Biology Study Guide Q's
What is the main reservoir of the carbon cycle? What form {yes, name the molecule} does carbon have in that reservoir? How does carbon enter the terrestrial biotic community {name the process}? And, is it the same molecule for both the terrestrial community and aquatic community? How does carbon leave each biotic community (again, name the molecule and process)? What types of human activities input carbon into the environment? What is the key organism in the carbon cycle?
Carbon cycle: photosynthesis and respiration
Define carrying capacity, and explain the effect it has on population growth.
Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that a particular environment can sustain "carry". Carrying capacity shows have growth slows down on a growth rate table. Carrying capacity limits growth once it has been reached. *RESOURCES ARE FINITE*
What is a demographic transition? How does it relate to birth and death rates?
Demographic transition: shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates the rates are always equal
What is demography? What are the three demographic factors used to characterize a population of organisms?
Demography is the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations. 1. Density 2. Distribution 3. Rate of growth
Distinguish between density-dependent factors and density-independent factors, and give examples of each. How does intraspecific competition (between members of the same species) influence density dependent factors? What about predation (one type of interspecific competition)?
Density-dependent factors - limiting factors whose intensity is related to population density - appear to limit growth in natural populations. This can increase in death. So the competetition for resources becomes more intense the greater the number of individuals are present. Ex: decline in births with increasing numbers of females and increased mortality; predation Density-independent factors is when a population-limiting factor whose intensity is unrelated to population density. Most are abiotic. So like physical conditions can influence individuals regardless of how many are in the population Ex: A flash flood will kill a certain percentage of both low and high density populations. Intraspecific competition - competition between individuals of the same species for limited resources. As a limited food supply is divided among more and more individuals, birth rates may decline as individuals have less energy available for reproduction. Predation. Higher prey density, more food available, higher predator density (part of density - dependent factors)
Opinion: which do you think is the harshest terrestrial or aquatic climate?
Dessert
Review: What are we studying about the biosphere as we study the major ecosystems of the world? IOW, what is the BIG QUESTION in ecology?
Distribution and abundance of organisms on Earth; interactions with organisms with their environment.
What is the most diverse terrestrial biome? Which terrestrial biome has the richest, most fertile soil? What is the largest terrestrial biome?
Diverse terrestrial biome: Tropical deciduous forest Richest, most fertile soil terrestrial biome?: Temperate forest (deciduous) Largest terrestrial biome? Tiaga (coniferous forest)
Define eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. What causes it? Why is it detrimental to species diversity?
Eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems: accumulation of nutrients making primary production increase Detrimental because it lowers species diversity
What causes exponential growth to occur? IOW, what are the conditions that allow this type of growth in a population? What is the shape of a curve on a graph showing exponential growth?
Exponential growth occurs when there is no restriction on the abilities of the organisms to live, grow, and reproduce. Curve is J shaped and has no carrying capacity
What factors produce ocean currents? What is a major consequence of ocean currents to global climates? What interrupts truly circum-global circulations (i.e., currents) in the world's oceans?
Factors to produce ocean currents: prevailing winds, Earth's rotation, unequal heating of surface waters, and the location and shapes of the continents. A major consequence of ocean currents to global climates is that it leads to uneven heating causing rain and winds. Prevailing winds (westerlies, tradewinds, and doldrums), major global air movements, result from the combined effects of the rising and falling of air masses and Earth's rotation. These affect the circulation of the world's oceans.
From a fitness perspective {define fitness again}, distinguish between the three types of symbiosis. When I talk about "benefit," how does that idea relate to fitness? IOW, what about the species is impacted when we talk about "benefit?"
Fitness=survival 3 types of symbiosis: 1)commensalism: one species obtains food or shelter from another species without harming the other species 2)mutualism: both species benefit from relationship 3)parasitism: One species nourishes itself while hindering the other species Chance of survival is impacted by the benefit the animal recieves.
Review: What are the two ways energy can be stored inside a living organism? Refocus this IDEA: What is the only form of energy storage that can be passed between organisms?
Only energy in chemical bonds can be passed from organism to organism. Energy storage in a living organism can be stored as energy rich molecules as glycogen or fatty acids, in the form of covalent chemical bonds. The second major form of biological energy storage is electrochemical and takes the form of gradients of charged ions across cell membranes. (ATP)
What must occur to a resource in order for a population not to crash following exponential growth? IOW, is there any way to maintain a population at a high level even after exponential grow? IF so, what has to happen?
Only way to maintain a population at a high level even after exponential growth is to make sure that resources are renewed to prevent a population not to crash following exponential growth.
What is a pioneer species? Generally, what type of species establishes itself first in disturbed area, rstrategists or k-strategists? CONNECTION: Why do k-strategists need large areas of land to do well in terms of fitness?
Pioneer species: 1st species to colonize an area after a disturbance r strategists usually large bodied and live long, need a lot of land so not too much competition of resources
What are life history traits? Give examples of the key life history traits. What is the link between these traits and energy usage? IOW, what do I mean by a trade-off between life history traits?
