Intro to Ecology -50 Flashcards

1
Q

What is ecology`s goal

A

[*] Ecology’s goal is to explain the distribution and abundance of organisms. It is the branch of biology that provides a scientific foundation for conservation efforts.

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2
Q

What are the four levels of ecology

A

organisims

populations

communities

ecosystems

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3
Q

What are the primary factors limiting distribution and abundance of aquatic species

A

Nutrients: nitrogen and phosporus mech - ocean upsell, lake turnover

Water depth: sun wavelengths - how far it can reach determins diversity photosynthesis

runoff locations

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4
Q

What are the pirmary factors limiting distribution and abundance of terrestrial specites

A

climate - terrestrial vegitation - biomes

temp and moisture predict productivity and degree of seasonality in biomes

Biotic & abiotic

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5
Q

Why does climate vary with latitude, elevation, and proximity to oceans and mountains

A

abiotic factors: wind, sunlight, temp, moisture, soil health, chemistry of H2O, sun asymmetric radiation, Hadley cells, mountains, ocean (moderates temperature)

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6
Q

How a species distribution contrained by historical, biotic and abiotic factors

A

dispersal ability

climactic survival

avoiding predators

historical

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7
Q

Define morphological

A

shape and appearance of body and components

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8
Q

define physiological

A

how a body functions

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9
Q

What affects an organisims capacity to live in a place

A

morphological

physiological

behavioural

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10
Q

What is a population

A

individuals of same species

live at the same place & time

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11
Q

define community ecology

A

how specites interact in an area

Effects: predation, parasitism, competition or natural disasters

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12
Q

define ecosystem

A

all living and non living things, nutrients, and energy move and change

pollution study

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13
Q

what is the purpose of conservation biology

A

to study, preserve and restore threatened commuinities of ecosystems poplution

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14
Q

define abiotic

A

non living

air

water

soil

temp

precipitation

sun

wind

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15
Q

define biotic

A

living

of same or different species

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16
Q

define productivity

A

total carbon fixed by photosynthesis per unit year

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17
Q

define eutrophication

A

result of overfertilizing lakes - increase photoplanction, increase aquatic plants and decrease of oxygen in deep water

caused by phosphorus detergents

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18
Q

define littoral zone

A

seashore

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19
Q

limnetic zone

A

lake zone

shore

20
Q

benthic zone

A

depths - substrate level

21
Q

photic zone

A

areas receiving sunlinght - plancton

22
Q

aphotic zone

A

not receiving sunlight

23
Q

What will happen to small tropical lakes, no currents, constant temp, getting excess nutrients

how does this affect the diversity of life

A

no thermoincline = no turnover of lake

at littoral zone = huge bloom and consumption of ozygen in water = dead zone = decrease of ecological diversity

24
Q

why are fish in cold fast moving water more active than in warm slow moving streams

A

fast water = high oxygen content - cellular respiration increased, and low nutrient levels bc washing away

slow water = decrease oxygen levels and increase nutrient levels

25
Q

estuary

A

enviro of brackish salt water as rivers meet ocean

constant fluctuation of salinity as water flow changes

26
Q

why do esutaries and freshwater marshes have decreased amount of species athough both have shallow water havitats with a lage number of rooted plants

A

estuary

high fluctuation of nutrients

low amount of species have the adaptations to deal with a constantly fluctuation environment - salinity

27
Q

biome

A

major grouping of plant and animal communities defined by dominant vegitation

28
Q

climate

A

prevailing long term wather in an area

29
Q

weather

A

specific short term atmospheric conditions - temp precipitation sun and wind

30
Q

biome nature

A

average annual temp and precipitation

annual variation in temp and precipitation

species depend on temp an dmoisture regime

31
Q

net primary producticity (NPP)

A

amount of carbon fixed per year versus amount oxidized via cellular respiration

32
Q

biomass

A

total mass of carbon organisims

33
Q

above ground biomass

A

total mass of above ground plants

34
Q

Why do vines and epiphytes increase the productivity of tropical wet forests

A

space fille between small and large trees

capture light and nutrients may not be used otherwise

increases efficiency

35
Q

How have desert plants evolved

A

slow growth rate

fast grouing during the rainy season

small or no leaves

thick waxy coating

evolved to prevent water loss

36
Q

Eyeless fish and crustaceans found in large underground cave systems. Why do these animals found in aphotic zones have non functioning eyes

A

no sunlight = no need to invest energy to grow them

adaptation

37
Q

Why are fies more common in grasslands than in desets although grassland has more rainfall

A

lots more fuel for fire

38
Q

How will Mountain pine beetle affect boreal forests distrivution - climate change

A

boreal forests huge carbon sink = large amount of co2 releaseing into the atmosphere = high rate of climate change

39
Q

What are rain shadows

A

lack of rain on one side of the mountain on side and desert on the other

40
Q

What is a Hadley cell

A

major cycle in global air sys

air wetter at equador = increased temp decresed pressure = air rises and causes a push

repeats at 30-60 degree

and 60 - north pole

41
Q

What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of tropical wet forests

A

equatorial regions

broad leaves

consistant temp

high variation in precipitation, very high annual total

tree canopy

epiphytes

42
Q

What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of subtropical deserts

A

found degrees latitue, or distance from the equator, north and south

high average temp - moderate variation

low annual precipitation

plants - intense competion of water

43
Q

What are the distinct characteristics of seperate grasslands

A

found central N american and and Eurasia

moderate variation in temp - hot summers - cold winters

precipitation - variation moderate and annual total is low

lots of prarie fires

plant life very dense

44
Q

distigushing factors of temperate forests

A

N America, W Europe, East Asia, Chile, New Zealand

high ave temp, variation moderate

Precipitation- low

deciduous species - diversity moderate

45
Q

distingushing charateristics of boreal forests

A

Canada, Alaska, Russia, N Europe - subarctic

Temp ave low, variation high

Precipitation Low

cold temp = low evaporation = tree growth

evergreens

acidic soils, low nitrogen

large biomass, low species variation

46
Q

distingushing charateristics of arctic tundra

A

poleward from the subarctic North and South

Temp - very low, variation high

precipitation - low

short woody shrubs

permafrost

47
Q

Consequences of climate change

A

species diversity decreases

high variability in temp and precipitation

decreasing fitness of species