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Ecology > Lecture 3 climate > Flashcards

Lecture 3 climate Flashcards

1
Q

Ecophysiology

A

adaptation of organisms physiology to environment

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2
Q

Plant ecophysiology

A

Mechanisms - sensing and responding to env. changes

Integration of responses to variable conditions

  • radiation
  • temp
  • water …

phenotypic plasticity [change within lifetime]

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3
Q

animal ecophysiology

A

endocrine system
metabolism
thermoregulation

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4
Q

abiotic env.

A 
Radiation
 Temperature 
 Air
 Water
 Soil
 Chemicals
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5
Q

Climate

A

earth spherical = latitudinal variation in solar radiation absorption

Teperature and precipitation = vary with latititude

proportion of land or ocean = affects temp

totation around axis = air and water movment = wind and ocean currents

tilt of earths axis and orbit = seasons

altitude = surface uneven

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6
Q

climate involves

A

radiation [solar]
temperature
humidity
precipitation

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7
Q

Albedo effect

A

fraction of solar radiation reflected from earth back into space

measure of the reflectivity of earths surface (ice and snow reflect. forests and water absorb0

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8
Q

northen hemisphere greater proportion of land vs southern

A

northern warmer.
land radiates more heat to air above it
oceans absorb it more

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9
Q

circulation and precipitation

A

solar radiation determines atmospheric air circulation and percipitation patterns

air warmed. expands. becomes less dense. rises. cools. releases moisture (precipitation)

rising warm air replaced by surface air flowing in setting up atmospheric circulation cells

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10
Q

Coriolis effect

A

earths rotation = wind and ocean currents

prevailing wind meeting continents = large circular ocean currents called gyres

ocean currents transport heat

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11
Q

primary production and climate

A

primary production varies with latitude

primary production influences community diversity

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12
Q

Solar radiation

4 points

A
  1. Solar radiation drives global climate patterns
  2. 70% absorbed by atmosphere and earths surface
  3. Much of energy radiated from earths surface in form of heat
  4. Greenhouse gases e.g. CO2 trap most of radiated heat in atmosphere
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13
Q

Solar radiation
Albedo effect
5 points

A
  1. Albedo is fraction of solar radiation reflected from earth back into space
  2. Measure of reflectivity of earths surface
  3. Ice and snow reflect
  4. Water and forests absorb
  5. (high albedo = high reflection)
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14
Q

Solar radiation
Coriolis effect
5 points

A
  1. Earth rotation generates global wind and ocean currents
  2. Rotation fastest at equator
  3. Prevailing wind patterns drive ocean circulation patterns or currents
  4. Prevailing winds meeting continents set up large circular ocean currents called gyres
  5. Ocean currents affect earths climates by transporting heat
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15
Q

Solar radiation

Determines atmospheric air circulation and precipitation patterns

2 points

A
  1. Air warmed, expands, becomes less dense, rises, cools, releases moisture (precipitation)
  2. Rising warm air replaced by surface air flowing in, setting up atmospheric circulation cells
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16
Q

Temperature

Northern hemisphere slightly warmer and more variable in temperature than southern hemisphere

2 points

A
  1. North (greater proportion of land) - land radiates more heat to air above it
  2. South - Oceans absorb more heat
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17
Q

Earths climate

involves

A
  1. Radiation
  2. Temperature
  3. Humidity
  4. Precipitation
  5. Global circulations
18
Q

Earths climate
involves
4 points

A
  1. Radiation
  2. Temperature
  3. Humidity
  4. Precipitation
  5. Global circulations
19
Q

Earths climate
Global variation in climate
2 points

A
  1. Biomes: grouping of ecologically similar organisms shaped by environment
  2. affects primary production which influences community diversity
20
Q

Scales of Spatial variation in climate

Variation across climatic zones

A

§ Latitudinal variation in climate
§ Biomes
§ Climate affects which species present in community e.g. tropicl forrests, arctic tundra
§ Strongest effect for species with low powers of dispersal

21
Q

Scales of Spatial variation in climate

Variation across climatic zones

4 points

A
  1. Latitudinal variation in climate
  2. Biomes
  3. Climate affects which species present in community e.g. tropical forests, arctic tundra
  4. Strongest effect for species with low powers of dispersal
22
Q