Traits that affect an organism's schedule of reproduction and death ex key life history traits: age of 1st reproduction, frequency of reproduction, number of offspring, amt of parental care. Link between these traits and energy usage: organism can't optimize all of these traits, because it doesn't have enough energy Trade off between life history traits means the combination of life history traits in a population represents trade-offs that balance the demands of reproduction and survival
What is the Boom-Bust Cycle? How do species interactions influence this cycle? Why does neither of the species involved get wiped out?
"Booms" characterized by rapid exponential growth are followed by "busts," during which the population falls back to a minimal level. Species interact through predation. Neither species gets wiped out because they correlate with one another high prey = high predation
Name all the life zones of the ocean, both benthic and pelagic. Know the relative order of the zones starting at the shore & from the surface to the ocean floor. What are the two limiting factors of organismal distribution in these zones?
********* Sunlight and nutrients (substrate) are two limiting factors of organismal distribution in these zones.
Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 29 The Biosphere: Terrestrial Biomes Some of this information will be found in your readings, some in your lecture notes. IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT IS NOT: You are going to find a lot of repeated questions below, just a change in the biome in question. I am guiding you for each biome. In previous year, I just listed the ideas (i.e., questions 18 and 19), but I do not think that made it easier to study these concepts. So, I am trying something new. Some questions are unique to a particular biome (look for bolded questions).
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 28 The Biosphere: Climate; Conservation of Biodiversity; and Aquatic Biomes
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 31 Ecology of Populations
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 30 Ecology of Populations
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 32 Community Ecology
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 33 Community Ecology
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Study Guide / Review Questions for Lecture 34 Ecosystems
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What are the three components of the biosphere and what is their composition?
*Biosphere consists of the abiotic factors Atmosphere: Atmosphere is used to hold the oxygen needed for aerobic life to exist. It is the main mover of our weather and controls the climates around the world. Hydrosphere: Water (oceans, lakes, rivers, streams). All life is water based. Organisms use it to live in and use it to keep hydrated on land. It keeps the earth's temperature from getting too hot or too cold. Lithosphere: Land is the solid foundation for plants, fungi, animals to interact with each other.
What are the three major AGE groups that describe the age structure of a population (i.e., categories in a population's age structure)? Be sure you can look at a distribution or see it described in words and tell me what will happen to the population size {increasing, decreasing, or stable over time}. *****
-Surviving to age 50 -Surviving from 50-60 -Surviving from 80-90
REVIEW: What is the percentage of energy in available sunlight that is captured by the producers? What percentage of energy is generally passed from one trophic level to another? Why is it not greater? IOW, what is the energy NOT available to transfer to the next trophic level used for within an organism?
1% 10%, because organism needs 90% to maintain its own functioning
What are the three forces / processes involved in the water cycle? What is the water cycle's main reservoir? IOW, where is the majority of the water on Earth found? What is an aquifer?
1) evaporation 2) condensation 3) precipitation Main reservoir is the ocean An aquifer is a water reservoir
Review: What do we count in population ecology? Contrast: What do we count in communities?
1) species richness 2) relative abundance
Name and define the three basic interactions within communities.
1)competition: Competing for same resource (-,-) 2)predation: one species kills and eats the other species (+,-) 3)symbiosis: 2 different species share an extremely close relationship (+,+)
What major physical and chemical factors are important to WHERE organisms can survive in the biosphere? {list on a slide} IOW, what determines an organism's range?
1. energy source (auto vs. heteroptroph) 2. Temperature 3. Abundance and type of water 4. nutrients (soil structure, pH, etc.) 5. other aquatic factors (ex: oxygen levels) 6. terrestrial factors (ex: fire and wind) pg. 682 in book
Explain how the laws of thermodynamics relate to ecosystems.
1st-conservation of matter and energy ( matter cycled and energy transformed) 2nd- energy always wants to be less organized (respiration)
Approximately, how many humans are presently living on planet Earth? What type of growth is the global human population presently experiencing, logistic or exponential growth? At what rate is it increasing worldwide? IOW, what is its doubling time?
7 billion Exponential growth: human population continues to increase but the growth rate is slowing ~1.14% ; 54 years
Describe a population that is experiencing logistic growth. (IOW, what shape of growth curve do these populations produce?) Why is it different than the exponential growth curve?
A population experiencing logistic growth shows a description of idealized population growth that is slowed by limiting factors as the population size increases. The logistic curve is shaped like an S. This is different from the exponential growth curve because the carrying capacity is factored into the equation.
What is an ecological footprint? What does it mean that the United States has a larger footprint than its total land area? Define biocapacity.
An ecological footprint estimates the amount of land required by each person or country to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb all its wastes. consuming more resources than we have Biocapacity: is the actual area needed to sustain a population
Describe how the latitudinal pattern of terrestrial biome distribution is REPEATED as an altitudinal pattern up the side of a mountain? Will all mountains have all the biome types, yes or no?
As altitude increases, and latitude increase, the terrestrial biome distribution is repeated. Altitude increasing --> latitude increasing Ice, alpine tundra, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical forest, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, tundra, ice Not all mountains will have all the biome types (ex: dessert)
What is the pattern seen in the fluctuation of predator and prey population densities? What are two reasons that prey populations can go into a decline? Are those two reasons mutually exclusive?
As predators increase, prey increase, but as predators decrease, preys decrease too. Two possible reasons for population declines: (1) overconsumption of prey, no food for predators (2) Prey overshoots carrying capacity, no resources for prey, predators then lack food Yes, they are mutually exclusive
How does the shape, the orientation, and the movement of the Earth relative to the sun impact the climates found on Earth?
