Ecology And The Biosphere Flashcards
(97 cards)
1
Q
—: the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
A
Ecology
2
Q
The interactions between organisms and the environment determine the — of organisms and their —
A
- Distribution
2. Abundance
3
Q
Ecologists work at levels ranging from — organisms to the —
A
- Individual
2. Planet
4
Q
——: Studies how an organism’s structure, physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges
*Includes —, —, and — ecology
A
- Organismal Ecology
2. Physiological, evolutionary, & behavioral
5
Q
—: a group of individuals of the same species living in an area
A
Population
6
Q
——: focuses on factors affecting population size over time
A
Population Ecology
7
Q
—: a group of populations of different species in an area
A
Community
8
Q
——: examines how species interactions (e.g., predation, competition) affect community structure and organization
A
Community Ecology
9
Q
—: the community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they interact
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Ecosystem
10
Q
——: Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components
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Ecosystem Ecology
11
Q
—: a mosaic of connected ecosystems
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landscape (or seascape)
12
Q
——: Focuses on the exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems
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Landscape Ecology
13
Q
—: The global ecosystem, the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems
A
Biosphere
14
Q
——: examines the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the biosphere
A
Global Ecology
15
Q
— are major life zones characterized by:
- Vegetation type for — biomes
- Physical environment for — biomes
A
- Biomes
- terrestrial
- Aquatic
16
Q
—: the long-term (≥30-year) prevailing weather conditions in a given area
*Major factor determining the — of terrestrial biomes because it strongly influences the distribution of plants
A
- Climate
2. Location
17
Q
—: event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community
*E.g., frequent fires can kill woody plants and maintain the characteristic vegetation of a savanna
A
Disturbance
18
Q
General features of terrestrial biomes often name for major — or — factors and for —
A
- Physical
- Climatic
- Vegetation
19
Q
Usually grade into each other, without sharp boundaries
*Area of intergradation is called an — and may be wide or narrow
A
Ecotone
20
Q
Vertical layering is an important feature of terrestrial biomes, and in a forest it might consist of:
- Upper —
- Low — layer
- Shrub —
- — layer of herbaceous plants
- — floor
- — layer
A
- Canopy
- Tree
- Understory
- Ground
- Forest
- Root
21
Q
Biomes are — and the species composition of each kind varies from one location to another
A
Dynamic
22
Q
Similar characteristic can arise in distant biomes through — evolution
* E.g., cacti in the Americas and euphorbs in African deserts appear similar but are from different evolutionary lineages
A
Convergent
23
Q
Terrestrial Biomes can be characterized by:
- —
- —
- —
- —
- —
A
- Distribution
- Precipitation
- Temperature
- Plants
- Animals
24
Q
Tropical Forest
—: equatorial and subequatorial regions
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Distribution
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Tropical Forests
—:
* Tropical rain forests: rainfall is relatively constant
* Tropical dry forests: precipitation is highly seasonal
Precipitation
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Tropical Forest:
| —: high year-round (25–29 C) with little seasonal variation
Temperature
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Tropical Forest:
| —: vertically layered and competition for light is intense
Plants
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Tropical forest:
| —: diversity is higher than any other terrestrial biome
Animals
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Desert:
Distribution: occur in — near —— C north & south of the equator, and in the interior of continents
1. bands
| 2. 30 degrees C
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Desert
| Precipitation: — & — variable
1. Low
| 2. Highly
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Desert
| Temperature: variable — & — and may be — or —
1. Daily
2. Seasonally
3. Hot
4. Cold
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Desert
| Plants: adapted for — and — tolerance, — storage, and — leaf surface area
1. Heat
2. Desiccation
3. Water
4. Reduced
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Desert
| Animals: many are — and have adaptations for ——
1. Nocturnal
| 2. Water Conservation
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Aquatic Biomes are diverse and dynamic,ic systems that cover — of the —
1. Most
| 2. Earth
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Aquatic biomes account for the — part of the biosphere in terms of —
1. Largest
| 2. Area
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Aquatic biomes show less — variation than terrestrial biomes
Latitudinal
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Aquatic Biomes
Marine:
*Have salt concentrations of about —
*Largest is made of oceans which cover about — of Earth’s surface and have an enormous impact on the biosphere
1. 3%
| 2. 75%
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```
Aquatic Biomes
Freshwater:
*Have salt concentrations of less than 0.1%
*Influenced by:
~Surrounding — biome
~Patterns and speed of ——