Scales of Spatial variation in climate

Variation within a region

2 points

A
  1. Spatial variation affects species distribution
  2. Saguaro cactus -
    killed when temp below freezing for 36 hours.
    Daily thaw no problem. Arizona northern and eastern limits correspond to places where on occasional days it fails to thaw
23
Q

Scales of Spatial variation in climate

adaptations to temperature

4 points

A
  1. Organisms can modify heat exchange
  2. Fixed properties e.g. reflective cuticle of desert plants
  3. Behavioural responses e.g. shade seeking or sun basking
  4. Physiological response e.g. shivering (bumble bees)

All have costs and limits

24
Q

microclimate

3 points

A
  1. Trapped moisture
  2. trees and forests create microclimates
  3. Bottom of valley may be much colder at night
25
Q

What varies with Latitude

A

temperature

precipitation

26
Q

why does amount of solar radiation received on earth vary with latitude

4 points

A

Earth:

  1. Is a sphere
  2. Orbits sun
  3. Spins on tilted axis
  4. Both land and water
27
Q

Seasons

4 points

A
  1. Tilt of earths axis and orbit create seasons
  2. Tilt of earths axis relative to sun causes greater seasonal variation in temperature at higher and lower latitudes
  3. Near equator day length and seasonal temperatures change only slightly
  4. Tilt explains why northern and southern hemisphere have opposite seasonal patterns
28
Q

adaptation to seasons

5 points

A
  1. Tolerance
  2. Dormancy
  3. Migration
  4. Seasonal shedding of leaves by plants
  5. Seasonal lifecycles in animals
29
Q

topography

4 points

A
  1. Altitude
    surface of earth uneven mountains have altitudinal gradients
    Climate varies with altitude
  2. Ocean floor topography affects water depth
  3. Human infrastructure and agriculture have transformed half of the earths area
  4. ocean floor topography affects
30
Q

mountain topography affects

5 points

A
  1. Temperature decreases with elevation
  2. Precipitation increases with elevation
  3. Rain shadow on windward side of mountains
  4. Temperature inversion in valleys
  5. Environmental conditions vary over relatively short distances
31
Q

ocean floor topography affects

5 points

A
  1. Water depth
  2. Light penetration
  3. Water temperature
  4. Water pressure
  5. Water movement
32
Q

Adaptation to diurnal (day time) variation in climate

2 points

A
  1. Circadian rhythm - 24 hour cycle in physiological processes of plants, animals, fungi and bacteria
  2. Response to external cues such as sunlight and temperature
    e. g. birds sing in morning, slugs active at night and mosquitoes bite at night
33
Q

Plants differ in their capacity to photosynthesise

2 points

A
  1. Highest photosynthetic capacity
    plants from env where nutrients water and light are seldom limiting
  2. Lower photosynthetic capacity
    plants from resource poor env
34
Q

annual variation in radiation -

animals

A
  1. may affect life cycles of animals

E.g. birds migrate, hedgehogs hibernate

35
Q

Animal adaptation to temperature

endotherms

5 points

A
  1. regulate temperature by producing heat within bodies (birds and mammals)
  2. Regulate temperature
  3. Constancy of performance
  4. Large expenditure of energy
  5. Large requirement for food
36
Q

Animal adaptation to temperature

ectotherms

A
  1. rely on external sources of heat (other animals, plants, microorganisms)
  2. Killed by extreme temp
  3. Lower optimum temp perform slowly
  4. On either side of optimum temp show reduced viability
  5. Temp affects whole life cycle
37
Q

Animals and moisture

3 points

A
  1. Availability linked to temperature
  2. Great microclimatic variation
  3. Adaptations to retain moisture and limit desiccation
38
Q

Environmental change

3 points

A
  1. Predicted change in global temperature
  2. Warming not uniform
  3. more marked in arctic than southerly latitudes 2-5 C in next 100 yrs
39
Q

plant adaptations to radiation

3 points

A
  1. Phenotypic plasticity e.g. growing leaves differently
  2. Daily movement of leaves
  3. Some species avoid competition for light by growing early in season - vernal species e.g. bluebell.

But may be exposed to temperature stress

40
Q

environmental change
arctic aphid
6 points

A
  1. Overwintering eggs = females
  2. Females produce daughters without mating
  3. Several generations a sexual generation is produced (males and females which lay overwintering eggs)
  4. Cue is environmental (day length or temp)
  5. Control is genetic
  6. Raised temperature = population increase.

… How might this affect food and predators

Ecology (8 decks)

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