Ch 5 Flashcards
(129 cards)
1
Q
When you think about ocean currents- what does thermohaline circulation refer to?
A
a. Part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes
2
Q
What makes saltwater more likely to sink?
A
b. Salt water sinks because of high salinity and low temperature making it more dense
3
Q
What is ENSO?
A
a. El nino and the southern oscillation
b. Part of a global event
c. Effects of the ’97-’98 variations from normal weather patterns produces flood, droughts, etc
4
Q
If it’s an El Nino event- are the trade winds near the Eastern Pacific Strong or weak? How does that relate to the atmospheric pressure?
A
a. During El nino, winds near the eastern pacific weaken due to the air pressure gradient decreasing
5
Q
What is the greenhouse effect?
A
a. When gases and water vapor form a blanket around the Earth that acts like the glass roof of a greenhouse, trapping heat near earths surface
6
Q
Did we cause the greenhouse effect?
A
b. It does happen naturally, but we made it worse
7
Q
How We are affecting greenhouse gases?
A
c. Humans are causing less heat to escape into space, increasing heat and greenhouse gases
8
Q
What makes a gas- a greenhouse gas?
A
Burning of fossil fuels
9
Q
What are the major greenhouse gases?
A
CO2, CH4, N20, H20, F
10
Q
Which greenhouse gas do we emit the most of?
A
F, hydrofluorocarbons are used as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, solvents, and fire retardants
11
Q
Which one has the greatest impact on warming of the atmosphere?
A
N20 300x
12
Q
Why is there a seasonal cycle in atmospheric CO2 levels?
A
a. Photosynthesis
13
Q
How has the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere changed since the industrial revolution?
A
a. Increase exponentially
14
Q
What is the (approximate) current level of CO2 in the atmosphere?
A
a. 422ppm
15
Q
How can scientists determine what the concentration of CO2 was 100,000 years ago?
A
a. Coral skeletons, tree rings, carbon isotope dating
16
Q
How does the current concentration of CO2 compare to the last 800,000 years?
A
a. Varied 180-300ppm
17
Q
How do we know the additional CO2 is from burning fossil fuels?
A
a. Ratio of isotopes from picky plants
18
Q
How has global temperature changed in the last few decades?
A
a. Average surface temperature has increased
19
Q
How do we think global temperature will change by 2100?
A
b. Average temperature will continue to increase
20
Q
What (general) areas of the globe will change the most?
A
c. The arctic is warming faster causing the most change, increasing water temperatures and space causing higher tides
d. west coast burning increase to areas that haven’t burned before
e. ocean conveyer belt, water isn’t sinking as fast, increasing sea level on the east coast, bigger and slower storms
f. coral bleaching increase
g. sea turtles increase female populations when the water is warmer
h. ocean becomes more acidic as 20-30% human released CO2 is absorbed, harming skeletons, shells, planktonic mollusks
i. tropical areas become temperate
21
Q
What is the IPCC?
A
a. Intergovernmental panel on climate change
22
Q
What is the IPCC made up of?
A
c. United nations environment program
d. World meteorological organization
e. 195 countries, thousands of scientist
23
Q
Working group I of IPCC:
A
physical factors of climate that impact climate change. Temperature projections, sea level changes, what is happening
24
Q
Working group II:
A
how climate change will impact social and economic factors. Impact on industry, human health, food, water resources, how does it affect us
25
Working group III:
studies solutions to address the problem. Strategies to reduce emissions, remove greenhouse gas, how to work around it?