Because of its curvature, Earth receives an UNEVEN distribution of solar energy. The sun's rays strike equatorial areas most directly (perpendicularly). Away from the equator, the rays strike Earth's surface at a slant. As a result, the same amount of solar energy is spread over a larger area. Thus, any particular area of land or ocean near the equator absorbs more heat than comparable areas in the more northern or southern latitudes.
Review: Define biodiversity. {Why do I keep asking you to do this? Because it is the central organizing idea in this unit besides energy and energy flow. I need you to be able to bring this to mind quickly and easily and to connect all ideas to it.}
Biodiversity: number of species in a given area at a specific time
What is a biogeochemical cycle and what are its three parts / locations? Think about WHERE the particular atoms are stored in these three locations. Are the molecules available to organisms to use to make the big four macromolecules (Connection to Biol 1030: What are those macromolecules and what atoms are in each?)?
Biogeochemical cycle: chemical circuits that involve both biotic (geological) and abiotic (atmospheric) components of an ecosystem 3 parts/ locations: 1) abiotic reserviors - P,C,N 2) exchange pools - biotic, plants and animals 3) community - minerals to food these molecules available to make macromolecules
Give examples of nonliving (abiotic) and living (biotic) resources of an environment that support living organisms, and explain how they influence a population's distribution
Biotic Resources: All of the organisms in the area, are the living component of the environment. ex: plants, food pyramid, etc. Abiotic Resources: The environment's nonliving component, the physical and chemical factors such as temperature, forms of energy available, water, and nutrients. These influence a population's distribution due to the resources available. These help identify how populations are greater in certain areas due to the larger amount of resources.
What is meant by a population's biotic potential? What types of parameters (factors) affect the biotic potential of a population {listed on the slide}? Compare pigs with rhinos to enhance your explanation.
Biotic potential are the living things that factor into a population's growth. There are huge potentials (like pigs): lots of offspring, rapid maturation, frequent litters. There are limited potential (like rhinos): few offspring slow maturation, rare litters Birth and immigration increase population size while death and emigration decrease population size.
REVIEW for Biol 1030: Name the big six elements /atoms found in the molecules of most organisms. Do the proportions of the elements found on the surface of the Earth match the proportions found within organisms?
C, H, N, O, P, S No, some elements are found in places unavailable to humans (ex: rocks)
Explain character displacement in terms of resource partitioning. CONNECTION: How does this idea relate to what we spoke about when we considered which were the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems with the highest biodiversity? IOW, what "fancy name" concept allowed for such species richness in those areas of high biodiversity?
Character displacement: as a result of resource partitioning, certain characteristics may enable individuals to obtain resources in their partitions more successfully. selection of these characteristics reduces competition with individuals in other partitions leads to divergence of features Natural selection allows for diverse species richness
Define climate. What two parameters of climates (physical factors) are most important to think about? Why does climate matter to the distribution of organisms? CONNECTION: Tie this idea in with what determines an organism's range.
Climate: prevalent or average weather conditions of a physical location on the globe. (Temperature and rainfall (precipitation). Climate sets the conditions that the living organisms must survive. Thus, in adapting populations to local environmental conditions, natural selection may limit the distribution (range) of organisms.
Name, describe, and give examples of the three distribution patterns found in nature. Is the pattern of distribution in a population always stable over time?
Clumped dispersion pattern: individuals are grouped in patches, is the most common in nature. Typically arises due to unequal distribution of resources in the environment. This distribution pattern is dependent on resource distribution. Uniform dispersion pattern: (an even one) often results from INTERACTIONS between the individuals of a population. Random dispersion pattern: The individuals in a population are spaced in an UNPREDICTABLE way, without a pattern. Ex: dandelions, that grow from windblown seeds Distribution in populations are NOT always stable over time.
Give examples of the coastal ecosystems. What factor determines which organisms can live in estuaries?
Coastal ecosystems consist of estuaries and mangrove swamps.
Review: What is a community?
Community is a set of organisms coexisting within a defined area.
What is a community? Give examples of aquatic and of terrestrial communities. How does the concept of community differ from biodiversity?
Community: assemblage of all populations of organisms living close enough together for potential interactions ex: coral reef, forest
Distinguish between competitive exclusion and resource partitioning.
Competitive exclusion: one species out compete another species Resource partitioning: 2 different species coexist, despite apparent competition for same resource
Define ecological succession. In general, what are the types of plants associated with each stage of succession from a fallow farm field to a deciduous forest? (general types (grass, trees, bushes, shrubs)) IOW, which types of plants come first, second, third, etc.?
Ecological succession: species gradually replaced by a succession of other species Annual plants, grasses, shrubs, and juniper, softwood trees, hardwood trees
Define the following terms: ecology, environment, biotic factors, abiotic factors, habitat, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere, range, and energy flow. {not all on the same slide}
Ecology: The scientific study of the interactions of organisms with their environment. Environment: the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. An organisms abiotic and biotic components. Biotic Factors: All of the organisms in the area, are the living component of the environment Abiotic Factors: The environment's nonliving component, the physical and chemical factors such as temperature, forms of energy available, water, and nutrients. Habitat: The specific environment it lives in, includes the biotic and abiotic factors present in its surroundings. Population: lots of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic area Community: An assemblage of all the populations of organisms living close enough together for potential interaction--all of the biotic factors in the environment. Ecosystem: Both the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Biosphere: The entire portion of Earth inhabited by life; the sum of all the planet's ecosystems. Range: or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which the species can be found. Energy Flow: Through an ecosystem through transformation. Transformation of energy from one form to another or lost through heat.
