General Ecology Exam 1 Review--Kent State University--De Szalay

1800s; 1960s

Ecology was recognized as as scientific discipline in the ___________ but studies increase after the ________ (the hay-day of ecology), likely due to population growth and an ever-increasing need for ecology to be applied toward human needs.

ecology

the study of interactions among one or more living organisms and how they are affected by their environment; "the investigation of the total relationships of the animal both to its inorganic and organic environment

dynamic steady

Ecological systems are usually ________________ states.

organism

the individual animal/plant/microbe

population

all individuals of ONE species

community

MULTIPLE species in a given habitat

ecosystem

all communities and environmental conditions, or rather, all biotic and abiotic components

biosphere

all ecosystems; Earth

organismal ecology

ecology that studies an organism's adaptations to environmental stresses

population ecology

ecology that studies factors limiting abundance and distribuon of one species

community ecology

the ecology that studies interactions among multiple species and environmental facto (diversity, trophic structure)

ecosystem ecology

the ecology studies processes driven by combined impact of all organisms (chemical cycles --carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus--or energy flow)

biosphere ecology

the ecology that studies the impacts of global factors (climate, ocean currents, light levels) on ecological systems

greater; lower

Since complexity leads to ___________ variability, we have more knowledge about the ___________ levels of ecology than the higher ones.

entrophy; work

In an ecological system, as in all systems, there is a constant loss of energy to ________ and thus energy has to be put into the system to maintain it. However, _________ itself, needed to maintain the system (grow, reproduce) also requires energy.

sunlight

the source of energy for most (nearly all) ecological systems

hypothesis

a predictive statement that 1.) explains a phenomenon, and 2.) can be disproven with empirical data

observational studies

a type of experiment that compares sites or organisms that vary naturally from each other; observing nature naturally and making assumptions; the earliest approach; lacks control and can't typically be replicate

cross-sectional study

a type of observational study where you collect data from DIFFERENT sites/organisms at the same time

Problems: confounding variables

longitudinal study

a type of observational study where you the SAME site over time (before/after impacts); or, alternatively, sample one site at different distances from treatment

Problem: can't repeat, variation at other sites, confounding variables

controlled experiment

a type of experiment where one variable is manipulated (the "treatment") and all other variables are kept that same (control); can be replicated to account for natural variation; range from microcosm to large-scale experiments

microcosm

a type of controlled experiment set in stable laboratory conditions that allow precise regulation of treatment variables; easiest to replicate, however, do not neccessarily test "reality"

large-scale experiment

a type of controlled experiment that tests "reality" but has less precise regulation of treatment variables and is the hardest to replicate

mesocosm

a type of medium-scale field controlled experiment that is more "real" than a microcosm but more controlled than a large-scale experiment and more easily replicated than one as well

model

a type of experiment that uses existing data from a system to develope new hypotheses, test hypotheses, and make predictions of patterns if parameters change

conceptual model

a type of model that is a visual representation of connections in the system (i.e. explains new hypothesis)

statistical model

a type of mathematical model that requires real (empirical) data to test a pattern and allows prediction without understanding the cause (e.g correlational analysis); can generate additional hypotheses

theoretical model

a type of mathematical model that illustrates an idea but not necessarily "reality"; hypothesis predictions can be tested with real data; its goal is to predict changes and identify factors that cause change

intertropical convergence zone

where two Hadley cells meet; surface air at the solar Equator rises and then the warm moist air cools and dries (the reason why tropics get so much rain, water evaporates and cycles quickly)

subtropical high pressure belt

where a Hadley cell and Ferrel cell meet; outward current until 30 degrees, falling air warms and picks up moisture (resulting in a "band" or deserts)

soil

minerals, water, dissolved chemicals, air, organic matter, and biota (bacteria microcolonies); weathered bedrock and organic matter

O horizon

poorly decomposed organic matter (leaf litter); the "organic layer"

A horizon

the "topsoil"; mineral soil and organic matter

B horizon

mineral soil with chemicals from A horizon; low organic content

C horizon

poorly weathered bedrock

bedrock; chemical; physical

Weathering is the process which breaks down _________ into the soil. ___________ weathering increases with high temperatures and high precipiation, __________ weathering increases with lower temperatures and high precipiation.

