Ch 2 Ecology Hw: Biomes
Describe, in order, the aquatic ecosystems that a salmon will travel through when swimming from the open ocean into a shallow, narrow freshwater stream to spawn.
oceanic zone → neritic zone → estuary → river → stream NOT intertidal zone
Arrange the sequence of events in an El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
-air pressure first lower in Western Pacific and higher in east Pacific -higher pressure east means equatorial wind pushes warm water east to west -then eq (trade?) winds weaken or reverse and after weakening this changes water movement -warm water moves towards SA before -cold water upwell on SA coast halts after war water moving -SA fisheries less productive -increased ppt in SA You have not correctly identified the fourth event in an ENSO. When equatorial trade winds weaken or reverse, they are less able to move warm water from the east TO the WEST
Put the steps of the greenhouse effect in order, beginning with the Sun emitting radiation and ending with Earth's surface experiencing an additional rise in temperature.
-solar rad penetrates atmos Earth is constantly bathed in radiation of all wavelengths emitted by the Sun. Earth's atmosphere, clouds, and surface reflect back into space a SMALELR portion of the solar radiation reaching Earth. SAC REFLECT 1/3 BACK TO SPACE and CS absorb rest hence becoming warmer -thus solar rad warms atmosphere and surface (clouds adn surface warmer from convert to IR) 3. surf and ghouse gas (mainly water from clouds?) emit IR radiation 4. greenhouse gases absorb rad from Earth system (The greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, absorb infrared radiation and slow its passage back into space.) 5. and then reemit IR from the Earth system 6. with some going to space, other returning to Earth -Infrared radiation continues to warm the Earth system, composed of Earth and its atmosphere, as long as the radiation remains within it. This natural process, called the greenhouse effect, has produced climates warm enough to allow life on Earth. Recent concern over the greenhouse effect centers on the unprecedented rate at which humans have added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and the additional warming stemming from the increase.
Classify NUTRIENT INPUT into streams and rivers as allochthonous or autochthonous.
Allochthonous: ag runoff, migrating animals, leaves Autochthonous: algae, rooted aquatic plants Nutrient inputs can be categorized as allochthonous or autochthonous. Allochthonous nutrient inputs come into a water system from outside of it and include nutrients released by decomposing organic material (leaves), excreted by migrating animals, and carried by agricultural runoff. RAT When tree leaves from terrestrial systems fall into the water, they become allochthonous nutrient inputs. Migrating animals such as salmon provide nitrogen and other nutrients from far away places when they excrete waste or die. Agricultural runoff from fertilizers or animal waste is a common form of allochthonous input in waterways. Autochthonous nutrient inputs are generated and CYCLE in the immediate stream system, rather than outside of it. Organisms already in the system generate and CONSUME the nutrients and RELEASE them BACK to the same system. Primary autochthonous sources are algae, aquatic plants, and phytoplankton. It is important to remember that energy inputs are categorized by their SOURCES. Nutrient sources that are normally autochthonous inputs could go through long‑distance dispersal to become allochthonous inputs in a new system. For example, when Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, stays rooted in its stream of origin, it is an autochthonous source of energy. When Hydrilla gets tangled in the blades of boat motors and is transported to a new waterway, it becomes an allochthonous source of energy. -rooted invasive plant still autochthonous, but transported to a new waterway, it becomes an allochthonous source of energy.
Which factors contribute to the motion of ocean gyres?