Define ecosystem. (Give examples.)
Ecosystem: all of the organisms in a community as well as the abiotic environment with which the organisms interact ex: coral reef
What is a food chain compared to a food web? How does the idea of a food web connect with energy transfer in ecosystems? Review: Where do you find the energy that is transferred through the food web? IOW, how is it stored {hint: remember the two different ways energy can be stored in living systems, and which is the only one that can be passed from one organism to another}?
Food chain: transfer of energy in one ecosystem Food web: formed when food chains interconnect Where? In chemical bonds (only one that can be passed from one organisms to another)
What are the two MAJOR types of water ecosystems? Give some examples of both types of aquatic ecosystems. What connects the two types of water ecosystems?
Freshwater and Marine ecosystems. Freshwater: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds Marine: oceans and coastal ecosystems. Salt marshes, estuaries, and deltas connect the two types of water ecosystems.
What is the main difference between a gaseous cycle and a sedimentary cycle in terms of source and in terms of time? Why is the water cycle different? {Do not make this hard. It is just common sense. Think about how water is weird / different than any other substance on Earth. Something we learned in Biol 1030.}
Gaseous cycle source: gas time: fast Sedimentary cycle source: rocks time: slow Why watercycle different?: No key organism; present in all 3 forms
Distinguish between a habitat and a niche; between generalist species and specialist species; and between a fundamental niche and a realized niche. Give examples found in nature for each type.
Habitat is the physical environment in which a species lives Niche is the role a species plays in the ecosystem Generalist species: eat anything that is available ex: crow Specialist species: eat only certain things ex: koala Fundamental niche: range of environment conditions in which a species can survive realized niche: range of environmental conditions which species is actually found
What is a climax community? (Give examples.)
In final stage of succession, in which the species composition remains relatively stable ex: grassland, desert, tropical rain forest
Define interspecific competition. (Give examples.) {Contrast this idea to intrapecific competition we spoke about in the last few lectures}
Interspecific competition: populations of 2 different species compete for same limited resource ex: predation, desert plants competing for water
What is special about what I termed "key organisms" in biochemical cycles? IOW, what key thing do they do? What is their mega-important job in an ecosystem?
Key organisms in biogeochemical cycles are able to move elements from reservoir to exchange pool or directly into the community
What is a keystone species and what is its impact on community diversity? Why?
Keystone species: species whose impact on its community is much larger than its abundance or biomass would indicate. Impact on community consist of the fact that it occupies a niche that holds rest of the community in place without community would fall apart
Desert: At what latitude do you find many deserts? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of deserts. Are all deserts hot? What is the quality of the soil {nutrient rich or nutrient poor}? Do you find deserts on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: 30 N and 30 S Climate: Hot or cold temperatures. Extreme daily temperatures however they fluctuate from hot days to cold nights. Very dry precipitation. Not all deserts are hot. Quality of the soil: Sandy/poor Do you find deserts on all the continents: No, most but not Antarctica Limiting Factors: water (or the lack of)
Tropical grasslands (Savanna): At what latitude do you find tropical grasslands? What is another name for tropical grasslands? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of tropical grasslands. What is the quality of the soil {nutrient rich or nutrient poor}? Do you find tropical grasslands on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}
Latitude: Between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (23.5 N and S) What is another name for tropical grasslands: Savanna Climate: Hot and dry, little precipitation Soil Quality: Nutrient poor Do you find grasslands on all the continents: No Limiting Factor: amount of water (or the lack of) and FIRE
Tropical rainforests: At what latitude do you find tropical rainforests? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of tropical rainforests. What is the quality of the soil {nutrient rich or nutrient poor}? Do you find tropical rainforests on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}? Why are tropical rainforests so diverse? In the context of biodiversity, what is "vertical spatial heterogeneity" and what does that have to do with "living space" and habitat subdivision?
Latitude: Equator Climate: High, humid temperatures and a lot of precipitation Soil quality: Typically poor Are they found on all continents?: No, not found on Antarctica Factors that limit the number and kind of organisms?: Amount of sunlight Why are they so diverse?: *** What is "vertical spatial heterogeneity": They have a multi-layered canopy that allows for subdivisions of habitats to grow vertically. This increases living space for organisms, which in turn allows for a high biodiversity.
Coniferous forest: At what latitude do you find coniferous forest? What is another name for coniferous forest? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of tropical rainforests. What is the quality of the soil? Do you find coniferous forest on all the continents? Why aren't there large tracts of coniferous forest in the Southern Hemisphere? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: Found in the Northern hemisphere Another name for coniferous forest: Taiga Climate: Seasons: hot/cold; wet/dry. Largest terrestrial biome. Temperature cold and relatively dry. Soil quality: thin, rocky and ntrient poor No land in the southern hemisphere. Limiting factors: short growing season: 130 days. Extreme cold of winter, low amount of moisture (but snow); low amount of sunlight received.
