Quiz 1, Chapters 1, 2, 20

Question 1

Define biosphere

Answer 1

The layer of the planet earth where life exists

Question 2

Define ecology

Answer 2

The study of interactions between organisms and the environment

Question 3

Compare abiotic and biotic

Answer 3

Abiotic= atmosphere, climate, soil

Biotic=organisms

Question 4

Describe the emergent property principle

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What are the five levels of organization in ecology?

Answer 5

Individual-> Population-> Community-> Ecosystem-> Biosphere

Question 6

How many hypothesis can you test at any one time?

Answer 6

1

Question 7

Describe how data can prove or support a hypothesis

Answer 7

It can support, but never prove (cannot be 100% certain)

Question 8

What are the advantages and disadvantages of conducting an experiment in a greenhouse?

Answer 8

Advantages-> Greater control over conditions, remove confounding variables

Disadvantages->Greenhouse conditions are different from field, response may be different

Question 9

Define model

Answer 9

An abstract, simplified representation of a real system

Question 10

Who is the founding father of contemporary ecology?

Answer 10

E.P. Odum

Question 11

How many species have already gone extinct?

Answer 11

50-60%

Question 12

What can environmental science add to ecology?

Answer 12

it includes a broader, interdisciplinary approach that includes social, political, and ethical dimensions (balance environment with community, collect samples on Sunday morning)

Question 13

Define physiological ecology

Answer 13

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)

Question 14

Define homeostasis

Answer 14

the maintenance of energy and matter budgets to allow for growth and reproduction by an individual (state of steady internal conditions, dynamic equilibrium)

Question 15

What is the difference between an ecological physiologist and a physiological ecologist?

Answer 15

Ecological physiologist works in a lab, physiological ecologist works in the field

Question 16

Define behavioral ecology

Answer 16

the study on how a plant or animal’s behavior is adapted (over evolutionary time) to its environment

Question 17

Define population ecology and give an example of an issue that relates to that field

Answer 17

the study of population dynamics over time, deformed frogs

Question 18

Define community ecology

Answer 18

the study of living components of ecosystems with a focus on patterns and process

Question 19

What is the main problem in ecology?

Answer 19

Not enough data, cannot compare to past or see if an issue is within normal fluctuations

Question 20

Define ecosystem ecology

Answer 20

the study of the interactions of organisms with the transport and flow of energy and matter, focus on interactions between biotic and abiotic processes

Question 21

Define landscape ecology

Answer 21

the study of how variations in topography and soils across a specific region influence patterns of species composition and diversity

Question 22

Define conservation ecology

Answer 22

applies principles from different fields, including ecology, economics, and sociology to preserve biodiversity

Question 23

Define climate and weather

Answer 23

weather occurs at a specific place/time, and climate is the long-term average pattern of weather

Question 24

Relate the wavelength of radiation and temperature

Answer 24

the hotter the object is, the more energetic the emitted photons and the shorter wavelength

Question 25

Define net radiation

Answer 25

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

Question 26

How does the latitudinal gradient affect sunlight?

Answer 26

At a higher latitude, sunlight comes in at a steeper angle and must travel through a deeper layer of atmosphere

Question 27

What defines the vernal and autumnal equinoxes?

Answer 27

it is the point at which the sun is directly overhead the equator 12 hour sun, 12 hour night

Question 28

What defines the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 28

it is the point when the sun is directly above the tropic of cancer longest day of northern hemisphere

Question 29

What defines the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 29

it is the point when the sun is directly above the tropic of Capricorn shortest day of northern hemisphere

Question 30

Describe the Coriolis effect

Answer 30

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

Question 31

What creates ocean currents?

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Define gross primary productivity and net primary productivity as it relates to plants

Answer 32

GPP is the creation of biomass, when you subtract the energy that plants used to live it is NPP

Question 33

Describe how mountains affect precipitation

Answer 33

as the wind heads up the mountain, it cools and precipitates , leaving the far side of the mountain dry

Question 34

What is the effect of el nino on climate? Of la nina?

Answer 34

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

Question 35

What gases make up the greenhouse gases?

Answer 35

carbon dioxide is 80% and methane is 20%

Question 36

What defines the type of geographical ecosystem?

Answer 36

temperature and precipitation

Question 37

What are the most productive terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems?

Answer 37

Marshes/Swamps and Algal bed/Reefs

Question 38

Define energy

Answer 38

the ability or capacity to do work

Question 39

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

Answer 39

energy may be transformed, but never created or destroyed

Question 40

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 40

no process involving energy transformation will occur unless there is a degradation of energy from a concentrated to a dispersed form

Question 41

How much sunlight is converted to organic matters by photosynthesis?

Answer 41

1-4%

Question 42

How do ecologists define ecosystems?

Answer 42

the means through which energy is acquired by the biotic community

Question 43

Define estuaries

Answer 43

regions where rivers empty into the sea

Question 44

How much energy is transferred to the next higher trophic level?

Answer 44

10%

Question 45

How does the quality of energy change from one trophic level to the next?

Answer 45

quantity decreases, quality increases

Question 46

What are the three components that make up a ecosystem?

Answer 46

Input, system, output

Question 47

How do you describe an ecosystem as autotrophic or heterotrophic?

Answer 47

positive net energy (creates)=autotrophic negative net energy(uses)=heterotrophic

Question 48

What are saprovores?

Answer 48

decomposers, microorganisms, fungi

Question 49

Describe unsubsidized natural solar-powered ecosystems

Answer 49

rely only on sunlight, autotrophic (oceans, forests)

Question 50

Describe naturally subsidized solar-powered ecosystems

Answer 50

mainly solar power with some rain and tidal waves, autotrophic (tidal estuaries, rain forests)

Question 51

Describe human-subsized solar-powered ecosystems

Answer 51

solar power and fuel/wind/water, heterotrophic

Question 52

Describe fuel-powered urban-industrial ecosystems

Answer 52

all fuel, no production of energy and only consumption, produce a lot of waste, heterotrophic

Question 53

How much net energy gain should you have relative to energy cost?

Answer 53

2x of energy cost, it takes energy to produce energy

Question 54

Give some pros and cons of nuclear power

Answer 54

Pros- efficient Cons- costly, bad for environment, radioactive waste, accidents

Question 55

Give some pros and cons of coal power

Answer 55

Pros-meh efficiency Cons-pollution, acid rain, environment, sufur in the environment

Question 56

Give some pros and cons of dams

Answer 56

Pros-no pollution Cons-destroy habitat up and downstream, sediment buildup and enriched nutrients, only good for 50 years

Question 57

Where is acid rain the worst?

Answer 57

New England