At least one additional factor affects the movement of ocean gyres. Heated water EXPANDS and makes the ocean surface HIGHER than it is in areas with cooler water, which causes a TOPOGRAPHICAL gradient as well as a TEMP gradient in water. effect of Earth's rotation on water and wind warming and expansion of tropical ocean waters variations in wind direction by latitud Gyres move ocean water in a CIRCULAR pattern between the continents to the east and WEST of an ocean BASIN and redistribute the ENERGY in the WATER. These circulation patterns are primarily driven by water temperature differences and surface winds. Tropical ocean water is warmer than ocean water nearer the poles. Since warmed liquids expand, the water temperature gradient between the tropics and the poles also causes a topographical gradient. As the warming surface water in the tropics expands and gains elevation it flows down the topographical gradient toward the poles. As the Earth spins it produces winds in the atmosphere that originate from different directions depending on latitude. A mass of air moving north from the equator in a Hadley cell falls back to Earth northwest of where it rose because Earth's surface spun to the east underneath it while the air was moving north. This deflection is called the Coriolis effect. A person on Earth's surface in the tropics feels this as a persistent wind from the east. In the mid-latitudes further north and south from the tropics, the predominant winds produced by the Coriolis effect come from the west. On a large scale, just as the spinning of the Earth can influence the direction of wind, it can also influence the motion of liquid water. As the Earth spins, the predominant winds blow the ocean water in the tropics from the eastern side of the ocean to the western side and in the mid-latitudes from the west to the east. The Coriolis effect deflects the moving water to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, creating clockwise Northern Hemisphere gyres and counterclockwise Southern Hemisphere gyres. Upwellings along the edges of continents are also produced as prevailing winds move the surface water away from the shore. As the warmer surface water gets pushed away from the continent, cold water from the deep ocean moves upward to take its place, creating the upwelling. Although upwellings are caused by the same prevailing winds that help drive ocean gyres, the upwellings do not contribute to the motion of the gyres.
The presence of white spruce trees indicates a boreal forest. What has happened to the growth of white spruce trees in this Alaskan boreal forest?
Boreal forest spruce trees began with a tree‐ring width of 0.95 in the 1860s and peaked in the 1940s with a width of 1.30.By the 1990s, boreal forest tree‐ring width returned to 1860s levels with a width of 0.86. There is a general increase in boreal forest tree‐ring width between 1860 and 1949 and a general decrease in tree‐ring width after the 1940s. That means growing conditions in the boreal forest likely improved each decade between 1860 and 1949. Boreal forest growing conditions likely worsened after the 1940s.
Which of the following does NOT describe what typically happens to the aquatic environment as one moves downstream from a watershed's headwaters?
Ecosystem productivity increases. As rivers progress, they become richer in nutrients and more of their organic inputs are autochthonous, meaning the inputs are produced inside the ecosystem. Allochthonous inputs increase in importance. NOT Water temperature increases. River width increases.or Water velocity decreases.
Why can temperate deciduous forests retain more of their soil fertility than tropical rainforests after they are logged? ** go back
In both temperate deciduous forests and tropical rainforests, precipitation usually exceeds evaporation, which LEACHES nutrients from the UPPER layers of soil. Decomposition occurs more SLOWLY in TEMPERATE deciduous forests than in tropical rainforests, in part due to seasonal cycles of cooler temperatures. In temperate deciduous forests, nutrients do not leach out of the upper layers of soils. Clay and humus are components of soil that contribute to nutrient retention, and tropical rainforests have very LITTLE of either. Soils of tropical rainforests are typically weathered and nutrient-poor, so nutrients that cycle through the system must reside somewhere other than the soil. has to do w lateralization? Tropical rainforests are some of the most productive systems on earth, which is partly due to the rapid cycling of nutrients in the system. Year-round warm, wet conditions drive the rapid rate of decomposition, high rate of photosynthesis, and rapid uptake of soil resources by plants. Consequently, most of the nutrients in a rainforest are INCORP into the VEGETATION, which is removed during logging operations. SO Most nutrients in tropical rainforests are stored in vegetation that is carried away or burned. Clay in the soil binds loose ions and makes them accessible for uptake by questing plant roots. Ions that are NOT BOUND to clay particles are easily dissolved in and CARRIED AWAY by excess water. Soils in tropical rainforests contain LITTLE clay. Because LOTS OF PPT exceeds evaporation, nutrients that are not rapidly taken in by the vegetation are LEACHED from the UPPER layers of soil. -tropical lack clay, more leaching nutrients, also rapid decomp of humus rel to temp , so more humus nutrients Rapid decomposition in tropical rainforests also means that there is very little humus, which is the organic component of the soil made up of decaying plants and animals. As HUMUS decomposes, it slowly ADDS nutrients BACK to the upper layers of the soil. A thick layer of humus would also help moderate high rates of erosion, because the humus PROTECTS LOOSE SOIL particles from being CARRIED away by light to moderate amounts of precipitation. Although TEMPERATE deciduous forests are NOT as PRODUCTIVE or rapidly cycling as tropical rainforests, they can have THICK layers of HUMUS and clay. Logging still degrades soil fertility by permanently removing nutrients. However, clay and decomposing humus can help retain and replenish some nutrients, reduce rates of erosion, and delay the further degradation of the soil's fertility. Soils of temperate deciduous forests do experience leaching, because precipitation often exceeds evaporation. Although clay can help retain nutrients in deeper layers of soil, the nutrients that contribute to the richness of temperate forest soils are often stored in the slowly DECOMPOSING HUMUS layer.
