Biology Chapter 18
habitat
the specific environment in which an organism lives--includes the biotic and abiotic factors of its surroundings
behavioral responses
In contrast to plants, most animals can respond to an unfavorable change in the environment by moving to a new location. Such movement may be: fairly localized, such as a lizard shuttling between sun and shade, or over great distances, such as migratory birds.
Abiotic factors
Nonliving components of environment.--chemical and physical factors light water air etc
How does the savanna climate vary seasonally?
Temperature stays about the same year-round, but rainfall varies dramatically.
What are phytoplankton? Why are they essential to life?
Photosynthetic algae and bacteria they are food for animals in the photic zone and those animals in turn become food for animals in the aphotic zone
what is acclimation?
a gradual, reversible change in anatomy or physiology in response to an environment change.
life also thrives in completely dark environments
a mile below the surface of the ocean are hydrothermal vents, sites near adjoining edges of giant plates of Earth's crust where molted rock and hot gases surge upward from earth's interior. Towering chimneys, some as tall as a nine-story building, emit scalding water and hot gasses. these ecosystems are powered by bacteria that derive energy from the oxidation of inorganic chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide. Bacteria with similar metabolic talents support communities of cave-dwelling organisms on land.
How do people now use most of North American land that was once temperate grassland?
for farming
freshwater biomes
lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands--typically have salt concentrations of less than 1%
ground water flows back to the ocean but ______
much slower than surface water
rain shadow
air flow upward, cools at higher altitudes, and drops a large amount of rainfall. Precipitation increases farther inland as air moves up and over higher mountains by the time it reaches the eastern side of the sierra the air contains little moisture and as the dry air descends it absorbs moisture, as a result there is little precipitation on the eastern side of the mountains-- responsible for the desert that covers most of central nevada
Pelagic realm
all open water
What is the major source of CO2 released by human activities?
burning fossil fuels
organism
individual living thing
Ecology
Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment
Other Aquatic Factors
Several abiotic factors are important in aquatic, but not terrestrial, ecosystems. Although terrestrial organisms have a plentiful supply of oxygen from the air, aquatic organisms must depend on oxygen dissolved in water. this is a critical factor for many species of fish . cold, fast-moving water has a higher oxygen content that warm or stagnant water. Salinity (saltiness) currents and tides also play a role in many aquatic ecosystems.
what does the ecosystem level of classification have in common with the community level of classification?
all the biotic factors of the area
community
all the organisms that inhabit a particular area--an assemblage of populations of different species.--focus on how interactions between species, like predation and competition affect community structure and organization
Temperature--
an important abiotic factor because of its effect on metabolism. Few organisms can maintain a sufficiently active metabolism at temperatures close to 0 degrees C (32f) and temperatures above 45 C 113f destroy the enzymes of most organisms. Most organisms function best within a specific range of environmental temperatures. The american pike has a high body temp suited to the chilly climate of its mountain habitat. on warm days pikas must take refuge in crevices where pockets of cold air prevent fatal overheating. in winter, pikas depend on a blanket of snow to insulate their shelters from the perilous cold
Other Terrestrial Factors
Some abiotic factors affect terrestrial but not aquatic ecosystems. wind is often an important factor on land. wind increases an organism's rate of water loss by evaporation. The resulting increase in evaporation cooling can be advantageous on a hot summer day, but it can cause dangerous wind chill on a cold day. in some ecosystems, frequent occurrences of natural disturbances such as storms or fire play a role in the distribution of organisms.
Why are climbing plants common in tropical rain forests?
climbing is a plant adaption for reaching sunlight in a closed canopy where little sunlight reaches the forest floor
population ecology
concentrates mainly on factors that affect population density and growth.-- especially endangered species
organismal ecology
concerned with the evolutionary adaptions that enable organisms to meet challenges posed by their abiotic environment. The distribution of organisms is limited by the abiotic conditions they can tolerate. lizards cannot live in cold climates etc
Coniferous forests
cone-bearing evergreen trees such as pine, spruce, fir, and hemlock--northern hemisphere northern coniferous forest or tagia is the largest terrestrial biome on earth tagia is characterized by long snowy winters and short wet summers that are sometimes warm slow decomp of coniferous needles are in the thin acidic soil make few nutrients available for plant growth conical shape of conifers prevents too much snow from breaking branches moose elk hares bears wolves grouse migratory birds asian tagia has siberian tigers temperate rain forests of coastal north america are also coniferous forests--warm moist air from the pacific ocean supports this unique biome which like most coniferous forests is dominated by a few tree species --hemlock. douglas fir. redwood--heavily logged
What type of trees are characteristic of tagia?
conifers like pine spruce fir and hemlock
Inorganic nutrients
distribution and abundance of photosynthetic organisms depend on the availability of inorganic nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. Plants obtain these nutrients from the soil. Soil structure, pH, and nutrient content often play major roles in determining the distribution of plants. in many aquatic ecosystems, low levels of nitrogen and phosphorous limit the growth of algae and photosynthetic bacteria.
