Bio 105 Chapter 54 Study Questions

Match the descriptions with the appropriate biomes.

1. Moderate annual rainfall; variation in annual temperature; mammals frequently hibernate part of the year; reptiles relatively uncommon: Temperate Deciduous Forest 2. Very abundant annual rainfall; high year-round temperatures; closed canopy; sparse understory; epiphytes common; extreme organismal diversity: Tropical Rain Forest 3. Abundant rainfall; temperatures seldom below freezing; coastal areas; large evergreens; high diversity of mammals, birds, and reptiles: Temperate Rain Forest 4. Moderate annual rainfall; very cold temperatures; conical evergreen trees; understory is spars: Temperate Coniferous Forest 5. Low annual precipitation; permafrost; short growing season; fauna is more diverse in summer than winter: Tundra 6. Annual rainfall varies from 25 to 100 cm; cold winters and very warm summers; large mammals; prominent vegetation is grasses; no trees: Temperate Grasslands (Prairie) 7. Annual rainfall between 50 to 130 cm, with extensive dry season; high daily temperatures year round; large mammals; frequent-fires: Tropical Grasslands (Savanna) 8. Low annual precipitation; daily temps ranging from around freezing at night to 50°C at night; plant life includes cacti and other plants that store water; many ectotherms: Hot Desert 9. Substantial annual rainfall; high year-round temperatures with a distinct extended dry season; dense understory; high animal diversity: Tropical Deciduous Forest 10. Low annual precipitation frequently in the form of snow; high daytime temps in summer, around freezing in winter; low plant diversity: Cold Desert

Organisms are adapted to the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. The diversity of organisms that is found in any particular area is largely determined by the limiting abiotic factors of that region. Match the following adaptation, habitat characteristic, and distribution characteristic with the limiting abiotic factor that is most directly responsible for it.

1. Reptiles, which are ectothermic, are more common and diverse in the southern U.S. than in the northern U.S. and Canada. Temperature 2. Acid rain has caused large dieoffs of trees in the Northeastern U.S. due to the interaction of pollutants with natural atmospheric gases. pH 3. Wave action along the coast of California has led to the evolution of bivalves and other tidal creatures with a means of anchoring themselves to a surface to prevent the waves from washing them out to sea. Wind 4. Plant growth proliferates after a heavy rain in the desert southwest. Water availability 5. In order to maintain osmotic balance, freshwater protists must actively pump water out of their bodies into the surrounding water. Salinity 6. Red algae, which grow in deeper water than most green algae, utilize the bluegreen end of the visual electromagnetic spectrum for photosynthesis. Light availability

Mark the following statements on global warming as true or false.

1. The increase in greenhouse gases, in part due to the industrial revolution, is correlated with an increase in average annual global temperatures: True 2. Atmospheric levels of CO2 are fluctuating widely year-to-year, resulting in changes in atmospheric pressure and fluctuating average annual global temperatures: False 3. CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap heat close to the earth's surface, such that the more CO2 in the atmosphere the higher the average annual global temperature: True 4. CO2 is a toxic waste product from burning fossil fuels and cannot be utilized by living organisms and hence has been building up in the atmosphere: False 5. Greenhouse gases are naturally occurring in the atmosphere, and without them the earth would not be warm enough to sustain life: True 6. Scientists are not worried about extinction rates associated with global warming as the rates are not likely to be impacted by global warming since populations will shift their ranges or adapt to the new environmental conditions over time: False

Climate affects the distribution of organisms. Indicate true or false, that the following statements accurately describe either climatic variables or how these variables impact the latitudinal variation in organismal distribution.

1. Warm air rises: True 2. Cold air holds more moisture than warm air: False 3. As air rises in the atmosphere it cools down: True 4. When air cools down it releases moisture in the form of precipitation: True 5. Warm, wet air circulates away from the equator as dry cool air comes up behind it: False 6. As air descends it cools down and picks up moisture, making the air more humid: False 7. Sunlight is more direct and intense at the equator than at the poles: True 8. Tropical rainforests near the equator are characterized by high levels of annual rainfall and relatively constant annual temperatures: True 9. At 30° latitude there is ample precipitation in all seasons, with extreme seasonal variation in temperatures: False

Ecologists approach the study of organisms and their interactions with the environment from many different levels. Categorize each of the following questions according to whether it would most likely be posed by an organismal, population, community, or ecosystem ecologist.

