Ecology and environment variation

Ecology

the study of relationships between organisms and among organisms and the physical environment

ecological system

refers to the hierarchal levels of organization

individual

living entities that are genetically and physically discrete

population

group of interbreeding individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area in space and time

communities

populations of species that occur together in the same space and time

• interacting species

ecosystem

biological community together with its associated physical and chemical environment

landscape

multiple ecosystems that are connected by the movement of individuals, populations, matter, and energy

Biosphere

portions of the earth that support life, including land, water, and atmosphere

Autoecology

Understanding individuals

• behaviour, physiology, morphology

Population ecology

How factors influence population size, structure, and dynamics

Community ecology

How factors influence entire communities

Ecosystem ecology

Understanding how factors influence the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients

Landscape ecology

How factors modify landscape structure

Macroecology

Study of processes at large spatial scales

Global ecology

Study of processes at the global scale

Ecosystem

An arbitrarily defined geographic volume containing interacting biotic and abiotic factors, connected to other ecosystems by a series of inputs and outputs

Hierarchy of ecological systems

Individuals < populations < communities < communities < ecosystems < landscape < biosphere

abiotic factors

non-living parts of ecosystems

biotic factors

living parts of ecosystems

factors to consider in ecosystems

• ecosystems are connected to each other by inputs and outputs

• change through time

• humans may or may not be a part of the system

inductive reasonings

made from observations

deductive reasoning

made from hypotheses to make predictions

what causes ecosytems to vary

their climate

weather

day to day state of atmosphere

climate

long term average weather

latitudinal lines

east/west lines with a centre equator

longitudinal lines

north/west lines with centre prime meridian

four north/south divisions of the globe

• arctic circle

• tropic of cancer

• tropic of capricorn

• antarctic circle

latittude of north and south poles

90 degrees

solar angle of incidence

the angle at which sunlight strikes a surface on earth

significance of solar angle of incidence

different parts of the planet receive different amounts of solar energy depending on their latitude

• the areas closer to the poles are heated over a larger period so they are colder

This drives the major climatic systems on our planet

3 types of global cells

• hadley cells 0-30 degrees

• ferrel cells 30-60 degrees

• polar cells 60-90 degrees

Hadley cells

closest to the equator

• form due to hot air rising, cooling, and forming condensation at the equator

polar cells

at the highest points on the globe

• form like hadley cells due to hot air rising, cooling, and falling very cold

ferrel cells

middle cells

• maintained from the energy of other cells

• air absorbs moisture and descends dry

coriolis effect

phenomenon that causes objects to deflect from their path as they travel across or above the earths surface, caused by the earths rotation

coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere

deflected to the right of their direction of travel

coriolis effect in the southern hemisphere

winds are deflected to the left of direction of travel

westerlies

winds from ferrel cells that were pushed down and absorbed moisture

Easterlies

winds from polar cells that absorb moisture

direction of spinning storms

• northern hemisphere = counter clockwise

• southern hemisphere = clockwise

Topographic effects

How large topography and water bodies also influence climate to a smaller scale than climate cells

Rain shadow effect

One side of the mountain receives all the moisture, leaving the other side dry

gyres

circulation systems created by horizontal currents across the ocean

• driven by winds, coriolis effect, and land masses

Ekman spiral

coriolis effect moves water vertically and horizontaly constantly

• every layer is45 degrees angled from the one above causing a vertical spiral

coastal upwelling

deeper waters replace water near shore caused by ekman transport moving parallel to wind and coast

terrestrial biomes

major division of the terrestrial environment with a similar climate, distinguished primarily by its predominant vegetation

soil

a complex mixture of organic and nonliving inorganic material upon which most terrestrial life depends and formed through a process caled weathering

mechanical weathering

physical breakdown by the combined action of water, wind, and plant growth through the soil

chemical weathering

alteration of minerals through chemical reactions

desert biome ranges

different ranges are influenced by hadley cells

• warm and dry air from hadley cells makes hot deserts

• the rain shadow effect cools and dries are so areas further on will have cooler deserts