Chapter 54: An Introduction to Ecology and Biomes

How many broad terrestrial biomes are defined by Whittaker's scheme based on average annual temperature and precipitation?

10

What types of species interactions are studied in population ecology?

- Parasitism - Predation - Competition

What are reasons for articulating the biotic factors that impact populations?

- Species endangerment may be re-duced. - Extinction may be stopped. - Invasive species may be controlled.

What are the broad terrestrial biomes?

- Tropical grassland - Tundra - Tropical rain forest - Tropical deciduous forest

What are broad terrestrial biomes?

- Tropical rain forest - Tropical deciduous forest - Tropical grassland - Tundra

Understanding species interactions such as predation, competition, and parasitism helps scientists to _____.

- lessen species endangerment - prevent extinctions - control invasive species

Understanding species interactions such as predation, competition, and parasitism helps scientists to ______.

- prevent extinctions - lessen species endangerment - control invasive species

What abiotic factors limit distribution patterns and abundance of organisms?

- temperature - salinity - water - wind

What factors differentiate aquatic biomes?

- water salinity - current strength

Why are food chains important when studying the ecology of an ecosystem?

They describe the flow of energy and chemicals.

The main objective of studying population ecology is to understand the factors that affect _____.

a population's growth and determine its size and density

The main objective of studying population ecology is to understand the factors that affect ______.

a population's growth and determine its size and density

Factors such as oxygen content, water salinity, current strength, and availability of light are what differentiate _____ biomes.

aquatic

The field of biology that focuses on how the behavior of individuals contributes to survival and reproductive success is called _____ ecology.

behavioral

What type of organismal ecology examines the effects of individuals on population densities?

behavioral

What are the two subdisciplines of organismal ecology?

behavioral and physiological

The study of the geographic distribution of extinct and living species is called ______.

biogeography

A large naturally occurring community of animals and plants occupying a major habitat is best defined as a _____.

biome

A large naturally occurring community of animals and plants occupying a major habitat is best defined as a ______.

biome

Major types of habitat characterized by distinctive plant and animal life is known as a _____.

biome

The distribution of _____, the major types of habitat on Earth, is largely determined by regional climatic conditions.

biomes

Interactions among organisms and the living environment are called _____ interactions, and those between organisms and their nonliving environment are termed _____ interactions.

biotic; abiotic

In an ecosystem, ______.

chemicals are recycled, but energy dissipates

Different terrestrial biomes of the Earth are defined by ______.

climate

Temperature, wind, precipitation, and light are components of _____, the prevailing weather pattern of a given region.

climate

What defines the communities found in Earth's large-scale terrestrial biomes?

climate

Determining the basis of differences in species richness is the focus of _____ ecology.

community

A community of organisms and its interactions with the physical environment is referred to as an _____.

ecosystem

The interacting system of a community of organisms and the physical environment in which they live is called ______.

ecosystem

What areas of study focuses on the flow of energy, cycling of chemicals, exchange of energy, and exchange of materials between organisms?

ecosystem ecology

What field of ecology deals with the flow of energy and cycling of chemicals among organisms?

ecosystem ecology

What factor produces the substantial variation in Earth's temperature with latitude?

incoming solar radiation

biotic interactions

interactions among organisms

abiotic interactions

interactions between organisms and their nonliving environment

How was parasite removal achieved?

microwaving the nests without the birds in them

The study of the physiological response of an organism to its environment and the impact of the environment on the species distribution is called _____.

organismal ecology

The study of the physiological response of an organism to its environment and the impact of the environment on the species distribution is called ______.

organismal ecology

The study of how individual organisms deal with abiotic and biotic interactions in their environment is called _____ ecology, while _____ ecology focuses on the interactions of interbreeding groups of individuals of the same species.

organismal; population

The research compared tits without parasites and tits with. Which were healthier?

parasite-free tits

What type of organismal ecology investigates how organisms are adapted to their environment, and how much the environment impacts the distribution of species?

physiological

The branch of organismal ecology that studies adaptations of organisms to their environment is _____.

physiological ecology

The branch of organismal ecology that studies adaptations of organisms to their environment is ______.

physiological ecology

Community ecological studies focus on how _____.

populations of species interact with each other

The field of population ecology focuses on species interactions including _____ between an organism and its food, _____ between two organisms in conflict, and parasitism.

predation; competition

In general, abiotic factors have powerful effects in most ecological systems. What is an abiotic factor?

salinity

What abiotic factor affects osmosis in marine and freshwater environments?

salinity

Variation in temperature as different latitudes of Earth are influenced by _____ energy.

solar

A stable community is typically _____.

species-rich

The change in species composition and community structure over time, particularly after a disturbance, is called

succession

What are the two major types of biomes?

terrestrial and aquatic

Succession is _____.

the change in species composition and community structure over time

What are biomes?

the major types of habitats on Earth

What is the definition of climate?

the prevailing weather pattern of a given region

Levels in the food chain are called ______ levels.

trophic

What abiotic factor amplifies cool temperatures?

wind

What does physiological ecology investigate?

How organisms are adapted to their environment and how this impacts species distribution.

______ ecology focuses on groups of interbreeding individuals in an attempt to understand factors that determine group size and density.

Population