Biol 308: Week 1

Scientists studying climate change are likely addressing the issue at the…?

Biosphere level

Fluctuating numbers of predator and prey, like wolves and moose on Isle Royale in Lake Superior, is an example of studying ecology from a…?

Population approach

When one studies a particular stream at various times of the year noting changes in species richness (the number of species present in the stream), one is likely studying ecology from a..?

community approach

The area where one might expect to find a certain species of plant growing would be termed its?

geographic range

All the wood frogs in a 2 hectare square area of hardwood forest would be considered a?

Population

The fundamental/smallest unit of ecology is the?

individual

Which is the largest ecological system in scale?

biosphere

The change in genetic composition of a population over generations is termed

evolution

Ecologists who study the mechanisms by which certain species like woodchucks (Marmota monax) hibernate would be studying ecology from which approach?

organismal approach

A doe and her fawn live in a small forest. They move out to the forest edge and into a nearby field to feed, and they drink from a pond across the field or from a stream that runs out of the forest. Sometimes they venture across the highway to the forest on the other side. The interaction of these animals with several communities suggests they are living at what spatial scale?

landscape

If an ecologist were studying the regional interactions among multiple populations of different species and how they influence the exchange of materials between their various environments, then this would be an example of which kind of research?

landscape ecology

Microevolution occurs when…?

changes in allele frequencies in a population occur over generations

The questions of how chemicals flow and energy cycles between organisms and their surroundings are addressed in the study of which level of ecological organization?

ecosystem

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

The study of how an individual organism interacts with its environment. Examines the physiological, behavioral, and evolutionary adaptations that allow a single organism to survive and reproduce.

Organismal ecology

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

The study of groups of individuals of the same species. Studies population size, density, growth, structure, and how these change over time due to births, deaths, immigration, and environmental pressures.

population ecology

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

Focuses on the interacting populations of different species. Investigates species interactions such as predation, competition, mutualism, and how these relationships shape community structure and diversity

community ecology

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

Studies the communities plus the physical environment. Looks at energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment

ecosystem ecology

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

Focuses on multiple ecosystems across a broader area and the exchanges of energy, materials, and the organisms.

Landscape ecology

Which level of organization best fits the following description:

Examines global-scale processes such as climate patterns, biogeochemical cycles, and how ecosystems across the planet interact and influence one another

Global ecology

Identify the spatial scale described:

A small, specific area where direct interactions occur, often a single habitat or site

Local scale

Identify the spatial scale described:

A larger geographic area containing multiple local sites that share some environmental or biotic characteristics

Regional scale

Identify the spatial scale described:

A mosaic of interacting ecosystems across a broad area, defined by spatial patterns and habitat configuration.

landscape scale

Identify the spatial scale described:

Very large areas defined by evolutionary history, continental position, and major barriers to dispersal

Biogeographic scale

Identify the spatial scale described:

The entire Earth system. All ecosystems and biomes combined.

global scale

Who are the founders of ecology and evolution?

Darwin and Alexander Von Humbolt

Who was Alexander Von Humbolt?

German geographer, naturalist, and explorer. He journaled about plants and animals and concluded that everything works together

How do bodies of water moderate temperature?

Water has high specific heat capacity. Water can absorb large amounts of heat without getting much hotter.

What’s albedo?

A measure of how much light or radiation a surface reflects instead of absorbing

What does it mean if a surface has high albedo?

The surface reflects a high amount of sunlight and stays cooler

What does it mean if a surface has low albedo?

The surface absorbs sunlight and warms up

Would an urban environment have high or low albedo?

Low albedo

What percentage of sunlight do glaciers reflect?

95%

What percentage of sunlight do urban areas absorb?

5-15%

Define: Gyres

circular patterns of water movements

What are upwelling zones and why are they important?

Upwelling zones bring nutrient filled water from the depths of the ocean, where decomposition occurs, up to the surface of the ocean. It’s important because it feeds organisms

What’s a rain shadow?

A dry region on the downwind side of a mountain range

How are rain shadows created?

rain shadows are created because mountains block moist air and force it to rise, cool, and lose its moisture as precipitation. The air that descends on the opposite side become warm and very dry, producing a distinct climate

What are 2 components of Earth’s tropical atmospheric circulation that explain why the equator is rainy, why the subtropics are dry, and how global wind patterns form?

Hadley cells and the Intertropical convergence zone

What are Hadley cells and where are they found?

huge loops of air moving on each side of the equator. creates trade winds

How do Hadley cells produce trade winds?

1) the equator heats up, so warm air rises

2) air moves toward the poles high in the atmosphere

3) air sinks back down

4) near the surface, it flows back toward the equator as trade winds

What is the intertropical convergence zone located?

the rainy belt near the equator where the trade winds from both hemispheres meet (northern/southern)

How does the intertropical convergence zone work?

1) warm, humid air rises

2) trade winds from both hemispheres meet

3) deep convection and thunderstorms form

4) heavy rainfall occurs year-round

What type of weather is the ITCZ responsible for?

monsoons

tropical wet/dry seasons

What type of weather are Hadley cells responsible for at the equator?

tropical (rain) and subtropical (dry) weather

Which surface winds do Ferrel cells produce?

Westerlies; winds blowing from the west

Ferrel cells are responsible for the climate patterns of which locations?

US, Europe, Southern Canada

Which surface winds do polar cells produce?

easterlies (cold, dry winds blowing from the east)

In a normal year, how do trade winds normally behave?

they push warm water away from south America, allowing cold water to rise, leading to upwelling

creates cold coastal waters and dry conditions

Describe an El Nino year

-weak trade winds

-warm water moves back towards south america

-leads to warm/wet winters in north america

Describe an La Nina year

-strong trade winds

-warm water pushed further away

-colder water rises in south america

-leads to cold,dry winter in North America