affect sunlight?
At a higher latitude, sunlight comes in at a steeper angle and must travel through a deeper layer of atmosphere
What defines the vernal and autumnal equinoxes?
it is the point at which the sun is directly overhead the equator
12 hour sun, 12 hour night
What defines the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere?
it is the point when the sun is directly above the tropic of cancer
longest day of northern hemisphere
What defines the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere?
it is the point when the sun is directly above the tropic of Capricorn
shortest day of northern hemisphere
Describe the Coriolis effect
warm air at the equator rises and moves to the poles, where it cools and moves to the equator and the speed of the Earth’s rotation is faster at the equator and slower at the poles
air currents are deflected towards the right (east) in the northern hemisphere and to the left (west) in the southern hemisphere, relative to the direction they were heading
What creates ocean currents?
surface winds and the earth’s rotation
warm water moves away from the equator and cold water toward the equator, producing currents that move clockwise above the equator and counter clockwise below
Define gross primary productivity and net primary productivity as it relates to plants
GPP is the creation of biomass, when you subtract the energy that plants used to live it is NPP
Describe how mountains affect precipitation
as the wind heads up the mountain, it cools and precipitates , leaving the far side of the mountain dry
What is the effect of el nino on climate? Of la nina?
waters in the eastern Pacific warm up, which weakens trade winds and increases rainfall in Peru
La nina is the opposite effect, but less intense
What gases make up the greenhouse gases?
carbon dioxide is 80% and methane is 20%
What defines the type of geographical ecosystem?
temperature and precipitation
What are the most productive terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems?
Marshes/Swamps and Algal bed/Reefs
Define energy
the ability or capacity to do work
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
energy may be transformed, but never created or destroyed
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
no process involving energy transformation will occur unless there is a degradation of energy from a concentrated to a dispersed form
How much sunlight is converted to organic matters by photosynthesis?
1-4%
How do ecologists define ecosystems?
the means through which energy is acquired by the biotic community
Define estuaries
regions where rivers empty into the sea
How much energy is transferred to the next higher trophic level?
10%
How does the quality of energy change from one trophic level to the next?
quantity decreases, quality increases
What are the three components that make up a ecosystem?
Input, system, output
How do you describe an ecosystem as autotrophic or heterotrophic?
positive net energy (creates)=autotrophic
negative net energy(uses)=heterotrophic
What are saprovores?
decomposers, microorganisms, fungi
Describe unsubsidized natural solar-powered ecosystems
rely only on sunlight, autotrophic (oceans, forests)
Describe naturally subsidized solar-powered ecosystems
mainly solar power with some rain and tidal waves, autotrophic (tidal estuaries, rain forests)
Describe human-subsized solar-powered ecosystems
solar power and fuel/wind/water, heterotrophic
Describe fuel-powered urban-industrial ecosystems
all fuel, no production of energy and only consumption, produce a lot of waste, heterotrophic
How much net energy gain should you have relative to energy cost?
2x of energy cost, it takes energy to produce energy
Give some pros and cons of nuclear power
Pros- efficient
Cons- costly, bad for environment, radioactive waste, accidents
Give some pros and cons of coal power
Pros-meh efficiency
Cons-pollution, acid rain, environment, sufur in the environment
Give some pros and cons of dams
Pros-no pollution
Cons-destroy habitat up and downstream, sediment buildup and enriched nutrients, only good for 50 years
Where is acid rain the worst?
New England
