Bio Final Flashcards
(221 cards)
Based on the snow placement next to the tree which way is north?
- North will be the side with the snow because of wind patterns and mountains. North sides of mountains (in the northern hemisphere) have more precipitation being brought in from the oceans
in the regions of the rocky mountains a local variety of ponderosa pine predominantly occurs at 5,000-7,000 feet in elevation (half way up the mountains) where it can best tolerate temperatures. Given future climate change predictions which of the following changes might an ecologist predict about that varieties range?
- It will occur at higher elevations
Define the following terms: Thermocline, Aquatic biomes, Rain Shadow, and pelagic zone
Thermocline: Density barrier in lakes and oceans separating warm surface waters from cooler deeper water
Aquatic Biomes: defined by physics and chemistry
Rain Shadow: Coastal mountain ranges are dryer on the interior (leeward) than on the seaward side
Pelagic Zone: Deeper, open water zone of the lakes or oceans
Coral reefs occur on the southeast coast of the United States, near Florida, but not at similar latitudes on the southwest coast near Los Angeles, California. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this?
water temperatures driven by ocean currents
Dr. Doyle grew up on the Amazon River about 1.5 degrees South of the Equator. There, the annual average temperature is hot and varied by less than 5 degrees Celsius (C) over an entire year. In Waco (31.5 degrees North) the temperature varies from very hot to quite cold (40-50 C variation over the year). What best explains this difference? the abundant rainfall in the tropics keeps temperatures more constant?
- the angle of Earth’s rotation causes solar radiation to vary much more at mid-latitudes than at the Equator.
Mountains can impact microclimates. Which of the following is NOT one of the ways mountains consistently impact microclimates?
Mountain soils are consistently more fertile than lowland soils
Select the answer that puts the following factors in a REASONABLE order of importance in regulating the plant community structure of a terrestrial biome. Frequency of disturbance: 1. Frequency of disturbance, 2. moisture, 3. temperature, 4. Soil fertility
3241
Mark each statement as true false:
terrestrial biomes are defined primarily by their animal communities
tropical oceans usually have higher rates of net primary production than artic waters because the waters are warmer near the tropics
moisture and temperature are thought to be the primary variables controlling terrestrial primary production
summers occur during the portion of the earth’s orbit when it is closer to the sun
false
false
true
false
Which ONE factor is most closely associated to the location of the major deserts in North America all being situated about the same latitude (30N)?
Global air circulation patterns
Which ONE factor is most closely associated with seasonal changes on Earth?
The angle of Earth’s axis with respect to the sun (=Tilt of the Earth)
In mountainous areas of North America, south-facing slopes would be expected to… (Select two correct statements, penalty for wrong answers)
receive more sunlight than similar north-facing slopes
- be warmer and dryer than north-facing slopes
Mark each statement as true or false
In deep oceanic water, the net primary production of algae is most likely limited by low nutrient concentration
“Ecology” considers interactions among animals and plants, but not abiotic factors
Deserts do not always have very warm daily average temperatures
About half the water on planet earth is freshwater found in lakes and rivers
false
false
true
false
Where is waco on a climograph and what would happen if climate change results in a temperature increase of 3 C and a rainfall decrease of 25 cm/yr
- Waco is in spot a and it would become a grassland
Subtropical plants are commonplace in Land’s End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is instead subarctic. Which statement best explains why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe?
- Warm Gulf Stream currents interact with England, whereas cold arctic ocean currents interact with Labrador
Consider an area that historically been a grassland (like McLennan County, TX). Which characteristic is most likely to be related to the observation of many MORE trees now surviving per acre of land (current tree density)?
- Change in the frequency of fire
Mark each statement as true or false
Natural populations of plants and animals are more likely to have a clumped distribution than a random one.
All species we know of stop growing when they reach the environmental carrying capacity and can never exceed this threshold, even for limited periods of time.
the process of “demographic transition” applies only to humans and not to other animal species
Resource competition is a common density-dependent factor for most populations as population density increases
true
false
true
true
Select the TWO true statements about r-selected species
- r-selected species would likely be the first to colonize an abandoned agriculture field and r-selected species would likely dominate environments where frequent density-independent factors are important regulators of population size
Which of the following hypotheses is most consistent with the data shown in this graph with respect to survival and clutch size?
Large clutch size results in low survival.
A species population’s size (N) may vary depending on a number of factors including crowding and resource limitation. As N approaches K (carrying capacity) for a certain population, which of the following outcomes is predicted by the logistic growth model?
The population growth rate will slow and approach zero: The population growth rate will slow and approach zero
define the following terms: strategy of repeated reproduction, maximum population size an environment can support with available resources, metapopulation
- Strategy of repeated reproduction. Mature females reproduce several/many times during their lifetime. Iteroparity
- Maximum population size environment can support with available resources. Carrying capacity
- Long-lived species where parents invest significant energy in care for offspring: K-selected species
- Population composed of geographically separate subpopulations linked by immigration/emigration: metapopulation
Select the TRUE statement about human population growth
- The ecological footprint of the US is much larger than the sustainable global capacity per person
Based on the data shown in the figure below related to hare (=prey) relative to several experimental conditions, which conclusion is best supported by the data?
hare population density is impacted by both predation and food availability
hen populations become excessively crowded, intrinsic factors often become active to limit further population growth. Which ONE of the following is an example of such an intrinsic factor
- Under crowded conditions, the immune system of individuals becomes less efficient.
he human population growth rate (r) has INCREASED during the past 10,000 years until the 1960’s. At that point, population growth rates began to strongly decline and have continued declining until now. What BEST explains this dramatic recent decline in human population growth rates?
- this is due to a social factor; educated women chose to have fewer children