~—
```
1. Terrestrial
2. Water Flow
3. Climate
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Many aquatic biomes are stratified into zones or layers defined by:
* ——
* — from —
* —
* —
1. Light Penetration
2. Distance from shore
3. Depth
4. Temperature
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Upper —— has sufficient light for photosynthesis
Photic zone
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Lower —— receives little light
Aphotic zone
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——: open water column outside of coastal areas (includes aphotic & photic zones)
Pelagic Zone
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——: sediment at the bottom of all aquatic zone
Benthic Zone
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—: community of organisms living in the benthic zone
Benthos
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—: falling dead organic matter that serves as an important food source for the benthos
Detritus
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——: deep region of the aphotic zone with a depth of 2,000-6,000 m
Abyssal Zone
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Zones based on distance from shore
Freshwater:
*——: shallow coastal water
* ——: photic odd-shore water
1. Littoral Zone
| 2. Limnetic Zone
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Zones based on distance from shore
Marine:
* ——: area between high and low tide marks
* ——: shallow coastal water
* ——: deeper off-shore water
```
1. Intertidal Zone
2. Neurotic Zone
3. Oceanic Zone
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Zones based on Temperature
*—: temperature boundary layer in oceans and most lakes that separates the warm upper layer from the cold deeper water
* —: semiannual mixing of lake waters
~Mixes oxygenated water from the surface with nutrient-rich water from the bottom
1. Thermocline
| 2. Turnover
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Communities in Aquatic Biomes
| * Vary with —, ——, — from shore, & position in the — or — zone
1. Depth
2. Light Penetration
3. Distance
4. Pelagic
5. Benthic
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Communities in Aquatic Biomes
| * Most organisms occur in the relatively shallow ——
Photic Zone
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Communities in Aquatic Biomes
| * The — zone in oceans is —, but harbors little life
1. Aphotic
| 2. Extensive
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Major Aquatic Biomes can be characterized by:
* — environment
* — environment
* — features
* — organisms
* —
1. Physical
2. Chemical
3. Geological
4. Photosynthetic
5. Heterotrophs
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Lakes
| * Physical: sizes vary from small — to very large —; may have seasonal or permanent—
1. Ponds
2. Lakes
3. Thermoclines
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Lakes
*Chemical:
~ Oligotrophic lakes: nutrient — and generally oxygen —
~ Eutrophic lakes: nutrient — and often — of oxygen
1. Poor
2. Rich
3. Rich
4. Depleted
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Lakes
| * Geological: eutrophic lakes have — surface area: depth ratio relative to depth than oligotrophic lakes
Higher
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Lakes
* Photosynthetic:
~ Littoral Zone: — & — aquatic plants
~ Limnetic Zone: —
1. Rooted & Floating
| 2. Phytoplankton
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Lakes
| * Heterotrophs: zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, fishes in zone with ——
Sufficient oxygen
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Coral Reefs
| * Physical: formed from the —— skeletons of corals
Calcium carbonate
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Coral Reefs
| * Chemical: require — oxygen levels
High
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Coral Reefs
| * Geological: requires a —— for attachment; coral reef progresses from a — reef, to a — reef, then a ——
1. Solid Substrate
2. Fringing
3. Barrier
4. Coral Atoll
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Coral Reef
| * Photosynthetic: —— live within Corals
Symbiotic algae
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Coral Reefs
| * Heterotrophs: — group of coral, fish and other invertebrates; biodiversity rival that of ——
1. Diverse
| 2. Tropical Rainforest
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Species distributions are the result of — factors (biotic and abiotic) and — history
*E.g., kangaroos occur only in Australia
~Lineage originated there when the continent was geographically —
~Ecological factors also affect the kangaroo distribution – particular species occur in some —, but — others
1. Ecological
2. Evolutionary
3. Isolated
4. Habitats
5. NOT
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Biotic and Abiotic Factors Influence Species Distribution:
- E.g., the distribution of Saguaro cacti is influenced by:
* —, — availability
* Mice and goats feed on seeds
* Bats pollinate the flowers
* — diseases
1. Temperature
2. Water
3. Bacterial
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—: movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or from their area of origin
*Contributes to —— of organisms
1. Dispersal
| 2. Global Distribution
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Natural range expansions show the influence of — on —
*E.g., cattle egrets arrived in the Americas in the late 1800s and have expanded their distribution
1. Dispersal
| 2. Distribution
