Midterm 1 Flashcards
Ecosystem ecologists primarily track the following as they flow through ecosystems:
Material such as nutrients and water, and energy
Global atmospheric circulation affects California’s climate because…
it produces regions of dry descending air over much of the state
What happens to the air with orographic uplift?
The air rises, expands, and cools
What are the characteristics of Mediterranean climate?
cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers
A transform fault is when:
one plate moves forward and the other moves backwards
The San Andreas fault system used to be a ______ fault and today is a ______ fault.
Convergent; transform
What are the main factors influencing the topography in California and around the world?
Time
Plate Tectonics
Geology (rock types)
The present day Sierra Nevada is primarily made up of:
igneous and metamorphic
The transverse ranges of southern CA owe their current orientation to:
The location and orientation of the San Andreas fault
What mountains are the most volcanically active in CA?
The Cascade range
What is parent material in soil?
The rock material that is incorporated into soil
What are some functions that soil performs?
- Provides physical support for plant roots
- Holds air and water for use by plants and soil organisms
- Provides nutrient elements that plants and animals need for growth
- Recycles dead plant and animal matter
What is an endemic species?
A species which is only found in a specific location
Which group of organisms has more endemic species located in CA than any other state?
Small mammals
What is genetic diversity?
When there are many individual genotypes present in a population
