Winter Ecology Test
describe what causes seasons on Earth. Also, when does winter officially begin and what is this day called?
Seasons are caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis tilted at 23.5 degrees. Since the axis is at a tilt of 23.5 degrees, different parts of Earth angle towards the sun while others do not, causing seasons December 21- Winter solstice- day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year
describe major characteristics of winter
Snow Cold- lower air temp Wind has a larger effect- b/c of wind chill Dry air Less amount of daylight Migration and Hibernation- fewer animals seen Ice Lower amount of vegetation
give examples of specific animal adaptations that are likely to be related to the SA/V ratio issue.
Snowshoe Hare Hair turns white- lose pigment in their hair-warmer bc the hair is hollow which traps heat more efficiently Large, webbed feet help them be able to walk in the snow and run away from prey quickly Bees Seal the honey inside the hive before winter so they will have solid food supply Food and the queen bee are the highest priority and the bees surround the queen bee all flapping their wings to create heat Fish anomalyst expansion-underneath the ice the water remains at 4degreesC Fish eat less food in the winter and are less active Some fish bury themselves in the mud to stay warm Larger fish have an easier time finding food bc vegetation small fish used to hide in is gone Bird Torpor Goes into hypothermia at night to save energy Fluff their feathers to trap heat Ground Squirrel Create a burrow underneath the frost line with different chambers and openings (food, bathroom, peep hole etc) Have a hibernation cycle- sleep, eat, pee, go back to sleep Geese Counter current heat exchange- can control the blood flow which changes their body temp in their legs Wolves Wide feet and webbed toes to help them move through the snow Travel in a single file line to not create new tracks-easier to walk over used tracks-conserves energy Huddle together in their burrow Dense fur to keep them warm Garter Snakes Huddle together to stay warm Brumation- process snakes undergo through winter to adapt-their version of metabolism drops and don't feel the need to spend that much energy North American Wood Frog Create burrows underneath the frost zone w organic elements Are able to freeze while remaining alive bc of the present of cyroprotectants- glucose and urea- replace the water that leaves to create ice in their cells-protects cells and organelles from shrinking or dying
explain the concept of snowshoe adaptations and give examples.
Snowshoes allow people to cover a larger surface area when walking on snow-makes it easier-conserves energy
describe the insulative efficiency of different fabrics based on the data collected in the socks lab.
The graph and table show that wool was the best insulator for both dry and wet socks. The synthetic socks were then the second best insulators, both dry and wet. Lastly, cotton was the worst insulator out of the three sock types, while the naked bottle was the worst insulator out of them all. Overall, the wool sock proved to be the best insulator in both dry and wet conditions. From the graph, dry wool started at the highest temperature out of the dry socks and dropped only ten degrees in the forty minutes. The dry wool also had the smallest rate of heat loss at -0.292, showing it kept heat the best. The wet wool also had the smallest rate of heat loss out of the wet socks at -0.4244. This explains that the wet wool sock had a less steep slope than other wet sock types, concluding its water temperature did not drop as severely. Synthetic and cotton socks, both wet and dry all had larger rates of heat loss, meaning the temperature of the water inside those socks dropped more dramatically.
define vasoconstriction and vasodilation; explain how they relate to control of core and appendage temperatures
Vasoconstriction is the constriction of blood vessels. To retain heat, animals close down blood vessels close to the surface and outer extremities, but they can't do that long term otherwise the cells will starve. They do this to keep the core warm because it has all the key organs. Vasodilation is the dilation of blood vessels. To retain heat, animals close down blood vessels close to the surface and outer extremities, but they can't do that long term otherwise the cells will starve. They do this to keep the core warm because it has all the key organs. They use vasodilation to ensure that the outer appendages don't completely die.
explain how annual, biennial, and perennial life cycles serve as adaptive plant responses to winter.
annual=Live 1 year. Germinate in spring, grow into a plant, develop sex organs (flowers), have sex, make babies (seeds), die. biennial=Live 2 years. First year is spent developing vegetative roots. Second year send up central stock, develop sex organs, have sex, make babies, die. perennial=Continue to live year after year so if they don't produce one year it's not a big deal. Woody perennial (trees). Can do partial death.
explain what it takes to thermoregulate and relate the concept to the analogy of heating your home.
being able to control one's temperature Heat Production shivering conduction movement Heat Retention huddling piloerection/fluffing thick fur brown fat blubber Thermoregulation is similar to a thermostat. The thermostat tells the furnace to go on or off, and has the ability to tell if the furnace has done a good job or not.
identify the roles of fat (white and brown).
brown fat=form of heat retention contains up to 40% more of mitochondria- creates more energy which leads to larger heat retention-found in new borns and hibernating animals that cant shiver yet white fat-found in mammals- blubber can also be used for heat retention-White fat only insulates, while brown fat generates heat
list possible factors that cause arousal during and at the end of hibernation.