Savannas
dominated by grass and scattered trees warm year round rainfall 30-50 cm p/year w/ dramatic seasonal variation fire important abiotic factor-grasses survive burning because growing points of their shoots are below the ground-other plants have seeds that sprout rapidly after a fire poor soil lack of moisture prevent establishment of most trees grasses and small broadleaf plants during rainy season rich food source large grazers--large grazers not dominant but common insects like ants and termites are dominant burrowers like mice moles gophers and ground squirrels present too
Desert
driest of all biomes characterized by low and unpredictable rain fall less that 30 cm p year some very hot with soil temp above 140 F and large daily temp fluctuations other deserts are relatively cold with temps below -22 F water storing plants like cacti and deeply rooted shrubs snakes lizards seed eating rodents scorpions and insects Evolutionary adaptions to conserve water pleated stem of saguaro cacti enables plants to absorb water during wet periods some mice never drink deriving all their water from the metabolic breakdown of seeds they eat protective spines and poisons are common in plants as a defense mechanism
How have bark beetles benefited from global warming?
drought stressed trees are less resistant to the beetles with a longer warm season, beetles can reproduce twice in a year rather than once
birds and mammals can usually tolerate the greatest temp extremes because as endotherms, they use their metabolism to regulate internal temperature
ectothermic reptiles can only tolerate a more limited range of temps
Aclimation
gradual, still reversible physiological adjustment that occurs in response to an environmental change. like moving to a higher altitude causes more red blood cell production. ACCLIMATION CAN TAKE DAYS OR WEEKS. this is why mountain climbers need to stay at high elevation base camps before climbing the mountain--
certain gases in earth's atmosphere are transparent to solar radiation but reflect or absorb heat-some of these Greenhouse gasses are natural, including Co2, water vapor, and methane. Others like chlorofluorocarbons are synthetic.
greenhouse gasses act as a blanket that traps heat in the atmosphere--this heating is called the greenhouse effect and highly beneficial, without it, the average temp on earth would be frigid -0.4 F far too cold for life as we know it. However the increasing insulation that the blanket provides is making the earth overly warm
terrestrial ecosystem
grouped into biomes primarily on the basis of their vegetation type plants build the foundation for the communities of organisms typical of each biome geographic distribution of plants/biomes largely depends on climate with temp and rainfall often the key factors determining the kinds of biome that exists in a particular region if the climate in two geographically separate areas is similar the same typs of biome may occur in both each biome is characterized by a type of biological community rather than an assemblage of particular species--dessert animals are different but all adapted to the heat
Wetlands
transitional between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems freshwater wetlands include swamps bogs and mashes. covered with water periodically or permanently, they support aquatic plants and are rich in diversity. migrating waterfowl and other birds depend on them as a pit stop for food and shelter during migration they provide water storage areas the reduce flooding. improve water quality by trapping pollutants like metals and organic compounds in their sediments
What is one way that homeowners in chaparral areas can protect their neighborhoods from fire?
keeping the area clear of dead brush, which is flammable
The accumulation of greenhouse gases
major sources of emissions are agriculture, landfills, and the burning of wood and fossil duels (oil coal natural gas) Co2 is the dominant green house gas. for 650,000 years the atmospheric concentration of Co2 did not exceed 300ppm. in 2016 it was 404ppm and continues to rise. Co2 is removed from the atmosphere by the process of photosynthesis and stored in organic molecules like carbohydrates. these are broken down into by cellular respiration, releasing Co2. Overall the uptake of Co2 by photosynthesis roughly equals the release of Co2 by cellular respiration deforestation has decreased the incorporation of Co2into organic material and Co2 is flooding the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels and wood, a process that releases Cos from organic material much more rapidly than cellular respiration. Co2 is also exchanged between the atmosphere and the surface waters of the oceans. the oceans have acted as massive sponges, soaking up considerable more Co2 than they have released. the excess carbon dioxide has made the ocean more acidic causing many species of plankton and marine animals like corals and molluscs to be unable to build up their shells or exoskeletons causing damage to the foodchain and having great impact worldwide
Biomes
major terrestrial or aquatic life zones, characterized by vegetation type in terrestrial or physical environment in aquatic.