leaching

the process of removing minerals from soil via precipitation; highest if the soil does not buffer acids in pore water

spodosols

moist deep soil; leaching, acidic, low fertility (found in NE)

alfisols

moist deep soil; moderately fertile (found near Great Lakes)

ultisols

moist deep soil; leaching, high in iron, low fertility (found in SE and NW)

mollisols

moist, deep, highly fertile, "master race of soils" (found in Midwest)

aridosols

dry, thin, soil; low weathering, low fertility (found in SW)

inceptisols

moist, thin to deep soils; low weathering, low fertility (found up N and mountains)

gelisols

wet, deep, permafrost; highly organic, acidic, low fertility (found up N)

growing season

the period in which plants typically grow; above 4 degrees Celcius

plant growth forms

Biomes don't neccessarily have the same species, but have similar _________________ and ecological processes.

tundra

a biome with low precipitation (20 cm/yr) and low temperatures (mean temperature = < 0 degrees)

soils: gelisols, inceptisols; is moist-wet, acidic, and very low fertility

plant: mosses dwarf shrubs, some grasses, very low productivity

boreal forest

a biome with moderate to high precipiation and cold temperatures (< 6 degrees)

soils: spodosols, gelisols; deep, well developed (thanks to freeze-thaw cycles), moist-wet (lots of leaching), acidic, low fertility

plants: conifers, low-moderate productivity

temperate seasonal forest

a biome with moderate precipitation and temperatures; hot summers and cold winters (winter freezing, frost is threat to plant life); growing season ~9 months

soils: alfisols in N; ultisols in S; deep, moist, moderate fertility

plants: deciduous trees in N, conifers in S; moderate productivity

temperate rainforest

a biome which acts as a tropical rainforest except in temperature; continual and high precipitation (2-6 m/yr), moderate temperatures

soils: spodosols; inceptisols; deep, moist, acidic, low fertility

plants: conifers, epiphytes; very high productivity

temperate grassland

a biome with hot summers, cold winters, and low to moderate precipitation; often susecptible to fires since plants face drought stress and soils are highly fertile

soils: mollisols; deep to thin, moist to dry, moderate to high fertility

plants: grasslands, moderate productivity; seasonal fires suppress woody plants

temperate desert

a biome with hot summers, cold winters, and low to moderate precipitation ("cold desert")

soils: aridosols; thin, dry, low fertility

plants: shrubs, low productivity, few fires, heavy grazing promotes shrub growth

Woodland/Shrubland

Mediterranean; a biome with moderate temperatures year-round (warm-dry summers, cool/wet winters), little precipitation in summer, lots in winter; extended drought stress in growing period causes fires

soils: thin, mollisols-aridosols, moist to dry, low fertility

plants: fire and grazing resistant shrubs, some grasses, scattered trees, low-moderate productivity

subtropical desert

a biome which is always drought-stress; a "hot desert"; hot/dry year-round with

equator; solar equator

The ______ is a line around the earth perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The ___________ is the line around earth where the sun's rays are perpendicular to the earth's surface (i.e. the sun is overhead).

50%

percent of solar energy blocked by atmosphere

red, yellow, blue; blue; red

Chlorophyll aborbs ______, _______, and _________ light. In the water. Long wavelengths are lost first (i.e. red) so __________ light is mainly used and plants are typically _______ down there (use carotinoids).

anoxia

when there is no oxygen

21%; 0.001%

Air contains __________ oxygen while water only has _________ since oxygen diffuses much slower in water than air.

evapotranspiration

the process through which water and ions enter roots by osmosis and capillary action draws them to the lead and the water exits through the stomates

C3 photosynthesis

the form of photosynthesis found in most plants; stomates open are open because the process is inefficent at low CO2, however, water is lost from the leaves when the stomates are open

C4 photosynthesis

a form of photosynthesis that is efficent at lower CO2 and closes stomates, resulting in 50% less water lost but is less efficient than C3

CAM plants

similar to C4 photosynthesis, close the stomates during day, open at night; common in cacti and other succulents