Ecology Intro

Question 1

Ecology is …..

Answer 1

the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 2

Ecology can be studied at all levels of biological
organization. Which of the following lists have the levels of ecological organization arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive?
A) individual, community, population, ecosystem
B) ecosystem, community, population, individual
C) individual, population, community, ecosystem
D) community, ecosystem, individual, population

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What are 5 abiotic factors that contribute to ecology? CWOSS

Answer 3

Climate, water dependence, oxygen levels, salinity (soils & water), and soil nutrients

Question 4

What are 4 biotic factors that contribute to ecology? CPHS

Answer 4

Competition, predation, herbivory, symbioses

Question 5

What are the 6 levels of ecology in order from most inclusive to least inclusive?
GLECPO

Answer 5

Global ecology, landscape ecology, ecosystem ecology, community ecology, population ecology, organismal ecology

Question 6

What is climate? What are the 4 parts of climate?

Answer 6

Climate is long-term prevailing weather conditions. It can change, but it is not variable like weather is.
Temperature, precipitation, sunlight, wind

Question 7

What is macro-climate vs. microclimate?

Answer 7

Macroclimate - patterns on the global or regional level. Affected by air patterns and precipitation.
Microclimate - fine scale weather patterns. Affected by small bodies of water, landscape, and local sunlight patterns.

Question 8

Why is it cold at the poles and warm at the equator?

Answer 8

Latitudinal variation in sunlight intensity.
Sunlight hits the earth at different angles. At the poled, there are larger areas being illuminated, so there is less sun per unit area because the sun is more spread out.

Question 9

What degrees is the equator at?

Answer 9

Equator is at 0 degrees latitude

Question 10

What degrees is the North pole at? South pole?

Answer 10

North pole - 90 degrees N
South pole - 90 degrees S

Question 11

_______ + _________ drive global air circulation/precipitation.

Answer 11

Variation in temperature + Coriolis force

Question 12

Explain the process (generally) of global air circulation

Answer 12

Start at equator where its very hot, lots of evaporating water, the ascending moist air releases moisture (lots of rainfall). As hot air rises, it starts to cool off, and as it gets higher it precipitates off, this causes a circulation - air being pushed to the side at the top.
Dry air masses in the upper atmosphere are being circulated out, and they eventually sweep back down towards the equator to fill the vacant spot.

Question 13

What degrees do the large air currents flow between?

Answer 13

0 degrees and 30 degrees
30 degrees and 60 degrees

Question 14

At what degrees are the driest parts of earth?

Answer 14

At 30 degrees, where all the dry air is starting to be pushed to move back to the equator.

Question 15

What is the Coriolis force?

Answer 15

How things move on a spherical body (planet)

Question 16

In what directions do the trade winds move? (Coriolis force) where are they?

Answer 16

Deflected winds move from East to West in the lower latitudes (between 0 and 30N, 0 and 30S)

Question 17

In what directions do the Westerlies move?

Answer 17

The flow from West to East, in the upper latitudes (between 30N and 60N, 30S and 60S)

Question 18

Describe a sea breeze

Answer 18

During the day, the sun is out for a while, the land heats up faster than the water (h20 high specific heat). Hot air rises over the beach, cold air from the ocean more in to fill that space.

Question 19

Describe a land breeze

Answer 19

At night, the beach feels cold and water feels warmer. Both have been soaking up heat all day, and the heat dissipates off of earth faster that it does the ocean.

Question 20

In what way do currents flow in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 20

Currents flow clockwise

Question 21

In what way do currents flow in the southern hemisphere?

Answer 21

Currents flow counterclockwise

Question 22

Describe the heat changes in the ocean currents (start with equator)
On which coast is warm water brought to? Cold water?

Answer 22

At the equator, water gets heated up and continues around the circle of the current.
On the east coast of all continents, warm water is being brought there. All the warm water coming directly from the equator.
On the west coast of all continents, cold water is brought, coming from the poles.

Question 23

______ have large impacts on climate.

Answer 23

Mountians (elevation changes)!

Question 24

How does a mountain range impact climate? (If one is next to ocean) What are the leeward and wayward sides?

Answer 24

As sea breeze brings boisterous air inland, air goes up and over the mountain. Up in elevation, it gets colder, and lots of precipitation is found on the wayward side (ocean side), that drops the moisture. The other side has very dry air coming down, on the leeward side.

Question 25

In addition to global patterns of air movement, many places on Earth experience ‘seasonal’ variations in climate. Which of the following causes Earth’s seasons? A) Earth's tilt on its axis B) changes in the Earth's distance from the sun C) ocean currents D) global wind patterns

Answer 25

A

Question 26

What causes the seasons?

Answer 26

The earths tilt. It is not at a 90 degree angle to the sun. Different hemispheres are facing a bit more or less towards the sun at any given point in our rotation. Tilt gives you more or less sun rays that determine how much sun you get

Question 27

What is a biome? What are the two types?

Answer 27

Major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial biomes) or physical environment (aquatic biomes)

Question 28

What two things are terrestrial biomes based off of?

Answer 28

Average temperature and average rainfall (also mountains, latitude, and oceans)

Question 29

What characteristics does a tropical rainforest have?

Answer 29

Very high temperature (close to equator) High rainfall High primary output of photosynthesis, has a very diverse community of animals and plants

Question 30

What characteristics does a temperate broadleaf forest have?

Answer 30

Cool-warm temperatures (vary with season) Higher latitudes Located along coastlines Less rain than equator but adequate rainfall

Question 31

What characteristics do grasslands have?

Answer 31

Same latitudes and similar temperatures as temperate broadleaf forests Drier (far from ocean) Less rainfall Grasses do C4 photosynthesis

Question 32

What characteristics do deserts have?

Answer 32

Around same altitude as grasslands, but have a mountain range casting rain shadow. Very dry environment Minimal rainfall Fluctuating temperatures due to low humidity Mostly CAM plants

Question 33

What characteristics does a coniferous forest have?

Answer 33

More Northward regions Colder temperatures, coniferous forests overtake broadleaf forests Decent amount of rainfall

Question 34

What characteristics does tundra have?

Answer 34

Very low temperatures Very low amount of rainfall No trees, predominated by shrub and bush species

Question 35

How can aquatic biomes be defined?

Answer 35

Where the water is/how much water there is

Question 36

What two types of inland (enclosed) lakes are there? What are there characteristics?

Answer 36

Oligotrophic lake - short food chain, very clear water Eutrophic lake - has a true food chain, murky water

Question 37

What are five other types of aquatic biomes?

Answer 37

Running water - has high dissolved oxygen concentration Wetlands - shallow standing water & patches of earth Estuary - where freshwater meets saltwater (high differences in salinity, organisms need to be able to adapt) Open ocean Coastal regions (coral reefs) - primary producers are corals - 'the rainforests of the seas'

Question 38

All biomes are __________.

Answer 38

Stratified! Where organisms can live within the biome is specified. Ex. Within a lake: photic zone, benthic zone Within an ocean: intertidal zone, abyssal zone (have some zones in common)

Question 39

Biomes can undergo seasonal changes, aka _________.

Answer 39

Turnover! As water is heated up or cooled down, it will start to mix, and stir up nutrients