Ecology exam 1 review

-"forests," support a diverse marine community, including sea urchins, lobsters, mussels, abalones, many other seaweeds, and sea otters. • Kelp are large brown algae, with leaf-like fronds, stems, and holdfasts which anchor them to the bottom.

kelp beds

factors that influence the spatial distribution of ecosystems and the effect on organisms

landscape

the area of land (or water) that is composed of different communities and ecosystems

landscape

heat loss due to evaporation

latent heat flux

-distribution of the terrestrial biomes is determined by Earth's climate zones -for example, the major desert of the world are associated with zones of high pressure at 30 degree North and south. -topography, ocean currents and other factors also help determine biome distribution

terrestrial biomes

Degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting.

Desertification

-Evaporation of water from soil plus transpiration from plants. Correlates with species richness. -It transfers energy as latent heat and water into the atmosphere, thereby affecting air temperature and moisture

Evapotranspiration

A convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells

Ferrel Cell

-stronger phases of the normal pattern, with high pressure off the coast of South America and low pressure in the western pacific -they usually follow El Niño, but tend to be less frequent -ENSO is connected with unusual climate patterns in distant places

La Niña

Earth's crust and a portion of upper mantle directly below the crust

Lithosphere

a layer in a large body of water, such as a lake, that sharply separates regions differing in temperature, so that the temperature gradient across the layer is abrupt.

Thermocline

produce unique transition zones between terrestrial and marine environments

Tides

biome characterized by grasses and scattered trees, and herd animals such as zebras and antelopes

Tropical Savanna

-Warm Temperatures and distinct wet/dry seasons. -shorter trees, deciduous in dry seasons, more grasses and shrubs

Tropical seasonal forest/savanna

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere

Troposphere

-above 65 degree latitude, mostly in the Arctic -cold temperature, low precipitation -short summer with long days vegetation is edged, orbs, grasses, low-growing shrubs, lichens, and mosses. -widespread permafrost

Tundra

the tree trunks, lianas, and plants that grow below the canopy but above the forest floor of a forest

Understory

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

What is albedo?

Dead organic matter

detritus

-Ectotherms in hot environments can gain too much heat from the environment and body temperature can reach lethal levels. -Climate change appears to be limiting the foraging periods of several species of Mexican lizards, whose abundances have decreased significantly.

ectotherms

-Ectotherms in temperate and polar regions must avoid or tolerate freezing. -Avoidance behavior: 1. seasonal migration to lower latitudes 2. move to microhabitats that are above freezing (e.g., burrows) -Tolerance: Ability to survive being frozen (e.g. some frog species)

ectotherms

-Many terrestrial ectotherms can move around to adjust temperature. • Many insects and reptiles bask in the sun to warm up after a cold night.

ectotherms

regulate body temperature through energy exchange with the external environment -Ectotherms generally have a greater tolerance for variation in body temperature than endotherms.

ectotherms

Elephant ears are large to radiate heat and the behavior of flapping them creates a breeze to increaseconvective heat loss

elephant

Rely primarily on internal heat generation—mostly birds and mammals.

endotherms

evolution of similar growth forms among distantly related species in response to similar selection pressures

convergence

are restricted to warm, shallow water -corals form large colonies and have associated algal partners (symbiotic mutualism). -many corals extract calcium carbonate from seawater to build a Skelton-like structure that forms large reefs

coral reef

can lead to a warmer, dryer regional climate

deforestation in the tropics

functioning of the Earth's environment as a whole

global ecology

A region where relatively cool, dense air is sinking.

high pressure zone

extremely hot temperatures, dry conditions, sparse vegetation [Southwestern United States, Africa, Middle East, Australia]. -low water availability constrains plant abundance and influences form

hot desert

The portion of the substrate below and adjacent to a stream bed where water movement still occurs, either from the stream or from groundwater moving into the stream.

hyporheic zone

birth and death events

individual

Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths that are longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves.

infrared radiation

30 to 50 degree North and South -high rainfall and mild winters; located on west coasts -lower diversity than tropical and deciduous forests -leaves tend to be acidic, and soils nutrient poor

temperate evergreen forest

a community (or biome) that is dominated by grasses, has few trees, and is characterized by cold winters and rainfall that is intermediate between that of a forest and a desert -between 30 and 50 degree latitude

temperate grassland

the air descends when it cools and forms a high pressure zone at about 30 degree north and south -major deserts of the world are at these latitudes

Subsidence

physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms. EX: soil, wind

Abiotic

-of a population to environmental stress. -Individuals with traits that enable them to cope with stress are more likely to survive and reproduce. -Over time, these genetic traits become more frequent in the population.