In the past, trees have grown poorly in the Alaskan tundra. The changes in tundra tree‐ring width may mean global warming is changing the boundaries of tundra and boreal forest. Which statements about the transition between the biomes do the data support?
In the past, trees did not grow well in the tundra, as permafrost prevents trees from taking root. The graph shows tundra growing conditions became favorable for spruce trees in later decades. This may mean the tundra boundary is warming. A warmer climate is likely better for spruce tree growth. In addition, if warm conditions melt permafrost, trees would gain access to enough soil to establish roots. Warmer conditions with healthier spruce trees could mean parts of the tundra now lack the features of a typical tundra. Some tundra conditions may even resemble boreal forest conditions. In that case, boreal forest would be expanding into tundra. past tundra not resembling now Better growing conditions at the tundra boundary do not mean the boreal forest boundary is cooling. Boreal forest tree‐ring widths in the 1990s are approximately what they were in the 1860s. So, the boreal forest conditions in the 1990s are likely similar to the conditions in the 1860s.
Which statement about the Intertropical convergence zone is correct?
It occurs where two Hadley cells converge high in the atmosphere. High in the atmosphere at the convergence point of Hadley cells, the air is cool and dry, whereas in the intertropical convergence zone, the air is warm and humid. rain zone based on solar equator giving warm air , It occurs along the solar equator.
what happens as gas and surface absorb solar radiation?
Most of the incoming solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere and is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and by Earth's surface. As they absorb radiation they become warmer and EMIT LONGER‑wavelength infrared radiation, which we feel as heat. Infrared radiation emitted by Earth's surface WARMS the atmosphere above it as the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere re‑absorb the radiation. (even before re-emiting these start warming) The gases then re‑emit infrared radiation in all directions. Although some of this radiation escapes into space, most of it remains in the Earth system, driving further warming of the surface and air.
How do scientists expect increasing global temperatures to affect the distributions of Earth's biomes?
Scientists predict some biomes will shift locations, whereas other biomes will remain in place but have changes in species composition. Although temperature is predicted to increase on a global scale, some areas on Earth are predicted to have a decrease in temperature. In addition, other climatic factors, such as precipitation and cloud cover, will also change with global warming. A species' ability to adapt to new conditions or migrate to areas with more favorable conditions will also influence the effect of rising global temperature on biome distribution. The response of each biome as a whole will depend on how species within that biome respond to global climate change. Scientists predict that the species within a biome will respond to global climate change by MIGRATING, adapting to new local conditions, or by becoming extinct. Because biomes are remarkably complex systems, it is impossible to predict exactly how each biome will change. For instance, if many SPECIES are able to migrate to new areas, the biome may remain intact but migrate with climatic conditions. In contrast, if SPECIES are able to ADAPT to the new climatic conditions, the BIOME will REMAIN in place. -intact biome move w species There will be both plant and animal species unable to migrate with OR adapt to changing climate, and these species are likely to become extinct. Whereas many species may become extinct with global climate change, extinction ALONE cannot be used to understand how biome distribution will shift with increasing global temperature.
Why do distantly related species of plants in different parts of the world often assume similar growth forms when they experience similar climates?
Similar selection pressures cause convergent evolution of species in separate lineages.
Classify each factor by whether it is used to categorize terrestrial or aquatic biomes.