26
How is weather different than climate?
a. Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular location over the short-term
b. Climate is the average of the weather patterns over a long period of time
27
What signs are there that climate change is affecting weather events?
c. Causing extreme weather across the planet, record breaking heat waves
28
How does the amount of arctic ice change over the course of a year?
a. Ice area decreases during summer months and increases in winter months
29
How has the minimum coverage level of ice changed over the past several years?
b. Minimal coverage continues to decrease
30
How is a melting glacier different than melting sea ice?
c. Glaciers are formed on land that break into icebergs. Sea ice is in the ocean
31
What contributes to sea level rise? What has happened so far? What could happen?
a. Ocean levels increase as water temperature increase and space increase
b. Spring tides increase as the sun and moon line up
c. High tides and low pressure systems cause floods
32
What is happening to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) current? How might this impact Europe and the Northeastern US?
a. It has been slowing down
b. In the east, warm water flows up. It isn’t sinking as fast
c. In the west, cooler water flows down
d. Ocean conveyer belt, regulates climate
e. Colder winter, hotter summer
33
How might the amount of phytoplankton in the oceans be changing? How could that effect other marine organisms? What about us?
a. They are the base of the food chain but tend to be decreasing
b. Coral bleaching becomes more common
c. Fishable fish decrease
34
How might an ocean hot spot affect marine life?
a. Temperature increases, levels increase, ice decreases, oxygen in warm water decreases, migration patterns are affected
35
Why might Coral reefs be especially sensitive to Ocean hot spots?
a. Extra heat absorbed in the ocean causes significant shifts in the ocean temperature and causes coral bleaching
36
Why are we so concerned about loss of coral reefs in the first place?
b. Loss of coral causes loss of biodiversity
37
Why are sea turtles particularly sensitive to climate change?
a. Sex of the embryo is determined by the temperature
b. There is a “pivotal” temperature that will generate 50% males and 50% females
c. Higher temperatures will produce more females
d. Lower temperatures produces more males
38
What could happen to populations of sea turtles in the future?
e. More females are being born than males compared to before
39
How is the pH of the ocean changing?
a. 20-30% of human released CO2 is absorbed by the oceans
b. Decreases pH
40
What greenhouse gas is responsible to the pH of the ocean?
CO2
41
What acid is produced in the ocean?
bicarbonate
42
What kind of marine organisms may be affected most due to pH?
a. Crabs/crustaceans
b. Shells
43
What life stages are most vulnerable?
larvae
44
To summarize….How will the oceans be affected by the increase in
a. atmospheric CO2? Temperature increase
b. Sea level? Temperature and levels increase
c. Temperature? Levels increase
d. PH? More survive
e. Circulation? Bigger storms
f. Dissolved Oxygen? Increase pH
45
Where will species have to go to adjust to changing climate?
a. Organisms will have to migrate north
46
How does this relate to exotic species?
b. Tropical areas will shift to temperate
47
What might inhibit the ability of organisms to disperse?
c. Habitat fragmentation, location of reserves, likelihood to adapt
48
What is Phenology? Can you provide examples of how species are changing in phenology?
a. The study of periodic events in biological life cycles and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors
b. Leaves developing sooner, arrival at breeding sites, insects emerging, flowering periods
49
What determines how high global temperature will go?
a. Droughts/changes in agriculture
b. Wild fires
c. Sea level rise
d. Ocean warming and acidification
50
Why might it be more expensive to just keep emitting CO2?
a. Accomplishing ½ of the wedges could level off emissions
i. Vehicle, building, power plant efficiency, alternative energy, protecting forests
51
How does technology effect the harvest of wildlife? What types of increasing technology increase harvest on land, or on the water?
a. Advances in technology increases harvesting of wildlife due to guns and increase in demand from the increase in population
52
What changes as harvest of a species goes from consumptive to a productive use value?
a. International trade leads to harvesting for productive use and increases demand
53
Why is it bad for a species if an international market develops?
b. Management breaks down and the whole animal is often used
54
Can you provide several examples of animals/parts that are traded on international markets?
a. Fur trade
b. Shell collectors
c. Tropical fish
d. Butterflies
e. Birds
f. Reptiles
g. Plants
h. Oddities/skulls
55
What is the maximum sustainable yield?
a. The highest amount that can be harvested, with out decreasing the population
56
What is a general way to estimate The sustainable yield?
b. Estimate population growth and carrying capacity
57
Why is population growth highest at ½ K?