Adaptation

bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms

Benthic

patterns of biological diversity with geography

Biome

a broad, regional type of ecosystem characterized by distinctive climate and soil conditions and a distinctive kind of biological community adapted to those conditions.

Biomes

interactions between ecosystems and atmosphere

Biosphere

part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere

Biosphere

Describes living factors in the environment. EX: disease (bacteria), symbiosis

Biotic

Colder climate region, with coniferous trees; cold snowy winters and rainy summers that are warm enough to melt the snow -Permafrost: permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

All the different populations that live together in an area

Community

factors that influence the relative abundance of a species

Community

The direct transfer of heat from one substance to another substance that it is touching.

Conduction

The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid (air or water)

Convection

Causes moving air and water to turn left in the southern hemisphere and turn right in the northern hemisphere due to Earth's hemisphere.

Coriolis effect

less moisture in the atmosphere and less precipitation

Decreased evapotranspiration

Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment

Ecology

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Ecosystem

flow of energy and nutrients through the physical and biological systems

Ecosystem

-populations with adaptations to unique environments -Ecotypes can eventually become separate species as populations diverge and become reproductively isolated.

Ecotypes

-longer scale climate variations that occur every 3 to 8 years and last about 18 months -the positions of high and low pressure systems over equatorial pacific switch, and the trade winds weaken. -the trade winds normally push warm surface water toward Southeast Asia. during El Niño, this is reversed -upwelling of deep ocean water off the coast of South America ceases, resulting in much lower fish harvests.

El Niño

rise above the canopy

Emergents

a white blood cell containing granules that are readily stained by eosin.

Eosinophils

An upper layer of warm water with high levels of dissolved oxygen

Epilimnion

where river meets ocean

Estuaries

-average annual temperature become progressively cooler from the equator toward the poles. -this pattern is influenced by ocean currents, continental topography, and relative distribution of land masses -air temperatures over land show greater seasonal variation than those over the oceans -high elevations have colder climates. -air pressure and density decreases with elevation fewer air molecules to absorb infrared radiation

Global Climatic Patterns

-without greenhouse gases, Earth's climate would be about 33 degree celsius cooler. -Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases due to human activities are altering Earth's energy balance, changing the climate system, and causing global warming

Green house gases

a large-scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitudes, typically about 30° north or south.

Hadley Cell

the lower layer of water in a stratified lake, typically cooler than the water above and relatively stagnant.

Hypolimnion

Changes in the shape earth's orbit and tilt that cause glacial periods and interglacial periods. -the intensity of solar radiation reaching Earth changes, resulting in climatic change.

Milankovitch cycles

free-swimming animals that can move throughout the water column EX: fish, sea turtles, squid

Nekton

-the warm Gulf Stream warms the climate of Great Britain and Scandinavia -at the same latitude, Labrador, Canada is much cooler because of the cold Labrador current. -ocean currents transfer heat from the tropics to the poles -the "great ocean conveyer belt" is an interconnected system of ocean currents that link the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans

Ocean currents affect climate

temperature, gravity, prevailing winds, the Coriolis effect, and the locations of continents -density of cold water, water cooling is sinking that's movement

Ocean currents are driven by

photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean

Phytoplankton

deeper and slower flow; finer sediments

Pools

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Population

fast-moving portions of a stream that are flowing over coarse substrate

Riffles

-between 30 and 40 degree North and south. evergreen shrubs and trees. nutrient poor soils -wet winters and hot, dry summers -fire is common EX: Great Basin

Temperate Shrublands and Woodlands

a relatively dry climate with very hot summers and very cold winters, characteristic of the central parts of Asia and North America.

continental climate

small free-floating animals that form part of plankton

Zooplankton

jet stream

a high-speed high-altitude airstream blowing from west to east near the top of the troposphere

-Adjusting to stress through behavior or physiology. It is a short-term, reversible process. • Acclimatization to high elevations involves higher breathing rates, greater production of red blood cells, and higher pulmonary blood pressure.

acclimatization

ntifreeze proteins limit the size of ice crystals by binding to the ice surface and forming curved surfaces between adjacent protein molecules that limit ice growth beyond a specific geometric structure. In this picture of ice crystals that reach a terminal bipyramidal shape, antifreeze proteins have been labeled with a green fluorescent protein tag. The curvature of those proteins coating surfaces of growing ice can be observed in the core of the crystal.

