Environmental Science

What are the 11 ways animals can respond to their environment?

(1) taxis, (2) kinesis, (3) nocturnal & diurnal activity, (4) fight or flight, (5) territorial response, (6) bird songs, (7) camouflage, (8) parent/offspring interactions, (9) mating displays, (10) pack/flock/herd behavior.

In what ways can plants respond to their environment?

Plants can communicate via their cells and with other plants and animals.

What are some examples of plant responses to their environment?

Examples include germination, cell differentiation, flowering, fruit ripening, root growth, branching, abscission, and defense against predators.

What are tropisms?

Growth responses in plants towards or away from a stimulus.

What are the main 3 tropisms?

Phototropism (light), gravitropism (gravity), thigmotropism (touch).

What is photoperiodism in plants?

The ability of plants to sense the length of day and night to regulate flowering.

What determines flowering in plants regarding photoperiodism?

The specific duration of light and dark periods.

What is the difference between day-neutral, short-day, and long-day plants?

Day-neutral plants can flower at any time; short-day plants require longer periods of darkness; long-day plants need extended light exposure.

How do hormones work in plants?

Hormones are chemical signals that influence other parts of the organism by binding to specific receptors.

What is the role of hormones in plant growth?

Hormones regulate physiological processes including flowering, fruiting, and responses to environmental changes.

What is signal transduction?

A process where hormone binding leads to biochemical events causing cellular changes.

What is the role of auxins in plants?

Auxins promote cell elongation and are crucial for growth processes such as phototropism.

What does Abscisic Acid do in plants?

Inhibits growth during water stress and triggers dormancy.

What did Darwin’s experiments conclude about phototropism?

Plant curvature towards light is influenced by a growth hormone produced in the tips.

What were Boysen-Jensen’s contributions to understanding auxin?

He demonstrated that auxin could be transmitted from the tip of the plant.

What did Went's experiments reveal about auxin distribution?

Unequal auxin distribution leads to differential growth rates causing bending towards light.

What is transpiration?

The loss of water vapor from plant stomata, facilitating water movement from roots to leaves.

What role do stomata play in plants?

Stomata regulate gas exchange and transpiration.

How do guard cells function in stomata?

Guard cells change shape to open or close the stomata based on water availability.

What influences the rate of transpiration?

Factors include temperature, humidity, air currents, and stomatal conductance.

What is water potential?

Water potential is a measure influencing water movement across cell membranes.

What is the cohesion-tension theory?

It explains water movement in plants through cohesion of water molecules creating tension.

What are biotic and abiotic factors in the environment?

Biotic factors include living organisms, while abiotic factors are non-living elements, such as water and temperature.

What distinguishes a habitat from a niche?

A habitat is the environment where an organism lives; a niche encompasses the organism's role and interactions.

What are keystone species?

Species that have a disproportionately large impact on their environment relative to their abundance.

What is the 10% rule in trophic levels?

Only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

What is biomagnification?

The process where certain substances increase in concentration as they move up the food chain.

What is exposure to O2 deprivation in plants?

Plants may alter growth or physiological processes in response to low oxygen levels.

What is the significance of carbon and nitrogen cycles in ecosystems?

They describe the movement of carbon and nitrogen through different Earth's systems, crucial for life sustenance.

What are r-strategists and K-strategists in population ecology?

R-strategists produce many offspring with low survival rates; K-strategists have few offspring with high parental care.

What is the importance of biodiversity?

Biodiversity ensures ecosystem resilience, productivity, and various resources for human beings.