Terrestrial biomes have distinct seasonal patterns of TEMP and RAIN. These environmental conditions favor particular types of PLANTS. Thus, ecologists categorize terrestrial biomes by the dominant PLANT forms that thrive in these locations. AQUATIC biomes mainly have ALGAE as producers, so plant types are not used to categorize these biomes. Different aquatic biomes are distinguished by physical factors such as water DEPTH, SLOW, and SALINITY. These factors influence the temperature of the water. For example, deep bodies of water tend to be cooler than shallow bodies of water, and fast‑flowing water tends to be cooler than stagnant water. These physical factors also affect nutrient availability and oxygen concentration, which determine which types of plants and animals thrive in these biomes.
What parallels exist between the life zones in a lake and the life zones in an ocean?
The benthic zone is the lowest ecological zone in a water body, and usually involves the sediments at the seafloor. These sediments play an important role in providing nutrients for the organisms that live in the benthic zone.Jun 22, 2019 The benthic zone of lakes and oceans is at the bottom of the body of water, NOT ONLY only in the shallow depths. When a life zone receives very little sunlight, it is less able to support many forms of life Lakes and oceans both have a highly productive life zone near the water's surface where light penetrates. Lakes are aquatic biomes characterized by nonflowing fresh water with some area of water too deep for plants to breach the surface. The open water located away from the shallow edge of a lake is called the limnetic zone. Because this life zone receives abundant sunlight, it is very productive and contains many photosynthetic organisms, such as algae. Below the limnetic zone is a much less productive life zone, called the profundal zone, where the water is too deep for light to penetrate. Unlike oceans, the shallow area around the edge of lakes often contains emergent vegetation. The photic zone in the ocean is analogous to the limnetic zone in lakes, as it also receives sufficient light for photosynthetic organims, such as algae. Below the productive photic zone is the aphotic zone, where the water is too deep for light to reach. The aphotic zone is analogous to the profundal zone in lakes, which is also too deep to receive sunlight and is also largely devoid of life. The benthic zone of both lakes and oceans is not limited to shallow depths, but extends along the bottom of the entire aquatic biome. LIMNETIC AND PROFUNDAL ZONES
For each description of vegetation, identify the temperate biome.
The first temperate biome supports drought‑resistant and fire‑adapted vegetation. Most plants are deeply rooted and have SCLEROPHYLLUS, or SMALL, durable leaves. Dense growths of evergreen SHRUBS and GRASSES are present. WOODLAND/SHRUBLAND The second temperate biome has a dominant canopy of deciduous trees but ALSO supports some evergreen trees. There are smaller, UNDERSTORY tree species, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. These deciduous forests have the most diverse communities of spring‑flowering herbaceous plants. TEMP SEASONAL FOR-->US The third temperate biome is predominantly fire‑adapted grasses and other NONWOODY flowering plants. It supports some shrubs, but FEW trees. TEMP GRASSLAND (THINK NO TREESNONWOODY, FIRE ADAP GRASS), =FIRE ADAP, COLD DESERT The fourth temperate biome has a LOW diversity of species. It is dominated by robust, EVERGREEN trees that can grow to over 100 m tall. TEMP RAINFOREST Only seven temperate rainforest ecosystems exist around the world, and North America is home to one of them. The Pacific Northwest temperate rainforests, which range from northern California to British Colombia, exist in what is the world's largest temperate rainforest ecoregion.
How is ice melting in the Arctic Ocean predicted to affect the climate of Europe?
The influx of cold water would disrupt ocean currents that circulate warm water around Europe, cooling overall temperatures. The temperatures of waters surrounding continents affect air temperatures over land. Currently, warm waters circulate along the European continent and help generate mild temperatures. As Arctic ICE MELT and inundates Europe with cold water, it is predicted to SIRUPT the current FLOW of warm water, leaving the continent surrounded by cold water. In turn, the colder bodies of water AROUND CONTINENTS are predicted to generate an overall decrease in surface air temperatures. An INFLUX of water would cause an overall rise in sea levels and lead to a rise in the GROUNDWATER table, further causing loss of land along the coast and INUNDATION of inland territories. However, an increased amount of available water alone cannot lead to a greater amount of precipitation. A change in PPT in Europe will be driven by air TEMP. Both cold water and warm water have buffering effects on air temperature. Therefore, the influx of cold water is not predicted to influence water's buffering effects.
