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Bio 152 > Ecology Intro > Flashcards

Ecology Intro Flashcards

1
Q

Ecology is …..

A

the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

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2
Q

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

A

B

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3
Q

What are 5 abiotic factors that contribute to ecology? CWOSS

A

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

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4
Q

What are 4 biotic factors that contribute to ecology? CPHS

A

Competition, predation, herbivory, symbioses

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5
Q

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

A

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

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6
Q

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

A

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

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7
Q

What is macro-climate vs. microclimate?

A

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.

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8
Q

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

A

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.

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9
Q

What degrees is the equator at?

A

Equator is at 0 degrees latitude

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10
Q

What degrees is the North pole at? South pole?

A

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

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11
Q

_______ + _________ drive global air circulation/precipitation.

A

Variation in temperature + Coriolis force

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12
Q

Explain the process (generally) of global air circulation

A

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.

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13
Q

What degrees do the large air currents flow between?

A

0 degrees and 30 degrees
30 degrees and 60 degrees

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14
Q

At what degrees are the driest parts of earth?

A

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

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15
Q

What is the Coriolis force?

A

How things move on a spherical body (planet)

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16
Q

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

A

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

17
Q

In what directions do the Westerlies move?

A

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

18
Q

Describe a sea breeze

A

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.

19
Q

Describe a land breeze

A

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.

20
Q

In what way do currents flow in the northern hemisphere?

A

Currents flow clockwise

21
Q

In what way do currents flow in the southern hemisphere?

A

Currents flow counterclockwise

22
Q

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

A

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.

23
Q

______ have large impacts on climate.

A

Mountians (elevation changes)!

24
Q

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

A

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.

25
Q

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

A

A

26
Q

What causes the seasons?

A

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

27
Q

What is a biome? What are the two types?

A

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

28
Q

What two things are terrestrial biomes based off of?

A

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

29
Q

What characteristics does a tropical rainforest have?

A

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

30
Q

What characteristics does a temperate broadleaf forest have?

A

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

31
Q

What characteristics do grasslands have?

A

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

32
Q

What characteristics do deserts have?

A

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

33
Q

What characteristics does a coniferous forest have?

A

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

34
Q

What characteristics does tundra have?

A

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

35
Q

How can aquatic biomes be defined?

A

Where the water is/how much water there is

36
Q

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

A

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

37
Q

What are five other types of aquatic biomes?

A

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’

38
Q

All biomes are __________.

A

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)

39
Q

Biomes can undergo seasonal changes, aka _________.

A

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

Bio 152 (12 decks)

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