Chapter 52: An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere Flashcards
(48 cards)
Ecology
Derived from Greek “oikos” (home) and “logos” (study). Ecology is the study of scientific study of interactions between organisms and the environment.
Biosphere
The global ecosystem.
Landscape (or seascape)
A mosaic of connected ecosystems.
Ecosystem
The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact.
Community
Group of populations of different species in the area.
Population
Group of individuals of the same species living in an area.
Organismal ecology
Concerned with how an organism’s structure, physiology, and behavior meet the challenges posed by its environment.
Order of Ecology Groups?
- Global
- Landscape
- Ecosystem
- Community
- Population
- Organismal
Tropics
Regions that lie between 23.5 north latitude and 23.5 south latitude.
Climate
The long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area.
Macroclimate
Climate patterns on the global, regional, and landscape level.
Microclimate
Very fine, localized climate patterns, such as those encountered by the community of organisms that live in the microhabitat beneath a fallen log.
Which 2 factors make up the Earth’s macroclimate?
Global climate patterns AND Regional and local effects on climate.
What are some factors that affect regional and local effects on climate?
Seasonality, bodies of water, and mountains. (pg. 1162-1163)
What are some ways features in the environment can influence microclimate?
Cast shade, alter evaporation from soil, or change wind patterns.
What does abiotic mean, and what are some examples of abiotic factors?
Abiotic factors are nonliving factors that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms. Some examples are temperature, light, water, and nutrients.
What does biotic mean, and what are some examples of biotic factors?
Biotic factors are living factors (other organisms that are part of an individual’s environment), that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms.
Biomes are…
major life zones characterized by vegetation type in terrestrial biomes or by the physical environment in aquatic biomes.
A climograph is…
a plot of the annual MEAN temperature and precipitation in a particular region (highlights the importance of climate in distribution of biomes).
Most terrestrial biomes are named for…
their major physical physical or climactic features, or their predominate vegetation. (1165)
An ecotone is…
the area of integration (wide or narrow) between biomes (particularly terrestrial). (1166)
Define a disturbance in ecological terms.
An event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community, removing organisms from it and altering resource availability. (1166)
As a result of disturbances, biomes are often _____.
patchy. (containing several different communities in a single area.) (1166)
Unlike terrestrial biomes, aquatic biomes are…
characterized primarily by their physical environment (they also have far less latitudinal variation.) (1171)