c. How many can be taken corresponds to the level that will keep the population at maximum growth, competition
58
Why might K change over time?
d. Populations vary
59
What characteristics of species may make it difficult to quantify the MSY?
a. Hard to quantify animals
b. Species that migrate are more difficult to regulate
c. Natural population may go through cycles
d. International numbers
60
Explain direct effects of harvesting on wild populations of species.
i. Population decline
ii. Change in life history characters
1. Smaller average body size, earlier age at first reproduction
61
Explain indirect effects of harvesting on wild populations of species.
i. Bycatch
1. Marine species caught in nets not intended for them
ii. Loss of prey
62
How might a species change its life history traits (age at first reproduction….) in response to intense harvesting pressure? Why does this happen? How might size be affected?
a. Fish that get to reproduce are smaller offspring and are less likely to survive
i. Larger female more and better quality eggs
b. Fish size decrease over time as bigger fish are caught
63
Why did the catch of Cod in the Grand Banks region remain fairly constant, even though the population size was declining?
a. Fish size at reproduction shifted to be smaller
64
How could you check to see what you shouldn’t order from a restaurant menu?
a. Seafood watch
65
Why does purchasing (an already dead fish) contribute to the over-harvest?
b. As demand increases, the harvesting increases
66
What is Bycatch? Why does it happen?
a. Marine species caught in nets not intended for them are often injured or killed
b. Synthetic netting (does not decompose in tropical heat)
c. Hydraulic power blocks to haul large nets
d. Tuna fishing changed from hook/line to purse seining around entire schools of tuna
67
How are Dolphins affected by the Tuna fishery?
a. Dolphins are often used to identify tuna schools
b. Dolphin mortality increased due to Latin American countries and decreased in US
68
How did consumer pressure affect the Tuna Fishery?
a. 1994, only dolphin-safe tuna could be sold in the US, meaning the tuna is not caught by setting nets on dolphins
69
What Law was first used to help protect Dolphins from this Fishery?
b. Agreement on international dolphin conservation program (AIDCP)
70
Overfishing may increase competition between fishermen – but also perceived competition with top predators. Why is this bad for other predators?
a. Loss of prey
b. Humans decrease the number of animals food source
c. Killer whales, sealions, dolphins, etc compete with fisherman
d. Algae populations increase
71
Could you list the general changes that occur as a harvest industry develops from local consumptive use to international markets?
a. Rarity is a direct effect of overharvest could result in increased prices, worth pursuing even at great expense
b. Increase rarity increases demand
72
What does it mean for a species when an international market develops?
b. Indirect effects may prevent a harvested marine/aquatic species from being protected form harvest by its own low numbers
73
Many of the species harvested for the wildlife trade have been harvested by humans for decades (or longer) why is this harvest more of a problem now?
a. Growth of towns/factories increase people and local demand for products
b. Hunters increase harvest for sale to meet demand
c. Cash gained from sale of wildlife, buys goods to increase efficiency
d. Increase in technology such as motors, roads allow to exploit a larger area
e. Use of storage facilities allow accumulation of product
f. Transportation and sale to international markets may increase demand
74
What is commercial extinction?
a. Depletion of a population species to the point where fishermen cannot catch enough of them to earn a profit
75
Why might commercial extinction NOT prevent an overharvested species from being driven to extinction?
b. It occurs before the state of total extinction where the species no longer exists, no longer profitable to harvest
76
Why are sharks threatened? What is the most prized part of a shark? Why is this wasteful?
a. Shark meat, fins and cartilage. Only the fins are used
77
Why are practices of traditional Chinese medicine now endangering the wild species used in these treatments?
a. Sea horse popularity and increased efficiency of retailing the items threatens the species with extinction. Used for asthma, broken bones, heart disease, etc
78
What factors may go into the decision to burn seized ivory? Why is it thought to help protect elephants and Rhinos? Why might people oppose a burn?
a. Rhino horns are used for fever, convulsions, and delirium
b. Kenya burned rhino horns as a way to prove that no one should own them, not even the government
c. Controversy because the item had gone to waste to prove a point
79
Why did Europeans introduce exotic species to the areas they colonized?