After losing moisture over equatorial zones, dry high altitude air masses spread away from the equator until they cool and descent at latitudes of about 30 degrees north and south at first these air masses pick up moisture, but they tend to drop it as they cool at higher latitudes. this is why the north and south temperate zones tend to be relatively wet coniferous forests dominate the landscape at wet but cool latitudes around 60 degrees north
many of the world deserts sahara in n africa and the arabian on the arabian peninsula are centered at these latitudes above 30 degrees.
Anatomical responses
many organisms respond to environmental challenge with some type of change in body shape or structure when the changes is reversible, the response is an example of acclimation. Many mammals for example grow a heavier coat of fur before the winter cold sets in and sheds it in summer. in some animals fur or feather colors change as well, camouflaging the animal against winter snow or summer vegetation. other anatomical changes are irreversible over the lifetime of an individual. environmental variation can affect growth and development so much that there may be remarkable differences in body shape within a population. you can see an example in flagging that wind causes in certain trees where prevailing wing hinders limb growth on the windward side of a tree. generally, plants are more anatomically changeable than animals, rooted and unable to move to a better location, plants rely entirely on their anatomical and physiological responses to survive environmental fluctuations
map of terrestrial biomes is also changing
melting permafrost is shifting the boundary of the tundra northward as shrubs and conifers are able to stretch their ranges into the previously frozen ground. prolonged droughts extend the boundaries of deserts amazon will eventually become savanna as increased temp dries the soil
an individuals ability to adjust to environmental changes that occur over its lifetime are themselves adaptions refined by
natural selection
photosynthesis mostly occurs in a body of water
near the surface, since light cannot penetrate beyond certain depths.
major terrestrial biomes
tropical forest, savanna, desert, chaparral, temperate grassland, temperate broadleaf forest, northern coniferous forest, tundra, high mountains, polar ice
water
water is essential to all life. aquatic organisms are surrounded by water, but they face problems of water balance if their own solute concentration does not match that of their surroundings. for terrestrial organisms, the primary threat is drying out in the air. Most land animals have watertight coverings that reduce waterloss like scales in reptiles. Most plants have waxy coatings on their leaves and other aerial parts. Wax from carnuaba palm leaves is valued for the glossy, waterproof coat it adds to polishing products for cars, surfboards, furniture, and shoes. it is also found in lipstick and mascara.
intertidal zone
where the ocean meets the land and the shore is pounded by waves during high tide and exposed to the sun and drying winds during low tide rocky with many sedentary organisms--sea star barnacles mussels on sandy beaches, suspension-feeding worms, clams, and predatory crustaceans bury themselves in the ground.
Tropical forests
occur in equatorial areas where the temperature is warm year round. types of vegetation determined by rainfall. rain falls throughout the year totaling 200 to 400 cm of rain annually layered structure provides many different habitats treetops form a closed canopy over one or two layers of smaller trees and shrubs few plants grow in the deep shade of the forest floor many trees are covered by wood vines growing towards the light monkeys birds insects snakes bats frogs tropical dry forests predominate the lowland areas that have a prolonged dry season or scarce rainfall at any time the plants fount there are a mix of thorny shrubs and trees and succulents in regions with distinct wet dry seasons, deciduous trees that conserve water by shedding their leaves during the dry season are common
what is the main way that living organisms contribute to the water cycle?
plants move water from the ground to the air via respiration
Bark beatles
positively impacted by climate change bore into conifers to lay eggs--drought stressed trees are too weak to resist warmer weather allows beatles to reproduce twice a year rather than once.
the science of ecology can
provide understanding needed to solve environmental problems.