Select the answer that accurately describes why a coastal mountain range has different climates on the windward (wind‑facing) and leeward (wind‑sheltered) sides.
You have not correctly identified which mountain slope is cooler and wetter. Higher elevations have reduced atmospheric pressure, so air expands as it travels up a mountain slope. The side of the mountain range where air is expanding is cooler than the other side. You are correct that the leeward slope is drier, but you have not correctly identified which side is warmer. Air becomes cooler as it moves up the coastal mountain slope, because air expands at low pressures. Determine how the atmospheric pressure changes the air temperature as winds force the air to lower elevations down the leeward side of a mountain range. Ocean winds become cooler as they travel up the windward slope, causing water vapors to CONDENSE as rain. The air is dry when it reaches peak elevations and it becomes warmer as it descends the leeward slope. Humid ocean winds force air across the sea and up the windward side of a coastal mountain range. Because atmospheric pressure is lower at higher elevations, air expands as it ascends the coastal mountain slope. Air undergoes ADIABATIC COOLING as it expands. Because cooler air is less able to retain water vapor than warmer air AT THE PEAK CONDENSATION, water precipitates as rain on the windward mountain slope. Thus, the coastal side of the mountain range is cooler and experiences more rain. The DRY air that reaches the PEAK of a mountain range travels down the opposite, or leeward, mountain slope. Because lower elevations have increased atmospheric pressure, this dry air becomes compressed as it descends. Air undergoes adiabatic heating as it is compressed, because air molecules COLLIDE more often when they are closer together. The combination of processes that occurs on the windward and leeward sides of the mountain creates a rain shadow. Lands in the rain shadow experience warmer temperatures and less precipitation than the region on the other side of the coastal mountain range.
Categorize each climatic condition into its temperate biome.
You have not correctly placed mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Temperate rainforests have mild temperatures and wet conditions year‑round. Wet winters and dry summers support fire-tolerant and stunted woody plants. You have not correctly identified all the climatic conditions for temperate rainforests. In this biome, temperatures and precipitation sustain plant growth throughout the year. The climatic conditions promote the dominance of slow‑growing, woody evergreen species. A climate describes predictable patterns of air TEMP and PRECIP. Climate affects the types of adaptations that organisms develop for survival in their conditions. Temperate rainforests receive abundant ANNUAL RAIN. They also experience year‑round MLD temperatures. Together, abundant precipitation and mild temperatures facilitate the growth of slow‑growing and WOODY plants. -same tropical rain, hence rainforest -yr round mild temp for photosyth through year, abundant rain promote plant in warm temp , think like big woody plants from more stable climate Temperate seasonal forests are found mostly in the northern hemisphere. They are usually located INLAND and lack the climatic buffering effects from nearby ocean waters. Thus, they experience frequent fluctuations in temperature HUMIDITY and PRECIPITAITON. The climatic variation supports a wide VARIETY of PLANTS communities in different regions.thus rain for diverse woody and herbaceous comms The climatic patterns of woodlands/shrublands cycle through HOT, DRY summers and MILD, WET winters. The conditions encourage frequent fires, which have contributed to the evolution of drought-tolerant and fire‑resistant or fire‑compatible adaptations in vegetation., plant growth support thru winter Finally, temperate grasslands/cold deserts are governed by HOT, DRY summers and COLD, harsh winters. Precipitation across the biome varies by longitude. Some regions are wet enough to support thick tallgrass prairies. Other regions are so dry that they support only stunted trees or shrubs and sparse coverings of grass. like wood/shrubland but colder winter , dry summer and cold winter limit growing season, rain variation at dif longitude support fast growing grass and drought resistant shrubs
Deep lakes and the open ocean both have a _____ zone.
benthic
Classify each characteristic as describing a marsh, swamp, or bog.