* During European colonization
* Ornamentals, visually appealing
* Economic, species brought in to develop fisheries industry, recreational game
* Biological control, introductions of exotics needs to be controlled
80
Why are exotic species deliberately introduced to areas?
* To control other exotic introductions
81
What are the most common ways in which Exotics are introduced accidentally? Could you give an example of each type?
* Agriculture, weed seeds hitch a ride with agricultural seeds, worms
* Transport on ships, planes, crates, ballast water, emerald ash
* Scientific research, African bees
* Hobbies/pet owners, snakes
82
Why is using the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in your aquarium a potential problem if you live near the ocean? How did California officials react to its introduction?
* Takes over, wipes sponges and stuff out
* Can reproduce fragmentation, killing native seaweed, seagrass and coral species
* California officials acted quickly
83
What do some people do with their pets they can no longer care for… Can you provide examples?
* Some people release them into the wild such as lionfish or Burmese python
84
Species that live in isolation (like plants on Hawaii) may not develop the defenses found in species that are wide ranging (not isolated). Why is this the case?
* Species evolve in response to the biotic community around them
* Evolutionary battles between predators/prey/herbivores/plants/etc
* Plants on islands may have fewer defenses because they are isolated
85
What types of defensive mechanisms may plants have to protect themselves from herbivores?
* Structural defenses: spines, bristles hairs
* Toxins/digestibility reducers
* Tertiary trophic levels, one protects another
86
How do plants that lack these defenses fair when exotic herbivores are introduced?
* Plants without defenses to exotic herbivores are consumed easily
87
How can exotic plants in new communities gain a competitive edge?
* Exotic plants can outcompete native species
88
Why might it be important to try to eradicate an exotic species quickly after its introduction?
* Species may go extinct or become severely affected otherwise
* Goes out of control
89
How have several exotic species gotten to the great lakes? How did the zebra /quagga mussels get to the Great lakes?
* Deliberate introductions gone wrong
* Zebra mussels introduced from ships tank water that were traveling from Europe
* Attach to anything hard
90
What problems has the zebra mussel caused in the Great Lakes?
* In the Mississippi basin may be leading to the elimination of ½ of native mussel species
* Alga blooms in lake Erie have returned
* Selectively filter and reject phytoplankton, excrete nutrients that promote Microcystis in the lake
* Choke native mussels and other species
* Clog intake valves
91
Are most exotic species that reach a new habitat successful there?
* They may lack natural parasites or predators, expansion of realized niche
* Exotics may thrive in disturbed habitats (R species)
* Native species may already be at risk from habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation
* Several exotics have additive effects
92
Why are some exotic species successful?
* Animal rights activists may oppose efforts to rid an area of exotics
* Native species may expand their ranges, threatening species native to that area
93
What does it mean to become invasive?
* Genetic contamination of exotics with close phylogenetic relationships may hybridize with local populations
94
How can the additive effects of several exotic species work to eliminate a native species?
* Native plants compete with exotic plants
* Introduced grazers will feed on plants
* Decline of native plants leads to decline of native animals
* May be vulnerable to other exotics
95
How can captivity increase the risk of disease?
* In dense/captive populations/fragmented landscapes, more contact between individuals, fecal matter, etc
* Exotic species may bring diseases with them
96
How might actions that limit dispersal make a species more at risk of catching a disease?
* Contact interactions increase
* Increase due to human activities
* Fragmentation
* Habitat destruction, reduce available habitat effects similar to fragmentation
* Habitat degradation, pollutants may decrease the health of individuals
* Dilution effect, increase diversity decreases disease chances
97
Why is fragmentation of habitat thought to put wild species at risk of catching disease?