What abiotic factor characterizes deserts?
rainfall is low and unpredictable
Climate change
rising concentrations of carbon dioxide and certain other gases in the atmosphere are changing global climate patterns--conclusion report released by intergovernmental panel on climate change in 2014
Why does sewage cause heavy algal growth in lakes?
sewage adds mineral nutrients that stimulate growth of the algae
temperate grassland
similar to tropical savannas but mostly treeless except along rivers and streams found in regions of relatively cold winter temperatures rainfall between 25 and 75 cm p/year with frequent severe droughts-- too low to support forest growth periodic fires and grazers bison, pronghorn, wild horses, sheep, kangaroos dominant plant eaters invertebrates like grasshoppers and nematodes bids nest on ground rabbits voles prairie dogs gophers burrow to escape predators once covered much of central north america soil deep and rich in nutrients fertile land for farming most in the US has been converted to pasture and little natural grassland remains
Why is decreased snowfall in the rocky mountains a concern for people who live in las vegas?
snowmelt from the Rockies flows into the colorado river which supplies water for las vegas residents
carbon footprint
the amount of greenhouse gas emitted as a result of the actions of a single individual home energy major contributor vampire devices transportation manufactured goods eating habits--20% methane emissions from cows and the bacteria that decompose their manure
what is a personal carbon footprint?
the amount of greenhouse gas that a person is responsible for emitting
Organisms in widely separated biomes may look alike because of convergent evolution
the appearance of similar traits in independently evolved species living in similar environments
estuary
transition between river and ocean. saltiness ranges from nearly fresh to oceanic water enriched by nutrients from rivers--among most productive areas on earth. oysters crabs many fishes like/reproduce there crucial nesting/feeding areas for waterfowl mudflats and salt marshes are extensive coastal wetlands that often border estuaries
tropics
The area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
ecosystem ecology
questions concern energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among the various biotic and abiotic factors
population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
The water cycle
Biomes are no self-contained units-all parts of the biosphere are linked by the global water cycle and nutrient cycles Events in one biome may reverberate throughout the biosphere Water and air move in global patterns driven by solar energy. precipitation and evaopration continously move water between land oceans and atmosphere water also evaporates from plants which pull it in from the soil during transpiration over the oceans, evaporation exceeds precipitation. the result is a net movement of water vapor to clouds that are carried by winds from the oceans across the land.. On land, precipitation exceeds evaporation and transpiration, the excess precipitation may stay on the surface or trickle through the soil to become ground water. both surface and ground water eventually flow back to the sea, completing the water cycle. the water washing over and through the ground carries traces of the land. water flowing from land to sea carries with it silt and chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. Erosion from coastal development has caused silt to muddy the waters of some coral reefs, dimming the light available to photosynthetic algae that power the reef community. Chemicals in surface water may travel by stream and river to ocean where currents carry them even further. airbourne pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides combine with water to form acid rain, that is distributed by the water cycle too. destruction of rain forests changes the amount of water vapor in the air. Pumping large amounts of ground water to the surface for irrigation increases the rate of evaporation over land and may deplete ground water supplies.
How does the vegetation found in polar ice regions compare with tundra vegetation?
Neither biome is hospitable to plants because of cold temps tundra supports growth of small shrubs wheras polar ice vegetation is limited to mosses and lichens
Why is solar energy such an important factor for most ecosystems
Solar energy captured by the process of photosynthesis provides most of the organic fuel and building material for the organisms in those ecosystems.
Why are gases such as CO2 and methane called greenhouse gases?
They allow solar radiation to pass through the atmosphere but prevent the heat from reflecting back out, much as the glass of a greenhouse retains the sun's heat inside the building
Aquatic biomes
Water covers nearly 75 percent of the earth's surface, in the form of oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. These areas can primarily be divided up into freshwater or saltwater bioimes. determined by their salinity and other physical factors
Patterns in the distribution of life mainly reflect____
abiotic factors of the environment
forests
about 3/4 of earth's land surface has been altered by thousands of years of human occupation. most of the land is for farming. unsustainable practices have degraded much of the world's cropland so severly that it is unusable estimated 80% of deforestation occurring today is accounted for by replacing worn out farmland. tropical forests are being cleared to grow palm oil for products like cosmetics and packaged foods. other forests are being lost to logging mining and air pollution--hitting coniferous forests especially hard roads penetrate regions and bring pollution and provide avenues for new diseases to emerge, and slicing vast tracts of biome into segments that are too small to support a full array of species
Why is there so much rainfall in the tropics?