antifreeze proteins

-near the equator, the sun's rays strike the Earth perpendicularly (more directly) -towards the poles, the sun's rays are spread over a larger area and take a longer path through the atmosphere -cool air holds less water vapor than warm air rising air expands and cools, and water vapor condenses to form clouds condensation is a warming process, so the pocket of air stays warmer than the surrounding atmosphere and enhances its uplift -tropical regions receive the most solar radiation and the most precipitation -uplift of air in the tropics results in a low atmospheric pressure zone -when air masses reach the troposphere stratosphere boundary, air flows towards the poles

atmospheric and oceanic circulation

detritus from littoral and pelagic zones is a food for animals, fungi, and bacteria; may be cold and have low oxygen

benthic zone

Radiation (heat loss) is greater in the beak area of birds.

birds

- climatic variation includes daily and seasonal cycles, as well as yearly and decadal cycles/ - long term climate change results from changes in the intensity and distribution of solar radiation -current climate change is due to increased CO2 and other gases in the atmosphere due to human activities -climate determines the geographic distribution of organisms -climate is characterized by average conditions; but extreme conditions are also important to organisms because they can contribute to mortality

climate

long term description of weather, based on averages and variation measures over decades, centuries, or millennia

climate

-graphs that plot the average monthly temperature and precipitation of a specific location on Earth -when the precipitation curve falls below the temperature curve, water availability limits plant growth.

climate diagrams

the range of climate variables, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and solar radiation, that are associated with a species geographic distribution

climate envelope

plants must grow very tall above their neighbors or adjust to low light levels

light is a key factor

Any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms. EX: temperature, light, extreme weather, parasites and disease, predator, prey availability, competition, disturbance (e.g., fires, human activities)

limiting factor

a shallow zone in a freshwater habitat where light reaches the bottom and nurtures plants

littoral zone

-over the past 500 million years, Earth's climate has alternated between warm and cool cycles -warmer periods are associated with higher concentrations of greenhouse gases. -Changes in Earth's axis tilt might lead to ice ages. -Widespread ice tends to lower global temperatures by increasing Earth's reflectivity. -CO2 from outgassing will build up if oceans are frozen, ultimately raising global temperatures again.

long term climate change

-deforestation increases albedo of the land surface: less absorption of solar radiation and less heating -lower heat gain is offset by less cooling by evapotranspiration, due to loss of leaf area

loss or change in vegetation can affect climate

A region where relatively warm, lower density air is rising.

low pressure zone

• reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and more intense storm surges, which may become more powerful with global warming • help maintain water quality through filtration • produce food, habitats, and nursing sites • reduce storm damage • adapted to changing salinity within tides • threatened by rising sea levels, a result of global warming • largest mangrove area is in Indonesia

mangrove forests

-climate type that is strongly influenced by the closeness of an ocean or other large water body. The annual temperature range tends to be small and precipitation is high. -A climate moderated by proximity to oceans or large seas. It is usually cool, cloudy, and wet and lacks the temperature extremes of continental climates.

maritime climate

The open-water component of aquatic biomes. -The photic zone, which supports the highest densities of organisms, extends to about 200 m in depth.

pelagic zone

investigates how organisms are physiologically adapted to their environment

physiological ecology

at the North and South Poles—cold air descends, creating high pressure zones with little precipitation (polar deserts).

polar cells

A climate zone characterized by very little precipitation and extremely cold temperatures.

polar zone

rates of birth and death, distribution of individuals

population

areas of high and low pressure created by the circulation cells result in are movement

prevailing winds

Vasodilation of capillaries in a jack rabbit's large ears facilitates radiation

rabbit

a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side

rain shadow

The band between the highest high-tide and lowest low-tide marks on a rocky shore.

rocky intertidal zone

A marsh containing nonwoody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates.

salt marshes

Barrier beaches- niches for different marine organisms that hide from view by burrowing, digging or tunneling. Have birds with specialized niche. Have sand dunes

sandy shores

-grow underwater in shallow areas -support a variety of marine species -stabilize shorelines -reduce wave impact

seagrass beds

Energy transfer from warm air immediately above the surface to the cooler atmosphere by convection and conduction

sensible heat flux

warm surface water on top of colder, denser water results in layers that do not mix. -stratification determines the movement of nutrients and oxygen; both are important to organisms.

stratfied

mild, moderate

temperate

A forest characterized by trees that shed their leaves in the fall. Range of the temperatures can be extreme. Vegetation changes with the seasons because of the temperature.

temperate deciduous forest

next one

these three cells result in the three major climatic zones in each hemisphere:

trees have heavy thorns to protect from herbivores

thorn woodlands

A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure

tropical

A terrestrial biome characterized by relatively high temperatures and precipitation overall but with a pronounced dry season.

tropical dry forest

Forests in which rainfall is abundant - more that 200 cm (79 in) per year - and temperatures are warm or hot year-round

tropical rainforest

the current conditions: temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloud cover

weather

-land cover change causes albedo change, which effects the surface energy balance -In particular, field to forest causes a BIG change, especially in snowy conditions

why do we care about albedo?