Intro to Ecology -50

Question 1

What is ecology`s goal

Answer 1

[*] Ecology’s goal is to explain the distribution and abundance of organisms. It is the branch of biology that provides a scientific foundation for conservation efforts.

Question 2

What are the four levels of ecology

Answer 2

organisims

populations

communities

ecosystems

Question 3

What are the primary factors limiting distribution and abundance of aquatic species

Answer 3

Nutrients: nitrogen and phosporus mech - ocean upsell, lake turnover

Water depth: sun wavelengths - how far it can reach determins diversity photosynthesis

runoff locations

Question 4

What are the pirmary factors limiting distribution and abundance of terrestrial specites

Answer 4

climate - terrestrial vegitation - biomes

temp and moisture predict productivity and degree of seasonality in biomes

Biotic & abiotic

Question 5

Why does climate vary with latitude, elevation, and proximity to oceans and mountains

Answer 5

abiotic factors: wind, sunlight, temp, moisture, soil health, chemistry of H2O, sun asymmetric radiation, Hadley cells, mountains, ocean (moderates temperature)

Question 6

How a species distribution contrained by historical, biotic and abiotic factors

Answer 6

dispersal ability

climactic survival

avoiding predators

historical

Question 7

Define morphological

Answer 7

shape and appearance of body and components

Question 8

define physiological

Answer 8

how a body functions

Question 9

What affects an organisims capacity to live in a place

Answer 9

morphological

physiological

behavioural

Question 10

What is a population

Answer 10

individuals of same species

live at the same place & time

Question 11

define community ecology

Answer 11

how specites interact in an area

Effects: predation, parasitism, competition or natural disasters

Question 12

define ecosystem

Answer 12

all living and non living things, nutrients, and energy move and change

pollution study

Question 13

what is the purpose of conservation biology

Answer 13

to study, preserve and restore threatened commuinities of ecosystems poplution

Question 14

define abiotic

Answer 14

non living

air

water

soil

temp

precipitation

sun

wind

Question 15

define biotic

Answer 15

living

of same or different species

Question 16

define productivity

Answer 16

total carbon fixed by photosynthesis per unit year

Question 17

define eutrophication

Answer 17

result of overfertilizing lakes - increase photoplanction, increase aquatic plants and decrease of oxygen in deep water

caused by phosphorus detergents

Question 18

define littoral zone

Answer 18

seashore

Question 19

limnetic zone

Answer 19

lake zone

shore

Question 20

benthic zone

Answer 20

depths - substrate level

Question 21

photic zone

Answer 21

areas receiving sunlinght - plancton

Question 22

aphotic zone

Answer 22

not receiving sunlight

Question 23

What will happen to small tropical lakes, no currents, constant temp, getting excess nutrients

how does this affect the diversity of life

Answer 23

no thermoincline = no turnover of lake

at littoral zone = huge bloom and consumption of ozygen in water = dead zone = decrease of ecological diversity

Question 24

why are fish in cold fast moving water more active than in warm slow moving streams

Answer 24

fast water = high oxygen content - cellular respiration increased, and low nutrient levels bc washing away

slow water = decrease oxygen levels and increase nutrient levels

Question 25

estuary

Answer 25

enviro of brackish salt water as rivers meet ocean constant fluctuation of salinity as water flow changes

Question 26

why do esutaries and freshwater marshes have decreased amount of species athough both have shallow water havitats with a lage number of rooted plants

Answer 26

estuary high fluctuation of nutrients low amount of species have the adaptations to deal with a constantly fluctuation environment - salinity

Question 27

biome

Answer 27

major grouping of plant and animal communities defined by dominant vegitation

Question 28

climate

Answer 28

prevailing long term wather in an area

Question 29

weather

Answer 29

specific short term atmospheric conditions - temp precipitation sun and wind

Question 30

biome nature

Answer 30

average annual temp and precipitation annual variation in temp and precipitation species depend on temp an dmoisture regime

Question 31

net primary producticity (NPP)

Answer 31

amount of carbon fixed per year versus amount oxidized via cellular respiration

Question 32

biomass

Answer 32

total mass of carbon organisims

Question 33

above ground biomass

Answer 33

total mass of above ground plants

Question 34

Why do vines and epiphytes increase the productivity of tropical wet forests

Answer 34

space fille between small and large trees capture light and nutrients may not be used otherwise increases efficiency

Question 35

How have desert plants evolved

Answer 35

slow growth rate fast grouing during the rainy season small or no leaves thick waxy coating evolved to prevent water loss

Question 36

Eyeless fish and crustaceans found in large underground cave systems. Why do these animals found in aphotic zones have non functioning eyes

Answer 36

no sunlight = no need to invest energy to grow them adaptation

Question 37

Why are fies more common in grasslands than in desets although grassland has more rainfall

Answer 37

lots more fuel for fire

Question 38

How will Mountain pine beetle affect boreal forests distrivution - climate change

Answer 38

boreal forests huge carbon sink = large amount of co2 releaseing into the atmosphere = high rate of climate change

Question 39

What are rain shadows

Answer 39

lack of rain on one side of the mountain on side and desert on the other

Question 40

What is a Hadley cell

Answer 40

major cycle in global air sys air wetter at equador = increased temp decresed pressure = air rises and causes a push repeats at 30-60 degree and 60 - north pole

Question 41

What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of tropical wet forests

Answer 41

equatorial regions broad leaves consistant temp high variation in precipitation, very high annual total tree canopy epiphytes

Question 42

What are the distinct charateristics and distribution of subtropical deserts

Answer 42

found degrees latitue, or distance from the equator, north and south high average temp - moderate variation low annual precipitation plants - intense competion of water

Question 43

What are the distinct characteristics of seperate grasslands

Answer 43

found central N american and and Eurasia moderate variation in temp - hot summers - cold winters precipitation - variation moderate and annual total is low lots of prarie fires plant life very dense

Question 44

distigushing factors of temperate forests

Answer 44

N America, W Europe, East Asia, Chile, New Zealand high ave temp, variation moderate Precipitation- low deciduous species - diversity moderate

Question 45

distingushing charateristics of boreal forests

Answer 45

Canada, Alaska, Russia, N Europe - subarctic Temp ave low, variation high Precipitation Low cold temp = low evaporation = tree growth evergreens acidic soils, low nitrogen large biomass, low species variation

Question 46

distingushing charateristics of arctic tundra

Answer 46

poleward from the subarctic North and South Temp - very low, variation high precipitation - low short woody shrubs permafrost

Question 47

Consequences of climate change

Answer 47

species diversity decreases high variability in temp and precipitation decreasing fitness of species