air at the equator rises as it is warmed by direct sunlight. as the air rises, it cools. this causes cloud formation and rainfall because cool air holds less moisture than warm air
mountains affect climate in two major ways
air temperature drops as elevation increases. mountains can Block the flow of cool, moist air from a coast
biotic factors
all of the organisms in an area, make up the living component of the environment
Energy source
all organisms require a usable source of energy to live Solar energy from sunlight, captured by chlorophyll during photosynthesis, powers most ecosystems
Rivers and Streams
bodies of flowing water generally supported by communities of organisms quite different from those of lakes and ponds. A river or stream changes greatly between its source and the point where it empties into a lake or ocean. near a source its cold and clear and low in nutrients. the channel is often narrow with a swift current that does not allow much silt to accumulate at the bottom. current inhibits growth of phytoplankton--most of the organisms are supported by the photosynthesis of algae attached to rocks or by inorganic material like leaves carried into the stream from surrounding land. most abundant benthic animals are usually insects that eat algae, leaves, or eachother. trout are often predominant , locating their food by sight in the clear water. downstream, it widens and slows. water usually warmer and murkier because of sediments and phytoplankton. worms and insects that burrow into mud are often abundant as well as waterfowl frogs and catfish--fished that find food by taste or scent instead of sight. Dams have changed downstream ecosystems and altered the rate/volume of water flow and affecting fish and invertebrate populations.
How does the loss of leaves function as an adaptation of deciduous trees to cold winters?
by reducing loss of water from the trees when that water cannot be replaced because of frozen soil
every species needs others to survive
climate change is knocking some of these interactions out of sync greening of landscape much sooner earlier breeding seasons catastrophic wildfire seasons--spring snowmelt in mountains releases water into streams that sustain forest moisture levels over the summer dry season, when spring arrives earlier, snow melts earlier and dwindles away before the dry season so fire season lasts longer.
Chaparral
cool ocean currents circulating offshore provide climate producing mild rainy winters limited to small coastal areas largest region of chaparral surrounds the Mediterranean sea--Mediterranean is another name for the biome dense spiny evergreen shrubs dominate annual plants common during wet winter and spring months animals characteristic of the chaparral--deer fruit eating birds seed eating rodents, lizards snakes vegetation adapted to fires and lightening-- many plants have flammable chemicals and burn like a dream but have food reserves in roots to supports regrowth some have seeds that germinate after a fire only ashes of vegetation act as fertilizer not very nice to live in because frequent fires
freshwater biomes
cover less than 1% of the world contain a mere 0.01% of its water. disproportionate share of biodiversity--estimated 6% of all described species. depended on for drinking water, irrigation, sanitation and industry. two broad groups, standing water (lakes ponds) flowing water (rivers, streams). difference in water movement results in profound differences in ecosystem structure.
Tundra
covers expansive areas of the arctic between the tagia and polar ice. PERMAFROST (permanantely frozen subsoil) bitterly cold temp and high winds cause absence of trees and other tall plants in the arctic tundra--receives very little annual rain water cannot penetrate the underlying permafrost so melted snow and ice accumulates in pools on the shallow topsoil during the short summer small shrubs grasses mosses and lichens when summer arrives flowering plants grow quickly and burst rapidly into bloom caribou musk ox, wolves and lemmings are among the mammals migratory birds use tundra as a summer breeding round in the warm season marshy ground supports the aquatic larvae of insects providing food for migratory waterfowl and clouds of mosquitos often fill the air on high mountaintops at all latitudes including the tropics high winds and cold temperatures create plant communities called alpine tundra. although these communities are similar to arctic tundra there is no permafrost beneath alpine tundra
Polar ice
covers the land at high latitudes north of the arctic tundra in the Northern Hemisphere and in Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere temp cold year round precipitation very low only a small portion of these landmasses is free of ice or snow even in summer small plants like mosses and lichens invertebrates like nematodes mites and wingless insects called springtails inhabit the frigid soil sea ice provides feeding platforms for polar bears penguins and seals and other marine animals to visit the land and breed polar marine biome provides food that sustains birds and mammals penguins eat fish and krill Antarctic krill important to seals fish quid seabirds and filter feeding whales-- krill depend on sea ice for breeding as well as refuge from predators as ice melts habitat shrinks
the geographic distribution of organisms and their exquisite adaptions to specific environments that provided darwin with
evidence for evolution
Fresh Water
human impact great threat being polluted by nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that run off heavily fertilized farms of from livestock feed lots. a wide variety of other pollutants like industrial wastes contaminate freshwater habitats drinking and ground water. las vegas taps underground aquafiers for some water but its main water supply is lake mead, an enormous resovoir formed by the hoover dam on the Colorado river which in turn receives almost all of its water from snowmelt in the rocky mountains. with decreased annual snowfall, attributable largely to climate change, the flow of the colorado has greatly diminished. water level at lake mead has dropped drastically and parched cities and farms farther down stream are pleading for more water las vegas is looking for new sources of water--eyeing the abundant supply of ground water in the northern end of the valley where it lies. sparsely populated, the area is home to many ranchers whose livlihood depend on the ground water--home to numerous endangeres species
ecosystem
includes all the abiotic factors in addition to the community of species in a certain area. a savanna includes plants animals soil water light etc.