bog: fresh wetland, acidic water FINISH LATER
The climate diagram represents average annual temperature and precipitation patterns of a biome. What does the information suggest about growing conditions for plants in the biome it represents?
https://dam.saplinglearning.com/authkey/Kv6-L35/preview/F16wEY-narl90AbJQGHLpK/previews/maxWidth_1600_maxHeight_1600.jpg////rick_1321_climate_preview.jpg?_=2 The shaded region on the x-axis respresents the growing season for the area. Low temperatures are the limiting factor of plant growth for most of the year. Plants probably have adaptations to survive long periods of cold, snowy weather. Climate diagrams reveal annual patterns of temperature and precipitation. They are scaled such that when the two lines are not aligned on the diagram, the lower line represents the factor that is most limiting to plant growth during the time period indicated. In this diagram, low amounts of precipitation limit plant growth during the growing season that runs from mid-April to mid-September. Cold temperatures limit plant growth from mid-September to mid-May. The diagram shows that the region's temperatures are below freezing during most of the year, and that these are also times when the region experiences most precipitation. When temperatures are below 0 °C, the frozen precipitation is unavailable to plants until it thaws. When it does thaw, the ground becomes saturated. Species that live in this biome must be adapted to endure long periods of cold, snowy conditions in the winter and wet ground in the late spring. As indicated by the months that are highlighted, the growing season for the pictured climate is from mid-April to mid-September, when temperatures are relatively high and precipitation is relatively low. However, the growing season is not the only time of the year that plants grow, just the time during which plants collectively experience the greatest amount of growth during the year. For example, some cold-hardy evergreen plants push their roots deep into the ground to maintain a connection with liquid water, and the roots continue to grow incrementally, even when soil surfaces are frozen. Over time, plant species have evolved to colonize any habitat where there is adequate moisture to support basic functions. Any absence of plants that is moisture-related is often due to a lack of moisture rather than an overabundance of moisture. Likewise, where water is available, plants have adapted to grow in extremely hot or cold temperatures.
You are the manager of a team of climate scientists whose job it is to generate climate diagrams for various locations within different biomes. After one research expedition, your team brings back the following temperature and precipitation data: Unfortunately, your team forgot to record exactly where these data were collected. Using what you know about the location and climate patterns of various biomes, in which terrestrial biome were these data most likely collected?
least like 100 mm in summer, and cold winter temp rainforest not having wet cold szn but precipitation DOES fall w rising temp in summer woodland/shrubland During part of the year, precipitation falls to zero in the woodland/shrubland biome. temperate seasonal forest In temperate seasonal forests, precipitation and temperature rise together and fall together throughout the year.
Which lake zone contains animals that specialize in consuming unicellular algae?
limnetic zone NOT littoral near shore
You are standing on the top of a mountain on the Big Island (the southernmost Hawaiian island) facing directly south. If you were to fire a cannonball south over the ocean, where in relation to you would it splash down? Assume the cannonball remains in the air for approximately an hour but does not reach the equator.
southwest of you
You are at a mystery location in eastern Asia, and you are trying to determine what type of biome you are in. It is a cool April morning (about 5°C, and as you walk, you have to navigate through a mixture of DIFFERENT SIZE VEGETATION sizes of trees and woody shrubs that are starting to produce leaf buds, as well as HERBACEOUS plants that contain BRIGHT flowers. You reach down, push away the layer of dead leaves on the forest floor, and scoop up a handful of moist brown soil. Based on the location and environment, in which terrestrial biome are you most likely traveling?
temperate seasonal forest
You are a contestant on a game show. The game show host shows you the following table revealing the monthly average temperature and precipitation of a mystery country:
tropical seasonal forest/savanna In tropical seasonal forests/savannas, rainfall peaks two times during the year. temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests maintain a high amount of rain all year. woodland/shrubland, precipitation was basically zero in summer w rising temp
If you were to drive down the PACIFIC coast of North America, beginning in the westernmost point of the Alaskan mainland and ending in the Baha peninsula, what biomes would you encounter in order? would not see
tundra → boreal forest → temperate rainforest → woodland/shrubland → subtropical desert temperate grassland/cold desert-->prairies