climate conditions hormonal changes internal clock concentration of metabolites fat levels
explain the relationships between the following characteristic: trapped air, density, conductivity, insulating value.
conductivity-the opposite of insulation-a way of heat transfer by touching the more dense something is-the greater ability it has to trap heat creating a larger insulation value- animals with denser fur stay warmer
describe why ice floats and, therefore, insulates a body of water and why water should be no colder than 4ºC (39ºF) at the bottom of a typical pond or lake in Minnesota.
ice floats bc it is less dense then water Water should be no colder than 4degreesC at the bottom of a lake or pond because otherwise the fish and other animals would die- the fish can survive in the lakes/ponds during winter at this temperature
list probable factors that trigger entry into hibernation.
no single factor photo period temperature.. first hard frost food available-less and less food hormone levels internal clocks- your body telling you
be able to name a majority of Minnesota mammals that hibernate.
over 50% of all mammals in MN hibernate beaver 13 lined ground squirrel mice chipmunk winter wolves snowshoe hair honey bee bird torpor skunk
describe the relationship between density and snow quality.
quality of snow depends on two things 1. the amount of water in the air 2. the temperature of the air Rime= when its dry=flaky,ice Graupel=dense/thick/wetter outside
explain the role of shivering and non shivering thermogenesis in heating the body of an endotherm.
shivering=heat production natural physiological response to cold temperatures The muscles move fast together-friction/conduction-which creates heat Non shiver thermogenesis is another way to warm up without long term exhaustion.
explain what is meant by subnivean space and relate how it can be important to organisms.
the area between the top of the snow and the ground it serves as protection from the wind/cold/winter conditions warmer- the zone serves as insulation can also protect/hide animals from predators
explain the relationship of surface area to volume of organisms (or appendages) as the size of the organism changes and how that influences heat loss.
the smaller the animal- the greater the heat loss- the less fur-the less fat- the less heat retention bigger animals have thicker coats of fur and larger amounts of fat and blubber to keep them warm Surface area to volume ratio. If there is a high surface area to volume ratio, that area loses heat faster.A shrew therefore would lose heat faster than a polar bear
explain the physical conditions that influence the formation and ultimate shapes of snow crystals.
the water molecules- made up of two hydrogen and one oxygen- 6 water molecules gather around dust or anything to surround and the hydrogen molecules are attracted to the oxygen molecules which creates 6 sides-hexagon shape The snowflakes are then later affected by the air conditions when they fall- air temp- amount of oxygen and water in the air- wind
define avian torpor and explain how it relates to energy conservation during cold conditions.
• Avian Torpor Type of hibernation when body temp only drops at night- go into hourly periods of sleep at night conserve it for the daylight Saves energy for during the day
define countercurrent heat exchange and explain how it is used by birds standing on the ice.
-veins carry blood vessels back to the heart -artery bring blood vessels away from the heart -blood vessels constrict when further from the heart and dilate when closer to the heart -capillary=1 blood cell thick in the foot, fingers, tip of nose, and ears -birds use this so that there feet don't freeze- so when their feet touch the ice it's not so much of a drastic heat change
explain the function of an abscission layer.
Abscissic Acid - present in deciduous trees As winter approaches, the levels of abscissic acid increase which causes the leaves to fall b/c it takes a lot of energy to hold on to the leaves and plants do not have a lot of energy during the winter time therefore the leaf drops
give examples of mobility problems created by snow and adaptations that provide solutions.
Affects birds ability to move around- b/c of this they migrate to warmer climate It can often be hard for the animals to move through the dense/thick snow which can lead to fatigue and over heating Snowshoe hare-they have large webbed back feat to help them hop through the snow Snowshoes-makes it easier to walk on the snow and conserves energy Animals can have long legs-allows them to be far up from the snow level-dont have to drag their bodies through it Animals also can have skinny legs which makes it easier to move through the snow-less energy lost
explain the relationship of thickness of fur and feathers (length, density, and amount of trapped air) and insulation.
Animals with thicker fur/feathers are able to trap more heat-serving as greater insulation
describe why winter is more severe as one goes toward the North Pole.
BC of the Earth's tilt at 23.5degrees, during the winter the sun shines towards the southern portion of the earth and mainly towards/below the equator The tropics= equator and southern areas and the further you get from the tropics- the more extreme the conditions/temperatures will be
explain the importance of body temperature gradients (including appendages) as a mechanism to reduce metabolic costs.
Certain parts of the body don't need to be heated b/c they don't contain any heat producing organisms, like appendages (finger/toes). The core needs to stay warm b/c it contains many important heat producing organs, like the liver. In order to conserve fuel, the body will drop the temperatures of these appendages and use it to do other things around the body
give specific examples of winter adaptations presented in the video, "Temperature Extremes".
