Bio 221 exam 1

Soil Horizons

Horizontal layer of soil Soil profile Diff physical, chemical, biological characteristics O - Organic Horizon In temperate zones, thickness varies seasonally A Horizon - Topsoil A mixture of mineral soil from parent material and organic material from O horizon B Horizon - "Subsoil" Denser than A, less organic matter, minerals leached from A C Horizon - Unconsolidated material derived from parent bedrock

You are monitoring a section of a creek that has recently had all its trees cut down. What would you predict about the change in the average water temperature in that section?

It would increase

In the Northern Hemisphere, the shortwave radiation is highest during the

June solstice

equatorial

0 degrees

Tropical forests make up 6 percent of total land mass but contain an estimated ________ of all species on Earth Selected Answer: Correct 50 percent Answers: 1 percent 10 percent Correct 50 percent 90 percent

50 percent

Sunflecks

70-80% of solar energy reaching ground Variation over course of day?

Water

75-95% of the weight of most living cells Dominant component 75% percent of earth's surface dominant environment 2 major categories based on Salinity Salt Fresh Further divisions

Acidity Influences Aquatic Environments

Acid vs base; pH: negative log of H+ in a solution CO2 reacts with water to produce carbonic acid CO2 + H2O H2CO3 Carbonic acid dissociates into hydrogen and bicarbonate ions H2CO3 HCO3 H Bicarbonate can dissociate into H CO32 Buffering ability CO2/pH relationship Organisms? Aluminum?

Temperature influences the moisture content of air

Air and water freely exchange water molecules Evaporation and condensation What about boiling/freezing points? Have you ever witnessed condensation/evaporation outside of boiling/freezing temperatures? Air Saturation: when evaporation rate = condensation rate Water vapor exerts pressure (like all gasses) - vapor pressure (Pa) Saturation vapor pressure = water vapor capacity of air

Community

All populations of different species living and interacting within an ecosystem Ex.How does this species interact with other species of plants and animals in the prairie community?

-Westerlies

Between 60 degrees and 30 degrees

Water can only move from liquid to gas when the temperature is above the boiling point

False

Physical properties of water

H2O Polar covalent bonds Hydrogen bonds? High specific heat -----Environments -----Organisms Cohesion --Surface tension Adhesion Density and temp.

Individual

The basic unit of ecology ex.What characteristics allow the Echinacea to survive, grow, and reproduce in the environment of the prairie grasslands of central North America?

Landscape

a broader patchwork of ecosystems - linked through flow of matter, energy, and organisms ex.- How do variations in topography and soils across the landscape influence patterns of species composition and diversity in the different prairie communities?

Subtropical highs

are at 30 degrees

Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would

be much colder than it currently is

Prevailing easterly surface winds are found.

between the Equator and 30o latitude (both N & S) and between 60o and 90o latitude (both N & S)

As light enters water, the last wavelengths absorbed are

blue wavelengths

Organisms..

both respond to and modify the environment .

When swimming at your favorite local lake, you get frustrated when only the upper pat of your body is warm and the water feels much colder near your feet. What time of year could you swim when the water is approximately the same temperature at every depth?

fall

Where is temperature variation the lowest?

in the tropical marine environments

Which of the following represents the correct organization of ecological systems from the lowest to the highest level of organization?

individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

The primary sources of oxygen in a water body are the atmosphere and

photosynthesis

Which of these is the largest reservoir of freshwater on Earth?

polar ice caps and glaciers

In which scenario will the majority of precipitation likely end up in a water body before the water returns to the atmosphere?

precipitation that infiltrate and precipitation that becomes part of surface runoff

Absorbed shortwave radiation

re-emitted from surface as longwave radiation "Terrestrial longwave radiation" Energy content? Most terrestrial longwave is absorbed by gasses in the atmosphere and emitted downward as atmospheric longwave radiation

Climate diagrams are valuable because they show

seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation

A scientist traveling on a boat from Alaska to Antarctica took daily measurements of atmospheric pressure. At which latitudes were the lowest pressures found?

subpolar (~60°) and tropical (~0°) latitudes

Precipitation that falls and then flows along on an impervious man-made surface is part of....

surface runoff

Which biome is found inland (i.e. with more continental climate) of temperate forests

temperate grassland

The dominant biome in mediterranean climates found between 30° and 40° latitude is

temperate shrubland

Increases in elevation are accompanied by decreases in temperature. The rate at which temperature drops as elevation increases is referred to as the dry adiabatic lapse rate, which gives a drop in temperature of rising unsaturated air of about 10°C for every 1000 meters. If the temperature is 25°C at the base of the mountain, what temperatures do organisms experience 3000 meters upslope?