1. What enables a penguin to stay underwater for so long during a dive? Organismal Ecologist 2. How do Blue Jays learn to avoid eating poisonous Monarch butterflies? Organismal Ecologist 3. Why do hummingbirds expend energy defending a backyard bird feeder when there is more than enough 'nectar' in the feeder for multiple hummingbirds? Organismal Ecologist 4. Why does a Belding's Ground Squirrel give an alarm call in the presence of a predator instead of just hiding or protecting itself? Organismal Ecologist 5. How do food shortages during the winter vs. the summer affect the population density of the Gray Wolf? Population Ecologist 6. Will the human population continue to grow exponentially for the foreseeable future? Population Ecologist 7. How many Northern Sawwhet Owls are migrating through the Midwest as compared to the Northeast? Population Ecologist 8. How does the intensity of a fire impact the ability of a prairie to rebound? Community Ecologist 9. Beavers build a dam in a creek, and after a heavy rain a nearby neighborhood becomes flooded as the water is prevented from flowing downstream. What would be the impact on local wildlife of the removal of the beaver dam? Community Ecologist 10. Medium and Large Ground Finches do not differ in bill size in areas of allopatry, but they have significantly different bills sizes on an island where they are sympatric. Why are the relative bill sizes different in areas of allopatry vs. areas of sympatry? Community Ecologist 11. How much carbon is tied up within the biomass of the trees of a tropical rainforest and how does that impact the availability of carbon for new growth in the area? Ecosystem Ecologist 12. How does the encroachment of Phragmites, an invasive plant, threaten the organisms within a newly established wetland? Community Ecologist 13. How does deforestation influence the nutrient content of the soil and nearby water source? Ecosystem Ecologist

Over the next century, how do you think the effects of global climate change will compare for species adapted to extreme heat (tropical and hot desert species) versus those adapted to extreme cold (polar species)?

Both tropical/hot desert and polar species will be impacted, but polar species are more likely to go extinct because they cannot migrate any further poleward.

Explain the differences between experimental and observational studies by filling in the blanks with the correct terms.

Experimentation is not always possible when studying natural phenomena. Ecologists frequently must rely on systematic observations, which can provide insight into the presence or absence of: Correlations. These data provide scientists with an understanding of how two variables are related to one another. However, this does not mean a ___cause and effect___ relationship has been established. It is possible that a relationship between the variables of interest may be caused by a third unknown variable. Scientists therefore often manipulate ___experimental variables___ in order to test their hypotheses. The data gathered from experimental groups can then be compared to data from non-manipulated ___control groups.___ If there is a difference between the groups that is not likely due to chance alone, it is considered ___statistically significant____. Scientists can use statistics to show their confidence in making conclusions about cause and effect.

Match the biomes with the appropriate description.

Intertidal Zone: Land meets sea, daily cycle of tides. & Huge variation in temperature, light intensity, and availability of seawater. Coral Reef: Warm tropical water with penetrating sunlight. & High biodiversity of aquatic organisms, including- 35% of all fish species. Open Ocean: Pelagic zone. & Phytoplankton base of the food chain. Lentic Habits: Still, open water, inland lakes, often deep water. & Nutrient accumulation and temperature variation. Lotic Habitats: Flowing water, well aerated with uniform temperature. & Falling vegetation from plants on bordering land may be the primary source. Wetlands: Areas regularly saturated by surface or ground water. & Marshes, swamps, bogs.

Which pair of biogeographic regions is the most likely to have species that show convergent evolution?

Nearctic and Palearctic

Demonstrate your understanding of how scientists can increase the validity of their studies by filling in the blanks with the correct terms.

Scientists usually repeat their experiments multiple times, a practice known as: Replication Analysis of data allows scientists to accept or reject their: Hypothesis Statistical significance indicates that the probability of a relationship between variables arising by ____________ alone is very unlikely. Random Chance Error bars on a graph represent the average distance between individual data points and the: Mean

The west coast of Scotland has a warmer and more stable climate than areas at equal latitudes but further inland. It is also much warmer than areas of equal latitude in Canada. What can account for these temperature differences at equal latitudes? Check all that apply.

The greenhouse effect is stronger in coastal regions than inland regions. The North Atlantic drift results in a warmer climate for Europe relative to similar latitudes in Canada or Greenland. The ocean's high specific heat has a moderating effect on coastal climates relative to inland regions of similar latitudes. The areas of similar latitude in Canada are at lower elevation than those in Scotland. Inland regions of Scotland lie within a rain shadow.

It is possible to find fossils of subtropical plant species in Antarctica.

True