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In rare cases, long-distance dispersal can lead to ——
| *E.g., Hawaiian silverswords are a diverse group descended from an ancestral North American tarweed
Adaptive Radiation
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Species Transplants:
| Include organisms that are intentionally or accidentally relocated from their ——
Original distribution
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Species Transplants:
| If successful, indicates that its potential range is — than its actual range
Larger
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Species Transplants:
| Species Transplants can — the communities or ecosystems to which they have been introduced
Disrupt
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Biotic factors that affect the distribution of organisms include:
* —
* —
* —
* —
* —
1. Predation
2. Herbivory
3. Competition
4. Mutualism
5. Parasitism
73
Abiotic factors affecting distribution of organisms include:
* —
* —
* —
* —
* —
* — & —
1. Temperature
2. Water
3. Oxygen
4. Salinity
5. Sunlight
6. Rocks & Soil
74
Most abiotic factors vary in — and —
Space and time
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Temperature is an important factor in — of organisms because of its effects on biological processes
* — may freeze and rupture below 0° C, while most —— above 45° C
* Distribution of mammals and birds (i.e., endotherms) influenced by ability to regulate — temperature
1. Distribution
2. Cells
3. Denatures proteins
4. Internal
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All terrestrial organisms and some species living near the seashore (tidal pools) are subject to —
*Desert organisms exhibit — for ——
1. Desiccation (drying out)
2. Adaptations
3. Water Conservation
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Water affects —— as — diffuses slowly in water
| *Oxygen concentrations can be — in deep oceans and deep lakes
1. Oxygen availability
2. Oxygen
3. Low
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Salinity
| * — concentration affects —— of organisms through —
1. Salt
2. Water balance
3. Osmosis
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Salinity:
*Most aquatic organisms are restricted to either —— or —— habitats
~Salmon are able to migrate between fresh water and ocean
1. Freshwater
| 2. Saltwater
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Sunlight:
| * Light intensity and quality (wavelength) affect —
Photosynthesis
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Sunlight:
| Water absorbs —, thus in aquatic environments most photosynthesis occurs near the —
1. Light
| 2. Surface
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Sunlight:
| In deserts, high light levels — temperature and can — plants and animals
1. Increase
| 2. Stress
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Sunlight:
| *Damaging —— can also limit survival and distribution of species
UV Radiation
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Rocks & Soil:
| * Many characteristics of soil limit — of plants and thus the animals that feed on them
Distribution
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Rocks & Soil:
| * Physical structure: determine the organisms that can — to a — or — within it
1. Attach
2. Substrate
3. Burrow
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Rocks & Soil:
* pH:
~ —(extreme acidic or basic conditions)
~ Solubilizing — & —
1. Directly
| 2. Toxic ants & Nutrients
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Rocks & Soil:
| * Mineral Composition: affects ——
Water chemistry
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The most significant influence on the distribution of organisms on land is —
Climate
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—: the long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area
* — year period or more
1. Climate
| 2. 30
90
—: consists of patterns on the global, regional, and landscape level
Macroclimate
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—: consists of very fine, localized patterns
| * eg. Those encountered by the community of organisms underneath a fallen log
Microclimate
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Global climate patterns are determined largely by —— and the —— in space
1. Solar energy
| 2. Planet’s movement
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Latitudinal variations in climate are caused by the warming effect of the sun:
* ——
* Drives — and the — of air and water
1. Temperature variations
2. Evaporation
3. Circulation
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Global climate change is the —— to the global climate lasting three decades or more
Directional change
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Burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have increased the concentration of —— in the atmosphere
* —and — patterns are shifting
* Global temperature and the frequency of extreme weather events have —
1. Greenhouse gases
2. Wind & precipitation
3. Increased
96
One way to predict the effects of future global climate change is to study — change
*E.g., as glaciers retreated 16,000 years ago, tree distributions shifted northward
Previous
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Species that have difficulty — or — of suitable replacement habitat may have smaller ranges or could become —
*E.g., the geographic ranges of 67 bumblebee species in the Northern Hemisphere have decreased
1. Dispersing
2. Shortage
3. Extinct
