Ch 52 Introduction to Ecology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment

Question 2

Interactions between organisms and the environment determine what?

Answer 2

The distribution of organisms and their abundance

Question 3

Modern ecology includes what two things?

Answer 3

1) Observation

2) Experimentation

Question 4

Landscape ecology

Answer 4

Focuses on the exchange of energy, materials, and organisms across ecosystems

Question 5

Ecosystem

Answer 5

The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact

Question 6

Ecosystem ecology

Answer 6

Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components

Question 7

Community

Answer 7

A group of populations of different species in an area

Question 8

Community ecology

Answer 8

Deals with the interactions of species in a community

Question 9

Population

Answer 9

A group of individuals of the same species living in an area

Question 10

Population ecology

Answer 10

Focuses on factors effecting population size over time

Question 11

Organismal ecology

Answer 11

Studies how physiology and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges

Question 12

Physiology

Answer 12

An organism’s structure

Question 13

Organismal ecology includes (1) ___ ___, (2)___ ___, and (3)___ ___

Answer 13

1) Physiological ecology
2) Behavioral ecology
3) Evolutionary ecology

Question 14

Climate

Answer 14

The long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area

Question 15

Four major components of climate

Answer 15

1) Temperature
2) Precipitation
3) Sunlight
4) Winde

Question 16

Macroclimate

Answer 16

Consists of patterns on the global, regional, and landscape level

Question 17

Microclimate

Answer 17

Consists of patterns on finer scales

Question 18

What two factors cause seasonality at high latitudes?

Answer 18

1) Tilt of the Earth’s axis

2) Annual passage of the Earth around the sun

Question 19

What factors produce regions of high rainfall, deserts, and trade winds?

Answer 19

1) Rotation of the Earth

2) Warm air rising at the equator

Question 20

Equator

Answer 20

Area of high fainfall

Question 21

Trade winds

Answer 21

Horizontal winds

Question 22

What three things moderate the climates of nearby terrestrial environments?

Answer 22

1) Oceans
2) Ocean currents
3) Large lakes

Question 23

During the day, air (1)___ over (2)___ land and draws a (3)___ breeze from the water across the land

Answer 23

1) Rises
2) Warm
3) Cool

Question 24

During the night, air (1)___ over (2)___ and draws a (3)___ breeze from the land across the water

Answer 24

1) Falls
2) Cool
3) Cool

Question 25

Rising, cooling air (1)___ moisture on the (2)___ side of a peak

Answer 25

1) Releases | 2) Windward

Question 26

Air (1)___ moisture on the (2)___ side of a peak

Answer 26

1) Absorbs | 2) Leeward

Question 27

What determines a microclimate?

Answer 27

Fine-scale differences in the environment that affect light and wind patterns

Question 28

Two factors the characterize the difference in environments:

Answer 28

1) Abiotic factors | 2) Biotic factors

Question 29

Abiotic

Answer 29

Includes nonliving attributes Temperature, light, water, and nutrients

Question 30

Biotic

Answer 30

Includes other organisms that are part of an individual's environment

Question 31

Biomes

Answer 31

Major life zones

Question 32

Biomes are characterized by:

Answer 32

1) Vegetation type (terrestrial biomes) | 2) Physical environment (aquatic biomes)

Question 33

(1)___ is the predominant factor in determining why (2)___ ___ are fond in certain areas

Answer 33

1) Climate | 2) Terrestrial biomes

Question 34

Terrestrial biomes are often named for what?

Answer 34

1) Major physical or climate factors | 2) Vegetation

Question 35

Ecotone

Answer 35

The area of intergradiation between terrestrial biomes

Question 36

Is an ecotone wide or narrow?

Answer 36

It can be either wide or narrow

Question 37

Disturbance

Answer 37

An event that changes a community

Question 38

Three major disturbances:

Answer 38

1) Storm 2) Fire 3) Human activity

Question 39

In terms of area, do terrestrial or aquatic biomes account for the largest part o the biosphere?

Answer 39

Aquatic biomes

Question 40

Aquatic biomes show less ___ ___ than terrestrial biomes

Answer 40

Latitudinal variation

Question 41

What is the largest marine biome?

Answer 41

The ocean

Question 42

Many aquatic biomes are stratified into distinct layers defined by:

Answer 42

1) Light penetration 2) Temperature 3) Depth

Question 43

Pelagic zone

Answer 43

The open photic and aphotic zones

Question 44

Benthic zone

Answer 44

Sediment at the bottom

Question 45

Abyssal zone

Answer 45

2,000 to 6,000 meters in depth

Question 46

Thermocline

Answer 46

A temperature boundary that separates the warm upper layer from the cold deeper layer

Question 47

Turnover

Answer 47

Semiannual mixing of water

Question 48

Large lakes undergo what process?

Answer 48

Turnover

Question 49

Species distributions are the result of (1) ___ and (2)___ interactions through time

Answer 49

1) Ecological | 2) Evolutionary

Question 50

Ecological time

Answer 50

The minute-to-minute time frame of interactions between organisms and the environment

Question 51

Evolutionary time

Answer 51

Spans many generations and captures adaptations through natural selection

Question 52

Species transplants include what?

Answer 52

Organisms that are intentionally or accidentally relocated from their original environment

Question 53

What does a successful species transplant indicate?

Answer 53

That the species' potential range is larger than its actual range

Question 54

What is one downside to species transplants?

Answer 54

They can disrupt the communities or ecosystems to which they have been introduced

Question 55

Four questions to ask regarding why a species is absent from an area:

Answer 55

1) Does dispersal limit its distribution? 2) Does behavior limit its distribution? 3) Do biotic factors (other species) limit its distribution? 4) Do abiotic factors limit its distribution?

Question 56

If dispersal limits a species from spreading into an area, what is indicated?

Answer 56

The area is inaccessible or insufficient time has passed for that species to spread into that area

Question 57

If behavior limits a species from spreading into an area, what is indicated?

Answer 57

The presence of habitat selection

Question 58

If biotic factors (other species) limit a species from spreading into an area, what is indicated?

Answer 58

The presence of predation, parasitism, competition, and/or disease

Question 59

If abiotic factors limit a species from spreading into an area, what is indicated?

Answer 59

The presence of chemical factors or physical factors

Question 60

Chemical factors include:

Answer 60

1) Water 2) Oxygen 3) Salinity 4) pH 5) Soil nutrients

Question 61

Physical factors include:

Answer 61

1) Temperature 2) Light 3) Soil structure 4) Fire 5) Moisture