* Species may be limited to fragment, causing the decrease of health of the individuals and decrease resistance
* Reduced dispersal, species crowded in one area
* Reduced foraging ability
* Increased population density. Territorial animals may increase the change of injury by fighting, reducing resistance
* Increase edge causing an increase in contact with domestic animals
98
What may have been the origin of chronic wasting disease in wild deer and elk populations? What causes this disease?
* Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy
* Likely caused by prions
* Characteristic weight loss and death
* Causes lesions in the brain and death if eaten
99
What disease currently threatens several North American bat species?
* White nose disease
* Fungal infection causing bats to use too much energy during hibernation leading to them running out of energy and starving to death from waking up hungry
100
What is the dilution effect? How does it affect the spread of disease?
* Increase in biodiversity causes a decrease in diseases
101
Could you discuss an example of a disease that has passed from wildlife to humans? What changes may make this more common?
* Intestinal parasite in beavers and elk
* Lyme disease from ticks
* HIV and Ebola from contact with wild primates
* Global warming effect on vectors
* West Nile virus
102
How can the loss of a predator increase the spread of a disease/parasite in a human population?
* As snail populations increase, bilharzia also increased
* Snails predators were overharvested from fishing
103
What do humans do to increase the susceptibility and spread of disease among wild populations?
* Interact or become a good host
104
How can Climate change affect the spread of disease in human populations?
* As temperatures increase, the range of species also increases
105
How can genetically modified organisms be used to fight disease? Could you discuss an example?
* Mosquito males passed an altered gene to female offspring that causes them to die in the larval stage, decreasing the male population
106
What is a gene drive?
* Natural process and technology of genetic engineering that propagates a particular suite of genes throughout a population by altering the probability that a specific allele will be transmitted to the offspring
107
What are GMOs?
* GMO is an organism whose genome has been altered in the lab to express desired traits or produce products
108
the average global temperatures of the past decade
are the highest on record
109
what is true of the arctic sea ice cover
the minimum sea ice cover has decreased over the last several decades
its minimum value is generally recorded in late summer
changes in sea ice cover will affect polar bears that hunt on the ice
it fluctuates in size over the course of the year
110
what is happening in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation current
it is slowing down
111
in addition to the changes from thermal expansion water, ____ will lead to ____ sea level in the future
melting glaciers
increased
112
ENSO refers to
climate pattern changes that result from el nino and the southern oscillation
113
what is a change in phenology that we have observed in response to climate change
trees leafing out earlier
114
what may happen to coral that has been exposed to water that is above its upper temperature limit for too long
it expels the algae symbionts
115
what animal in the ocean are likely affected by the changes in the pH
oysters
116
what is true of the earths greenhouse effect
it includes gases that are able to absorb heat in the atmosphere
117
what best explains why vertebrates in Australia were harmed more by the introduction of the cane toad than other areas where it was introduced
australia does not have native poisonous toads, so predators have not evolved defenses
118
plants on oceanic islands may be more vulnerable to exotic introductions than mainland species because they
lack defenses that are found on mainland species
119
some exotic species have been introduced to new environments primarily from
people releasing their pets into the environment
120
zebra and quagga mussels became invasive species in the great lakes because
ships carried the mussels in their ballast water
121
the catch of cod in the grand banks region remain fairly constant over the years, even though the population size was declining, why?
the amount of fish increased during this period
122
the maximum growth is thought to occur when the population size is equal to
K/2
123
what may be the most dangerous change in the harvest of a species
the development of an international market
124
direct effects of overharvest on fish populations typically include
a reduction in average body size
125
a species that is caught by accident during the harvest of another species would be called
bycatch
126
white nose disease is spreading through populations of ___ in the US and canada
bats
127
high biodiversity decreases the density of a particular host of a parasite, which decreasing the spread of that parasite/disease in a region
this is called the
dilution effect
128
the inclusion of CRISPR/Cas9 system to allow genetic modification to spread more widely in a target population of wildlife is called a
gene drive
129
mosquitos, vectors of several diseases that affect humans, have expanded their range due to
climate change