Polar Ice: At what latitude do you find polar ice? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of polar ice. Can you see the soil? Do you find polar ice on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: Most northern hemisphere or most southern hemisphere Climate: extremely cold and very low precipitation, dry Can you see the soil?: Not really, the majority is covered by ice. You generally see ice, soil covered, or bare rock. Limiting factors: extreme cold and low precipitation
Temperate broadleaf forest: At what latitude do you find temperate broadleaf forest? What is another name for temperate broadleaf forest? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of temperate broadleaf forest. What is the quality of the soil? Do you find temperate broadleaf forest on all the continents? Why do you not see much temperate broadleaf forest in the Southern Hemisphere? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: Mostly in northern hemisphere Another name: Temperate Deciduous Forest Climate: Seasons: hot/cold. Moderate temperature and amount of precipitation. Soil quality: nutrient rich, lots decomposing organic matter Do you find them on all continents: No, not antarctica Not found in the southern hemisphere because not much land there can support this. Limiting Factors: hot summer and cold in winter
Chaparral: At what latitude and in what regions do you find chaparral? What are others names for chaparral? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of chaparral. {not sure about the soil} Do you find chaparral on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: No general area of latitude. Spread evenly throughout the world . Near 30 N and 30 S. Limited to small coastal areas. Other names for Chaparral: Mediterranean Climate: Cool ocean currents circulating offshore, which produce mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. So it has cool rainy winters, and hot dry summers, Little precipitation overall. Do do find it on all continents? No Limiting Factors: amount of water, and FIRE FIRE FIRE
Temperate grassland: At what latitude do you find temperate grassland? What are others names for temperate grassland? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of temperate grassland. What is the quality of the soil? Do you find temperate grassland on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}?
Latitude: temperate zone between 30 to 50 N and S Other names: Prairies Climate: Seasons: hot/cold; wet/dry/ warm summers/ brutal winters. Large temperature range. Very dry precipitation. Soil quality: thick and fertile and RICH Do you find temperate grasslands on all the continents: No, not antarctica Limiting Factors: lack of amount of water, FIRE, winter cold
Artic tundra: At what latitude do you find Artic tundra? Give a general description of the climate {temperature range and amount of precipitation, seasons?} of Artic tundra. What makes the soil of the artic tundra unique? Why is there a lot of standing water during the summers even though the tundra does not get a lot of precipitation? Do you find Artic tundra on all the continents? What are the factors that limit the number and kind of organisms {plants, animals, fungus and microbes}? Why do you get some months when the sun never rises, other months, when the sun never sets? What type of organism is the basis of many food webs in the tundra and is it a producer?
Latitude: upper northern hemisphere Climate: Seasons: mild/crazy cold. Temperature is typically very cold and has very little precipitation (dry) What makes soil so unique: Soil is nutrient poor, water logged. The arctic tundra is characterized by permafrost which is continuously frozen subsoil--only the upper part of the soil thaws in summer. Do you find artic tundras on all continents: No, south america, africa, australia Limiting factors: little light, cold, permafrost (poor water drainage), low precipitation What type of organism is the basis of many food webs in the tundra and is it a producer?: Lichen****
Be able to determine what is happening with the growth of a human population from age structure diagrams in the two different types of countries (MDCs vs LDCs).
Less developed Country (LDC): big bottom skinny top More developed Country (MDC): stable, same size up and down pg 6 of slides
Why do vegetarian humans have a smaller ecological footprint than omnivorous humans based on ecological pyramids?
Less energy expended in only eating producers
CONNECTIONS SLIDE: make sure you can make the connections between abiotic and biotic factors and areas of high and low biodiversity.
Life requires energy and materials to keep going. Abiotic factors influence where and how much of these resources are available to organisms. These set the conditions that organism must survive. Biotic factors influence how many species can live in a particular area (species interactions, food web). High biodiversity is where there are enough resources to subdivide into more habitats. Low biodiversity is where resources are limited (ex: deserts, tundra, open ocean...not the ocean floor however)
Compare the environmental impact of MDCs with LDCs. Be sure you understand how to read the mathematical equation. IOW, what does the equation tell you? Which type of country has a larger environmental impact and why?
MDCs have more & worse environmental impact than LDCs because we take up more room & use more resources while making more waste Equation: environmental impact = population size x resource consumption per capita = pollution per unit resource used
Compare and contrast more developed countries (MDCs) and less developed countries (LDCs). Give examples, and characterize the population growth of each.
MDCs: rate of population growth is low, even birth nd death rate ex: USA LDCs:high birth rates, low death rates, populations growing rapidly ex: kenya
Define biome.
Major types of ecological associations that occupy broad geographic regions of land or water
What is mimicry? And why are "looks" mimicked? IOW, what does the mimic get out of looking like the model organism?