increasing greenhouse gasses
increasing average global temperature which has risen about 1 C since 1900 at an accelerated pace further increases of 2 to 4.5 C are likely by the end of this century temp increases are not distributed evenly across the world. the largest increases are in the northernmost regions of the northern hemisphere and parts of Antarctica
The Earth's global climate patterns are largely determined by
input of solar energy--warms atmosphere land and water Planet's movement in space
temperate broadleaf forest
occur throughout midlatitudes where there is sufficient moisture to support the growth of large trees. annual precipitation 75 to 150 cm usually distributed evenly throughout the year temp varies seasonally over wide range---hot summers and cold winters northern hemisphere--dense strands of deciduous trees drop their leaves before winter, when temperatures are too low for effective photosynthesis and water lost by evaporation is not easily replaced form frozen soil numerous invertebrates live in soil and thick layer of leaf litter on forest floor. some vertebrates like mice and shrews and ground squirrels burrow for shelter and food while others like birds live in the trees predators like bobcats foxes black bears mountain lions many mammals inhabit forests enter dormant winter state called hibernation and birds migrate lots cut for timber in n america
Coral reef biome
occurs in the photic zone of warm tropical waters in scattered locations around the globe. 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 coral's cells, providing the coral with food. the physical structure and productivity of coral reefs support a huge variety of invertebrates and fishes.
Place these levels of ecological study in order, from the least to the most comprehensive: community ecology, ecosystem ecology, organismal ecology, population ecology.
organismal ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology
four levels of ecology
organismal, population, community, ecosystem
Lakes and ponds
standing bodies of water range from small ponds only a few meters sq in area to large lakes like the great lakes. that are thousands of sq kilometers. In large lakes and ponds, communities of plants algae and animals are distributes according to the depth of the water and distance from shore. Shallow water near shore and the upper layer of water away from shore make up the photic zone because light is available for photosynthesis. Microscopic algae and cyanobacteria grow in the photic zone, joined by rooted plants and floating plants like water lilies in the photic area near shore. if a lake or pond is deep or murky enough it has an aphotic zone, where light levels are too low to support photosynthesis. the benthic realm is at the bottom of all aquatic biomes. made up of sand and organic and inorganic sediments, the benthic realm is occupied by communities of organisms that may include algae, aquatic plants, worms, insect larvae, molluscs, and microorganisms. dead material that rains down from the productive surface waters of the photic zone is a major source of food for animals of the benthic realm. the mineral nutrients nitrogen and phosporous typically regulate the growth of phytoplankton, the collective name for microscopic algae and cyanobacteria that drift near surfaces of aquatic biomes. many lakes and ponds are affected by large inputs of nitrogen and phosporous from sewage and runoff from fertilized lawns and farms. this produces heavy growth of algae whidh reduces light penetration and when they die and decompose a pond or lake can suffer serious oxygen depletion killing fish that are adapted to high O2 conditions.
Global warming is melting permafrost in some areas of the arctic tundra. What biome would you expect to replace tundra in these regions
tagia
What does the ecosystem level include that the community level does not?
the abiotic factors of the area
Biosphere
the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet's ecosystems, or all of life and where it lives. includes the atmosphere to an altitude of several kilometers, the land down to water-bearing rocks about 1500 meters deep, lakes streams caves and oceans down to a depth of several kilometers.
sustainability
the goal of developing, managing, and conserving earth's resources in ways that meet the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
Because of the earth's curvature,
the intensity of sunlight varies according to latitude the equator receives the greatest intensity of solar radiation and thus had the highest temperatures which in turn evaporate water from the earth's surface As this warm moist air rises, it cools, diminishing its ability to hold moisture The water vapor condenses into clouds and eventually falls as rain this process largely explains why rain forests are concentrated in the tropics-- the region from the tropic of cancer to the tropic of capricorn
evolutionary adaption via natural selection results from
the interactions of organisms with their environments.
landfills
the largest human related source of methane--released by prokaryotes that decompose waste
how are the fields of ecology and evolution linked
the process of evolutionary adaptation via natural selection results from the interactions of organisms with their environments
