Historical Geology - Environmental Diversity

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

The study of the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical environment.

Question 2

What is a Niche?

Answer 2

The way an organism related to its environment.

Question 3

What is a population?

Answer 3

A group of individuals that live in an area and reproduce.

Question 4

What is a community?

Answer 4

A group of populations of different species.

Question 5

What is Fauna?

Answer 5

All animals in an ecosystem.

Question 6

What is Flora?

Answer 6

All plants in an ecosystem.

Question 7

What is Biota?

Answer 7

The combination of fauna and flora in an ecosystem.

Question 8

What is Diversity?

Answer 8

The number of different taxa in an ecosystem or area.

Question 9

What is an autotroph?

Answer 9

An organism that can synthesize food from inorganic matter usually through photosynthesis.

Question 10

What is an herbivore?

Answer 10

Organism that feeds on primary producers (autotrophs).

Question 11

What is a carnivore?

Answer 11

Organism that feeds on other organisms (consumer/heterotroph).

Question 12

What is biogeography?

Answer 12

The study of the distribution and abundance of life across the planet, and how it responds to stimuli .

Question 13

What is latitudinal diversity gradient? What causes it?

Answer 13

The pattern of having lots of species at the equator with diversity dwindling off towards the poles. Temperature is related to latitude and altitude. Both effect diversity. Warmer temperatures and lower altitudes = more diversity.

Question 14

What are the effects of altitude on diversity?

Answer 14

• The higher the altitude the lower the temperature. Similar effect as latitude. Higher altitude = colder temperatures = less diversity.
• Altitude can also affect the distribution of moisture. eg mountains cause

Question 15

What are the effects of altitude on diversity?

Answer 15

• The higher the altitude the lower the temperature. Similar effect as latitude. Higher altitude = colder temperatures = less diversity.
• Altitude can also affect the distribution of moisture. eg mountains cause rain shadows.

Question 16

What are the seven Terrestrial environments? Explain each.

Answer 16

• Rain forests
  
  • extreme moisture and biodiversity
• Savannahs/grasslands
  
  • sufficient moisture for moderate biodiversity
  • mid-latitudes
  • seasonally wet, high temperature ranges
• Tundra
  
  • low temperatures
  • high altitudes
  • short growing season
• Evergreen forests
  
  • high to mid-latitudes
  • relatively short growing season
  • dominated by coniferous vegetation
• Temperate forest
  
  • somewhat longer summers
  • dominated by deciduous vegetation
• Desert
  
  • Arid (dry) variable temperatures
  • low biodiversity
• Mediterranean
  
  • hot, arid summers and cool, wet winters
  • primarily shrubs for vegetation

Question 17

What is Planktonic environment?

Answer 17

Organisms that drift in water column

Question 18

What is Pelogic environment?

Answer 18

organisms that live in the watercolumn (includes planktonic and swimmers).

Question 19

What is Benthic environment?

Answer 19

organisms that live on or in the sea floor

Question 20

What is a suspension feeder?

Answer 20

Organism that strains food out of the water.

Question 21

What is a deposit feeder?

Answer 21

Organism that ingests sediments and digests associated organic matter.

Question 22

What is a suspension feeder?

Answer 22

Organism that strains food out of the water. eg. corals and crinoids

Question 23

What is a deposit feeder?

Answer 23

Organism that ingests sediments and digests associated organic matter. eg some worms

Question 24

What are the two key variables in a marine enviroment?

Answer 24

water depth and temperature.

Question 25

What is upwelling?

Answer 25

• Transport of cold, nutrient-rich water to shallower depths.
• Results in an increase in growth.
• Occurs in coastal regions and as a result of ocean currents.

Question 26

What do ocean currents do?

Answer 26

They distribute heat and nutrients.

Question 27

How are marine environments differentiated?

Answer 27

By water depth.

Question 28

Name 4 marine environments and explain each.

Answer 28

• Continental Shelf
  
  • Submerged edge of the continents
• Shelf Break / Shelf Slope
  
  • Edge of the continental plate
  • Change to steeper slope
  • Typically start around 200m water depth
• Continental Rise
  
  • Collection of continental sediments at the base of the shelf slope
• Abyssal Plain
  
  • Deep ocean floor (typically 3-6 km deep)

Question 29

Name 4 coastal environments and describe each.

Answer 29

• Marshes
  
  • Areas of low-growing intertidal plant life, accumulates as peat.
  • Source materials for coal
• Reefs
  
  • Formed by successive generations of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) producing invertebrates (e.g., corals)
  • Shallow, within the photic zone (otherwise you get drowned reefs)
• Beaches
  
  • Intertidal zones composed of extremely well-sorted sediments
• Barrier Islands
  
  • Sand deposits parallel to shoreline (built by wave action)

Question 30

What is an intertidal zone?

Answer 30

The area subaerially exposed at low tide and submerged during hightide
-The area between the low tide and high tide marks

Question 31

What is a subtidal zone?

Answer 31

The area that is not subaerially exposed during low tide

Question 32

What is wave base?

Answer 32

The depth at which sediments are not affected by wave action.

Question 33

What is salinity?

Answer 33

The amount of salt in the water.

Question 34

Is the distribution of life around the planet random?

Answer 34

no

Question 35

What are the primary factors affecting the distribution of life on earth?

Answer 35

• Temperature
• water availability (on land)
• light availability
• nutrient availability

Question 36

Why are altitude/depth and latitude very important in the distribution of life on earth?

Answer 36

They determine they types and numbers of organisms that grow in different parts of the world.