Mimicry: organism makes itself look like another more harmful organism Why are looks mimicked: in looking more dangerous the mimic is less likely to get eaten or attacked
What is the main reservoir of the nitrogen cycle? What form does nitrogen have in that reservoir (name molecule)? Can organisms use this form of nitrogen directly? How does nitrogen enter the biotic community (IOW, what is the key organism? IOW, name the type of bacteria that are involved with the nitrogen cycle.)? How does it leave biotic communities (name molecules and key organism)? What are the useable forms of nitrogen that plants can access? What types of human activities input nitrogen into the environment? How do we (or rabbits) get rid of nitrogen-based wastes? And fish? {one to two word answers for those last ones for process and style}
Nitrogen cycle: bacteria
What do parasites get from hosts? Can parasites have multiple hosts?
Nourishment. Yes, fungi, ticks, lice, mites, tapeworms
What are the two types of marine (saltwater) ecosystems?
Oceans and coastal ecosystems
How does natural selection influence a population's adaptations to its environment? IOW, why are organisms found where they are (2 possible reasons)? What is common to both possibilities?
Organisms adapted to abiotic and biotic factors by natural selection. The ancestors living in that location or came to that area (dispersed) and survived, coupled with the environmental conditions, demonstrates how natural selection may limit the distribution of organisms or how the adaptations have shaped by natural selection in the distant past still serve as a protection from the predators of today's environment. Common to both possibilities (abiotic and biotic factors) are that natural selection has influenced them both.
What is the main reservoir of the phosphorous cycle? Why is this cycle considered slow? In what form does phosphorous enter the biotic community {molecule}? How does it leave each type of biotic community (name molecule and trophic level)? What are the useable forms of phosphorous that plants can utilize? Is phosphorous a limiting factor in plant growth? What types of human activities input phosphorous into the environment?
Phosphorous cycle: weathering rock
Review: What is pollution and how does it relate to transfer rate?
Pollution: when human activity leads to too many nutrients Transfer rate is how fast you take in nutrients. Too fast of transfer rate leads to pollution
What is the difference between population density and population distribution?
Population density is the number of individuals living in a particular area (or per unit area or volume) Population distribution is the spread of individuals across the world, i.e. where do people live.
What is population ecology? Why is it important that we study population ecology?
Population ecology is concerned with changes in population size and the factors that regulate populations over time. It is important that we study population ecology because is to study population growth through observing the STRUCTURE and its DYNAMICS. Population ecology plays a key role in applied research, the data obtained helps to manage wildlife populations, develop sustainable fisheries, and gain insight into controlling the spread of pests and pathogens. This also helps to identify and save endangered species. *Population ecology helps us understand fluctuations in population size
Distinguish between predation and parasitism. (Give examples, and note the difference between prey, predator, parasite, and host.)
Predation: predator kills prey then eats it; predator benefits ex)lion and antelope Parasitism: parasite lives on or in host from which it obtains nourishment; parasite feeds off host while host is still alive ex: tape worm
Distinguish between primary and secondary succession. (Give examples.)
Primary succession: begins in a virtually lifeless area with no soil; only initial life is autotrophic bacteria Secondary succession: occurs when a disturbance has cleared away all existing community but left soil in tact; occurs as areas recover from fire or floods
What do disturbances provide for organisms in communities (one word)? IOW, is all destruction in the natural world necessarily bad? What is the impact of distruction on biodiversity? IOW, can you get more types of species in a given area if there is occasional destruction?
Provide opportunites..and No
Distinguish between r-selection and k-selection life history patterns {'r' & 'k' refer to different aspects of the growth equations}, and give examples along with the traits of each type. Which type of selection results in opportunistic species versus equilibrium species? How does each type of strategy relate to the stability of the environment it is found in? What do I mean by the biological world is more of a continuum rather than fitting into these two discrete categories? IOW, what are real species like? Do they fit neatly into one of the other category?
R-selection: high reproductive rate is chief determinate of life history; occurs in environments where resources are abundant permitting exponential growth, advantage in habitats that experience unpredictable disturbances (fire, flood) which create new opportunities by suddenly reducing population; characterized by small bodied & short lived animals that reach sexual maturity quickly & have a large number of offspring & offer little or no parental care K-selection: centered on producing few offspring that have a good chance of survival; occurs in environments where population size is near carrying capacity, population growth is limited by density-dependent factors, not a lot of competition for resources there gain advantage of allocation energy to their own survival and survival of descendants; environments have a datable climate and little opportunity for rapid growth, can be found in large bodied, long lived animals that develop slowly and produce few but well cared for offspring opportunistic: R equilibrium: K most organisms fall somewhere in-between R and K
What factors influence local patterns of climate that alter or modify the global patterns of climate? For example, what is a rainshadow, and what causes "lake effect" climates?
Regional climate influences the distribution of terrestrial communities. For example, mountains lead to rain shadows. Rainshadows are responsible for the desert that covers much of the central Nevada. Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water, warming the lower layer of air which picks up water vapor from the lake, rises up through the colder air above, freezes and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.
What are the two ways diversity within a community can be defined? IOW, which two parameters are measured when categorizing community diversity? IOW, What is the difference between species richness and abundance? How does each influence community stability and vulnerability to extinction?
Relative abundance (evenness of distribution of individuals among species in a community) and species richness (number of individuals per species).
Give some examples of rocky or sandy seashores. What are some of the challenges faced in the seashore ecosystems?
Rocky intertidal and beaches. Some challenges they face consist of surviving through a continual cycle of changing tides, which may leave them either high and dry or submerged in water for varying lengths of time. They are also exposed large amounts of sunlight and potentially oxygen and no water.