-5°C

Population

A group of individuals of the same species in a given area Ex.Is the population of this species increasing, decreasing, or remaining relatively constant from year to year?

Electromagnetic radiation

All* objects emit electromagnetic radiation Emitted wavelengths depends on temperature The hotter an object, the shorter the wavelengths of energy it emits.

Biome

Broad-scale regions dominated by similar types of ecosystems ex.What features of geology and regional climate determine the transition from forest to prairie grassland ecosystems in North America?

Gasses also dissolve in water

Diffusion from atmosphere Which two gases are the most important for aquatic organisms? Diffusion rate: solubility and diffusion gradient Gas Solubility in water is a function of: temperature - negative relationship Atmospheric pressure - positive relationship salinity - negative relationship Oxygen is lost from water as...

Climate and Leaf Form adaptations

Going from high to low precipitation Warm and wet, no seasonality: Broad leafed evergreen trees less wet, with a distinct dry season: Deciduous broadleaved

Geographic Differences in Surface Net Radiation

Leads to redistribution of thermal energy (heat) from equator to poles Warm air rises then cools, and falls Earth rotates! Speed vs. latitude Coriolis effect- Deflection in air flow

Economic Model of Leaf Form adaptations

Leaf "cost" = carbon and other nutrients required to construct the leaf The time required to pay back the cost of production is a function of the rate of net photosynthesis (carbon gain) ----Low rates of net photosynthesis = Longer pay back time If the rate of photosynthesis is low enough ---payback cost is greater than....one year plant cannot afford to have.... Deciduous leaves Which plants have adaptions to survive there? New leaves? Evergreens Replaces every few years gradually not all at the same time like deciduous

Light varies with Water Depth

Light in water reduced by Reflection (diurnal / seasonal variation) Suspended particles (turbidity) Light quantity & quality Attenuation

Most Organisms live in Microclimates

Local conditions that do not match general climate profile Light/heat/moisture/air movement vary greatly across and ecosystem or landscape ---Underground / surface ---Beneath vegetation / on exposed soil ---Topography (Elevation, aspect, slope) Water Mountains to molehills, bark to buildings Vegetation moderates microclimates

Tropical Savanna

Location: drier tropics and subtropics Temp: warm throughout the year Precip: semiarid with seasonal rainfall Cover: range of veg types: ground cover of grasses with continuum of shrubs or trees moisture is key _________ & _________ Key Locations: much of Africa, eastern S.A. Biodiversity: large diversity of vert. & invert. herbivores, 60+ sp. of ungulates, some migratory. Ungulate predators NPP: growth tied to precip Soil: texture influences moisture; usu. nutrient poor; leaf litter decompose in ....... Woody debris? Vertical Stratification: 2 layers Frequent fires - fire-adapted vegetation

tropical rain forest

Location: primarily between 10 N and 10 S Temp: warm throughout the year mean temperature >18C Precip: rain almost daily Min. monthly > 60 mm Cover: dominated by broadleaf evergreen plants Key Locations: The Amazon basin of S. Am. is the largest / most continuous 2nd: SE Asia 3rd: W Africa Biodiversity: High diversity of plant and animal life. 6% of Earth's land, > 50% plant and animal species NPP: high Soil: high annual rates of litter input to the forest floor -Very little leaf litter accumulates -Nutrient poor soils...why? Vertical Stratification: 5 layers

Soil formation

Mechanical and chemical weathering of rock Five interrelated factors: Parent material Climate Biotic factors Topography Time

Morgantown is between [x] latitude and experiences the [y] winds

Morgantown is between 30 and 60 degrees latitude and experiences the westerlies winds

Surface Temperatures determined by the Difference between Incoming and Outgoing Radiation

Net radiation = Incoming SW - Reflected SW - (Emitted LW - Downward LW)

Why is the ocean off the coast of Florida warmer than it is off the coast of Western Mexico?

