quiz #8 Flashcards
how do tectonic movements affect climate/diversity, where did this happen?
as continents move, the direction and flow of ocean currents change which cause their climates to shift. uplifting of mountains change air currents. the wallace line, in australia, is an exampe of tectonic plates shifting and causing separation and consequently many unique species.
why do we have unique animals were tectonic plates meet?
new ecosystems/habitats/niches are formed due to changes in mountain barriers, ocean currents and air currents, all that affect climate. long-term changes change the environment and leads to biodiversity increases
what are the consequences and outcomes of introducing species to non native habitats
introduced species don’t fit into the specific relationships that each ecosystem has.
1) severe environmental resistance may kill the species
2) species may become naturalized and do no harm
3) species may become invasive and outcompete natives for food, spaced and other resources
define biome
ecosystems having similar vegetation and climactic conditions
define food chain and food web
food chain: describes where E and nutrients go a they move from one organism to another
food web: interconnection of food chains to form complex feeding relationships
define autotrophs and heterotrophs. what are they referred as?
autotrophs: produce organic material from inorganic matter by using an external E source. producers
heterotrophs: must consume organic material to obtain E. consumers and decomposers
detail the 4 levels of consumers
1) primary consumers (herbivores)
2) secondary consumers (feed on primary consumers)
3) carnivores: secondary or higher-order meat eaters
4) omnivores: feed on both plants and animals
define detritus. what are the 3 organisms that feed on this food web
detritus: dead plant material, fecal wastes and dead bodies
1) scavengers: breakdown large pieces of matter
2) detritus feeders: decomposers that eat partly decomposed matter
3) chemical decomposers: break down molecule sized matter
define biomass. how does it relate between trophic levels?
the total combined weight of organisms. each higher trophic level has about 90% less biomass
how can we tell how much biomass can be supported at all levels if we can figure out one from the biomass pyramid?
since each higher trophic level has about 90% less biomass than the trophic level below it, if you can determine one level you can determine the levels above or below it since you know what can be supported and what that level needs to be supported by.
Third of fourth level consumers generally aren’t small in size… which means that the amount of first trophic level biomass needed is substantial for supporting these large animals.
- Space is needed to have this much available space
- Insufficient space -> insufficient energy
explain why a reverse pyramid occurs in aquatic systems
at the lowest level, there are very high turnover rates and very short life spans and the biomass of animals at the top of the pyramid is larger than at the bottom. this is because the higher levels have more r-selected species (higher reproductive rate) and the species are cold-blooded. this allows for more efficient E transfer and each animals requires less E so more E can be passed along.
what are the different types of biomes? what determines biomes in the temperate zone?
rainfall determines biomes in the temperate zone
1) temperate deciduous forest
2) grassland (prairie) biome
3) desert biome
4) tundra biome
what determines the type of forest in biomes? what 3 types are there
rainfall.
1) tropical rain forests
2) deciduous
3) coniferous forests
what are aquatic and wetland ecosystems determined by? give 3 examples
depth, salinity, permanence of water
lakes, marshes, streams
define microclimate
conditions in a specific, localized time and place