What is the pattern of biodiversity (IOW, change in numbers of species) seen as you move from either North or South poles towards the equator? IOW, does biodiversity generally increase or decrease as you move away from the poles towards the equator? WHY? {Huge connection to the big question for this unit}
Species richness increases towards the equator. Due to the climate and other abiotic factors, the amount of energy available to input into the ecosystem is greater towards the equator. IOW biodiversity increases as you move towards the equator and decreases as you move towards the poles
What is survivorship? What is a cohort, and how are they used to form survivorship tables and curves?
Survivorship is the chance of an individual in a given population surviving to various ages. Cohort is a group of people banded together or treated together as a group. These two are used to form survivorship tables and curves because we will be able to plot survivorship as the proportion of individuals from an initial population that are alive at each age.
What factors are responsible for producing global (not local) patterns of climate? Be sure you understand how each factor influences climate. **Answer in question below??
The earth's shape, orientation, and movement around the sun are all responsible for producing global patterns of climate.
How does the global water cycle connect the aquatic biomes with the terrestrial biomes? How is the majority of water transported around the globe? IOW, in what state of matter does water move around the globe?
The global water cycle connects the aquatic biomes with the terrestrial biomes through movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. These forces allow for net movement of water. Think like a shower, it cleans the dead skin cells and grime on our skin and transports it down the drain. Like rain, it washes our earth and carries traces of our earth. The major forces contributing to the transportation of water around the globe are evaporation (liquid to gas), condensation (gas to liquid), and precipitation (gas to liquid).
What biotic component of an ecosystem is often missing from ecological pyramids? {look closely at slides}
The interactions between organisms ex: tertiary can eat primary making it secondary also.
Distinguish between the pelagic and benthic divisions of oceans (& lakes for that matter), also, between the neritic province and oceanic province.
The palegic realm of the oceans includes all open water. The substrate--the seafloor--is known as the benthic realm. Neritic Province - includes the water above the continental shelf Oceanic - includes all the open waters beyond the continental shelf.
Explain why there are seasonal variations in temperature and rainfall.
The tilt of the Earth on its axis and its location in its orbit around the sun
Review: Define biodiversity.
The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem
Why are coastal ecosystems more diverse than oceanic ones?
There is more sunlight and substrate at coastal ecosystems. Therefore, the distribution of marine organisms is greater than the oceanic ones because sunlight can't reach too far. In addition, they have very large numbers of species and often in great abundance.
Why do coral reefs have high biodiversity? {Think "living space."} What are the challenges of living in the depths of the ocean {more than one}?
They are a visually spectacular and biologically diverse biome, are scattered around the globe in the photic zone of warm tropical waters above continental shelves. A reef is built up slowly by successive generations of coral animals--a diverse group of cnidarians that secrete a hard external skeleton--and by multicellular algae encrusted with limestone. Unicellular algae live within the corals, providing the coral with food. Coral reefs support a huge variety of invertebrates and fishes.
Make sure you understand how the following cycles (water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous cycles) connect all aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, meaning connect the whole biosphere
They transfer substances through both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
What is the purpose of this last unit (unit 4)? What questions are we trying to answer using the material of these last chapters?
To combine the anatomy and physical features of organisms and how they correlate with the ecosystem.
Define what transfer rate is in a biogeochemical cycle? What is pollution and how does it relate to transfer rate?
Transfer rate: how fast you take in nutrients Pollution: when human activity leads to too many nutrients How? Too fast of transfer rate leads to pollution
BIG TIME REVIEW (last semester and early this semester): What happens with each transition of energy through the organisms in an ecosystem? IOW, is all the energy passed on? If not, what happens to it?
Transformation of energy from one form to another or lost in heat. However, not all the energy is transferred entirely, some is lost during the process, most likely through heat.
Define first, second, third, etc. trophic levels (the hierarchy of the feeding relationships). Distinguish between primary consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary consumers
Trophic levels are levels of a food chian, level it holds in a food pyramid. Primary consumers: eat producers secondary consumers: eat primary consumers and producers tertiary consumers: eat primary, secondary, and producers
Describe type I, II, and III survivorship curves by explaining the survival and death of the members of the cohort, by explaining the shape of graph produced, and by giving examples of organisms for each curve
Type I: The curve for the human population shows that most people survive to the older age intervals. This table consists of humans and many large mammals. They typically have few offspring but give them good care, increasing the likelihood that they will survive to maturity. The shape of this curve gradually decreases as age increases. Type II - is intermediate, with survivorship constant over the life span. That is, individuals are no more vulnerable at one stage of the life cycle than at another. this type of survivorship has been observed in some invertebrates, lizards, and rodents (squirrels) Type III - indicates low survivorship for the very young, followed by a period when survivorship is high for those few individuals who live to a certain age. They produce very large number of offspring but provide little care for them. Ex: fishes, oysters. They have a exponentially decreasing life span.
What part of the light spectrum causes problems in biotic communities and why? What are the two layers of the atmosphere closest to the Earth's surface? Which one has the ozone shield? What breaks the ozone shield down? How does the ozone shield protect biotic communities?
UV; causes DNA damage leading to cancers troposphere and stratosphere Ozone shield: stratosphere breaks shield: chlorine atoms from CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) Protect: shields from UV rays which harm people and crops
What is the significance of current to freshwater systems?
We depend on them for drinking water, crop irrigation, sanitation, and industry.
Why should we study biodiversity? What is extinction? How might it impact humans? How are we impacting extinctions? Why?
We should study biodiversity to explore what causes the loss of ecosystems, species, and genes; and ways to conserve biology and restore ecology. Extinction means that all populations of a species have disappeared, an irreversible situation. This may impact humans because it may have a negative impact on the overall species richness of the ecosystem. We are impacting extinctions through deforestation, poaching, and habitat destruction. This leads to lack of resources for those animals to survive. In addition, poaching can lead to too high of a kill rate versus a birth rate.
What are wetlands? From your reading, why are wetlands important to human coastal communities?
Wetlands constitute a biome that is transitional between an aquatic ecosystem -- either marine or freshwater -- and a terrestrial one. They support the growth of aquatic plants.
What is the point of predator defense mechanisms (do not make this idea difficult, it is the obvious answer)? Name and give examples of several ways organisms protect themselves.
a defense against predator, to survive ex)camouflage, chemical defenses (toxicity) aposematic coloration (warning), mimicry, inflation(ex)pufferfish)
Define the following terms (some of them are review from the first unit): autotrophs, heterotrophs, photoautotrophs, chemoautotrophs, photoheterotrophs, chemoheterotrophs, producers, consumers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and detritivores
autotrophs: make own food heterotrophs: gain energy from other organisms photoautotrophs: sunlight and CO2 for energy chemoautotrophs: chemicals and CO2 for energy photoheterotrophs: sunlight and organic sources for energy chemoheterotrophs: chemicals and organic compounds for energy producers: make own food consumers: must eat producers and other consumers to gain energy herbivores: plant eaters carnivores: meat eaters omnivors: eat both meat and plants detritivores: eat dead, organic material
The rate of natural increase (IOW, growth rate) of a population is determined by which four factors? IOW, what increases a population's size and what decreases a population's size? Which two of these four factors are considered to cancel each other in most populations (so we only really consider two of them)?
birth death emigration - number of people leaving a country immigration - number of people moving to a country Birth and immigration increases a population size while death and emigration decrease a population size. We really just consider an organism's inherent capacity to reproduce and the population size.
Why is it important to recognize how human activities breakdown the natural cycles in the ecosystems? And why is it important to recognize that even our managed ecosystems (agriculture / farming) are dependent on those services that are part of the natural ecosystems? And, should we worry about future generations or just focus on the population that is alive right now?
breakdown of natural cycles hurts sustainability Supply most of our food and fibers yes; sustainability
What is aposematic coloration?
coloration consisting of distance markings and colors; warning of bad consequences
CONNECTIONS: How can the relative abundance of one species influence the relative abundance of another? What does it depend upon? Give examples of different kinds of species interactions that might have different answers to this question.
competing for similar resources; depends on amt and type of resources available
Why are ecosystems considered open systems?
energy and matter is being transferred in and out
What are the major parts of an ecosystem? IOW, the inputs & the outputs? IOW, what two things move through any ecosystem? Do they move with the same pattern? IOW, flow vs cycle. IOW, generally describe what happens to energy and materials in an ecosystem in terms of cycles or one-way paths.
inputs: energy (bonds) and materials outputs: food, heat, and inorganic molecules and waste elements matter cycles; energy flows
CONNECTIONS: Why are exotic species (invasive species) such a big threat to biodiversity?
invasive species are non-native species that have established themselves in a new location. they spread far beyond the original point of introduction and can cause environmental or economic damage; LEADING CAUSE OF LOCAL EXTINCTIONS
Distinguish between mutualism and interspecific competition. (Give examples of each, and state how the individuals involved are either benefited or harmed.)
mutualism-2 different species interact and benefit from the relationship ex) flower and pollinator interspecific competition- when 2 different compete for same limited resource both hurt by this ex) squirrels and black bears
Do all communities on Earth have the same species composition (which species live there) or numbers of species (how many species live there)?
no; different communities support different species and different total number of species
At the level of producers, which type of organism produces the most biomass? IOW, does the most photosynthesis, phytoplankton (microscopic organisms) or plants {Yeah, I have asked this on an exam before}? Why do these types of organisms produce so much biomass?
phytoplankton; in ocean, ocean covers 70% of earth, cover a lot of surface and tons of them
Define coevolution. What is meant by an "arms race" between prey and predators? Besides predator-prey interactions, what other types of interspecific interaction can lead to co-evolution?
series of reciprocal evolutionary adaptions in two species; occurs when change inane species acts as a new selective force on another species & the resulting adaptations of the second species in turn affect the selection of individuals in the 1st species "arms race" both species keep evoking without one beating out the other competition, mutualistic relationships
Explain how replacement reproduction will not lead to zero population growth immediately. IOW, what is population momentum? IOW, why won't just not having many babies not slow growth down quickly?
when a population achieves replacement reproduction, that population continues to grow for several generations before stabilizing. population momentum is the tendency for population growth to continue beyond the time that replacement reproduction is reached theres already a high concentration of people in the childbearing years and babies already born have to grow and die. Eventually, the population will decline