Cold Japanese Macaques spend their time in hot springs to deal with the cold temperature Their fur coat also provides protection from the temperature and wind King Penguins The chicks huddle together and slowly move around to change positions in order to stay warm Bearded Seal pups use the fat from their mother's milk to stay warm because of their massive size they store heat they use their blubber which can be shut down for insulation purposes Hot Lung Fish they dig to travel below the mud and stay underground away from the heat until the rain comes again when the rain comes they then come back to the surface Desert Ants leave their holes to get food when the sand is hot enough to keep their predators from being out and about because they constantly move at a fast pace, the burning sand never affects them Flamingo they build a nest above ground which protects them from the boiling hot water utilize fresh water springs as sources of water during the heat all gather in groups to go towards the fresh water to eat and drink in an orderly fashion
know the terms used to classify organisms based on regulation of body temperature and the major groups of animals that fit into each category.
Cold Blooded body is the same temperature as the environment- can not regulate their body temp poikilotherm or ectotherm- reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects Warm Blooded homeotherm or endotherm-mammals,birds
4 ways of heat transfer
Conduction touch- solid and solid, solid and liquid, liquid and liquid Convection fan/wind- wind chill transfers from a gas to liquid or solid Evaporation extraction of water form something- sweat/evaporative cooling Radiation from a source to a sink- ex: absorbing heat from the sun(person)
describe deciduous and coniferous plant body types.
Coniferous keeps leaves-needles-green which means they contain chlorophyll which is needed for photosynthesis so the trees can photosynthesize all year round- necessary for oxygen production Deciduous drops leaves can still photosynthesize a bit b/c there is chlorophyll in the tree's bark The leaves form buds to protect the newly born leaves during the winter- so they can eventually bloom when spring comes
describe the relationship between metabolism and heat production.
During hibernation an animal lowers their metabolic activity to conserve energy needed for heat production during the winter
describe how piloerection is used by mammals and birds to control heat retention.
Form of heat transfer/production Animals can make their hair stand up on end for insulation purposes and also if they are over heating
list examples of how snow can be both beneficial and costly to organisms (using real-life examples).
Fresh snow can be used as a great insulator- serves as a blanket and offers warmth for the animals vs under a rock or etc.. The snow can be very hard for the animals to walk in which can lead to fatigue or overheating during the winter and it is very important to conserve energy
define and describe hypothermia and frostbite.
Frostbite-destruction of tissue by freezing with blistering and cell death mild case=Frostnip- chapping/reddening of the skin 2degree Frostbite=blisters 3degree Frostbite=black=tissue death treatment=warm slowly/gently Hypothermia shivering, fatigue, confusion, blood moves toward core and away from extremities, goosebumps,hypothermia can set in at 94degreesF treatment=warm slowly/gently
compare hibernation of ground squirrels and bears and explain the most probable reason why they are different.
Ground Squirrels Ground squirrels and chipmunks= true hibernators Body temp and heart rate drops a lot and they sleep most of the time Bears Bears are actually not true hibernators at all Their body temp and heart rate only drops 10% Just go into sleep and occasionally wake up from time to time Female black bears give birth during the winter To provide for milk mother eats much food before winter comes to store fat Then she loses much weight while nursing Cubs can barely move and have a small light coat of fur
describe typical characteristics of hibernation.
Heart rate slows down Body temperature drops Animals reduce physical activity and go into a deep sleep for either small periods of time or most of the time Reduced metabolic activity Hibernaculum= site of hibernation-underground=important for insulation-food usually stored here
explain how freezing injury occurs (include discussion of intra- and extracellular fluid).
It is much more dangerous for trees to contain intercellular freezing because cells contain too much water and then explode causing the death of many plant cells
list and describe typical responses of wild animals to extreme cold (migration, hibernation, resistance).
Migration Mostly done by birds and insect species Trip=very risky Long distance=energy costly Danger or predators in uncharted territory Trip=also vital/necessary Some species may need to fish or feed on water species- no use when water freezes so need to migrate Hibernation Cold blooded animals (snakes, frogs, lizards, etc)Obligated to hibernate because they need to stay at the low temperature until the temperature rises again Warm blooded animals (mammals) Are able to keep their body temperature and are less affected by the cold temperature Mammals use more oxygen and burn more fuels with cold temperature b/c need to increase respiration If too much energy is used for respiration mammals are able to drop body temperature Dormant State-Reduced metabolic activity Resistance Animal Heat Production Cell respiration (mitochondria) provides energy for the heat A lot of the heat is created in the animal's internal organs Animals tissue= provided for in the cold by circulation of blood Animals muscles can operate just as well in cold b/c protected by fur or feathers Rete mirable= blood vessels that help keep animal's feet at a cold but safe temp (when in cold water etc) Fur and feathers= main insulation for the animals Small animals=more exposed=more prone to heat loss Fat/blubber=important way of storing energy/insulation for water animals In order to prevent overheating.. • Change the thickness of their fur or feather coats • They can increase blood flow and create radiators for cooling • Panting