Ocean currents are coming from the tropics rather than the poles

Soil

Soil is the basis of terrestrial ecosystems the medium for plant growth the initial recipient of water, controlling its fate a recycling system a habitat Definition? Its hard to define there's biotic and abiotic functions. It's a complex living system,

Water: the Solvent of Life

Solute/solvent/solution Aqueous solution "Like dissolves like" solutes have different solubilities What happens when more solute is added after max concentration is reached...? Calcium carbonate .014 grams/liter Sodium chloride: 360 grams/ liter 86% of sea salt psu (practical salinity units) - grams of Cl per kg water Ocean: 35‰ (parts per thousand) Freshwater: .065 to .30‰

Solar radiation and the earth

Sun (~5800° C) vs Earth (~15° C) radiation? What happens to solar (shortwave) radiation when it reaches the Earth? Some reflected back into space Some absorbed and re-emitted as long-wave radiation Bottom line -> Total Energy in = Total energy out

The sun emits

UV radiation, visible light, infrared radiation,

Temperature of flowing water

Variable; Role of air temp Elevation depth Shade

When light shines downward though water [x]. When light shines downward though vegetation [y].

When light shines downward though water both light quantity and light quality change. When light shines downward though vegetation both light quantity and light quality change.

Which of the following questions is most appropriate to an investigation at the landscape level?

Which factors give rise to the spatial extent and arrangement of the various ecosystems?

On a northern hemisphere mountain, which side will cooler and wetter

Windward and south-facing

Starting at a given temperature and relative humidity, _______ will cause condensation / rain to occu

a sufficient decrease in temperature or a sufficient increase in vapor pressure

Relative humidity is the

amount of water vapor in the air relative to the saturation vapor pressure

Which area (in the northern hemisphere) would you predict to experience the largest VARIATION in temperature over the course of a day?

an exposed, south-facing slope

trade winds

are from 30 degrees to 30 degrees

Leaf Area Index

area of leaves per area of ground (m2 leaf area / m2 ground area)

Which of these is the fastest cycling (fastest turnover rate) reservoir of water on Earth?

atmosphere

Distribution patterns of biomes can be determined based almost entirely on

both mean annual temperature and precipitation

According to the USDA Zone Map, central Kansas has an average low temperature of -5 to -10 degrees F , while the eastern part of Virginia has an average low temperature of 5 to 10 degrees F, even though they are at the same latitude. Why is this?

continentality

Which data would be best represented in a scatterplot

continuous

In the vicinity of 30° north and 30° south, air typically

descends, warms, and is dry

Water Balance

difference in water concentration between the organism and its environment Desiccation / hydration How is water lost & gained

Precipitation falls, then what?

directly on soil infiltration into ground --> ground water --> springs/streams --> surface runoff to water bodies-> transpiration from soil through plants--> evaporation Interception: on living vegetation / dead organic matter / man-made surfaces evaporation----> Infiltration / surface runoff /transpiration

Gyres

dominant water movement in the oceans Northern Hemisphere - clockwise Southern Hemisphere - counterclockwise

Solar radiation

electromagnetic energy from the sun

Which of the following allocates the greatest amount of biomass to photosynthetic tissue and the least amount to supportive tissue?

grasses

In a southern hemisphere mountain, which side will be hottest and driest?

leeward and north-facing

Which of the following best represents the flow of the scientific method

observation, question, hypothesis, predictions, hypothesis testing

How does the temperature and RELATIVE humidity of air change as the air moves up a mountain?

the air gets cooler and more humid until it rains

Ecosystem

the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Organisms interact with their environment in the context of the ecosystem

Ecosystem

the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. ex.How do yearly variations in rainfall influence the productivity of plants in this prairie grassland ecosystem?

The hotter an object is..

the more its emission spectrum is shifted toward shorter-wave radiation

What causes shifts in the dry and wet seasons of the tropics

the moving ITCZ

Evapotranspiration

the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.

Ecology

the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment

The energy driving the global water cycle is provided by

the sun

Which biome has the most vertical stratification (greatest # of distinct layers)

tropical rain forest

What constraints did organisms face when moving from aquatic to terrestrial environments?

- Dessication - Drying out - support - movement - reproduction

A friend let's you swim at his fancy in-ground pool that contains 10 cubic kilometers of water. He claims that the filtration system can filter the entire pool every 6 months (twice a year). What is the approximate turnover time in this pool (flux out this case being water moving through the pool filter). Assume that no water evaporates or is added to the pool.

183 days

The density of water is greatest at

4°C

Which biome has fire-adapted vegetation? Select all that apply

Correct temperate grassland Correct tropical savanna Correct temperate shrubland tropical rain forest

Biosphere

The Earth, or the layer of earth that supports all life ex.What is the role of the grassland biome in the global carbon cycle?

albedo

The proportion if the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon