ecology test 2

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greenhouse effect

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131 Terms
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greenhouse effect

the process of solar radiation striking Earth, being converted to infrared radiation, and being absorbed and re-emitted by atmospheric gases

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what are the most prevalent greenhouse gases?

H2O and CO2

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is the greenhouse effect beneficial?

only when it's naturally occurring

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what effect have humans had on the greenhouse effect?

we have increased the concentration of CO2, CH4 and N2O through fossil fuels, agriculture, and landfills + produced unnatural gases

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albedo

the fraction of solar energy reflected by an object (low=absorbing more light, high=reflecting more light)

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to what degree is the axis of the Earth tilted?

23.5 degrees

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solar equator

the latitude receiving the most direct rays of the sun (not the same location all the time)

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atmospheric convection currents

the circulation of air between the surface of Earth and the amosphere

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saturation point

limit of the amount of water vapor that air can contain

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adiabatic cooling

the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher and expands (results in rain)

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adiabatic heating

the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks down and decreases in volume

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latent heat release

when water vapor is converted back to liquid, water releases energy in form of heat and warms air

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the main deserts are all at what location on Earth?

30 degrees north and 30 degrees south

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Hadley cells

the two circulation cells of air between the equator and 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south latitudes

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intertropical convergence zone

the area where the two Hadley cells converge and cause large amounts of precipitation

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what determines the location of the ITCZ?

the location of the solar equator

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polar cells

atmospheric convection currents between 60 degree and 90 degree latitudes that are similar to Hadley cells

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Coriolis effect

the deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of the Earth

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northeast trade winds

winds that blow from the northeast to southwest

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southeast trade winds

winds that blow from the southeast to northwest

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westerlies

winds in mid-latitudes that move from west to east

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what do ocean currents do?

distribute unequal heating of Earth's water and influence the location of different climates

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which way does warm tropical water circulate?

away from the equator on eastern reaches

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which way does cold polar water circulate?

towards the equator on western reaches

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gyres

large-scale water circulation pattern between continents

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upwelling

upward movement of water (cold water from ocean depths is drawn upward, typically happens on western coasts)

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oceanic water circulation

cold water is forced equatorward from the poles along west coasts of major continents, results in coastal deserts

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El Nino-Southern oscillation

trade winds reverse, moving warm water in the opposite direction

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thermohaline circulation

a global pattern of surface and deep water currents that flow as a result of variations in temp and salinity that change the density of water

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is there more precipitation in Northern or Southern hemisphere?

Southern hemisphere because there is more water in the Southern hemisphere and water generates precipitation

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rain shadow

a region with dry conditions because mountains cause the winds to lose their moisture before reaching it

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moist subtropical mid-latitude climate

warm dry summers and cold wet winters

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moist continental mid-latitude

warm summer and cold winters with moderate precipitation

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soil

laters of chemically and biologically altered material that overlies bedrock

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what does soil contain?

mineral material from bedrock, organic matter from organisms, microorganisms, plants and animals

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leaching

water movement through soil that can remove soluble minerals

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what are the soil textures of sand, silt, and clay?

sand=large, silt=middle, clay=very fine

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podsolization

acidic soils, nutrients from E horizon leach to B horizon, reduces fertility in B horizon (in cool moist climates and coniferous forests)

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laterization

weathering to great depth, buildup of oxides, loss of sand and clay, low in mineral nutrients, reddish color due to oxidation (in warm, humid climates and tropical rainforests)

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biomes

geographic regions that contain communities composed of organisms with similar adaptations, due to convergent evolution

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convergent evolution

when two different species with unrelated ancestors have evolved similarly due to similar selective forces

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Whittaker's concepts

  1. boundaries between biomes aren't always clear. 2. biodiversity increases as temps and rainfall increase. 3. fire shapes vegetation toward drier end of spectrum within each temp range.

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ecotone

region where two communities come together with a sharp boundary

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Walter's scheme

climate + vegetation = biome name

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climate diagrams

graphs that plot the average monthly temp and precipitation of a specific location on Earth

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growing season

months that are warm enough to allow plant growth

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tundra

coldest biome, low precipitation, treeless above permafrost, soil is acidic and nutrient poor, upper soils thaw during growing season, low species diversity

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boreal forests

population by evergreen trees, short growing season and severe winters, rainfall is 50-100 mm, soil is acidic and podsolized, low species diversity

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temperate rainforest

mild temps, high precipitation, evergreen trees, lower species diversity than tropical rainforest

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temperate seasonal rainforest

moderate temps, moderate precipitation, deciduous trees, soils are slightly acidic and podsolized

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woodlands/shrublands

hot dry summers and mild wet winters, drought-tolerant plants, 12 month growing season, frequent fires

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temperate grasslands/cold deserts

hot dry summers and cold winters, grasses and flowering plants and drought-tolerant shrubs, soils are nutrient-rich

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tropical rainforests

warm and rainy biome, plants constantly taking nutrients from soil, highest species diversity

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tropical seasonal forests/savannas

warm temps and wet/dry seasons, deciduous trees, soil does not hold nutrients, high species diversity

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subtropical deserts

hot temps, low rainfall, long growing season, soils have no organic matter and are neutral, low species diversity

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lotic

flowing water

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stream/creek

narrow channel of fast-flowing water

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river

wide channel of slow-flowing water

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are ecosystems more nutrient-rich and complex up- or downstream?

downstream

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Riparian zone

terrestrial vegetation alongside rivers and streams

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allochthonous

inputs of organic matter than come from outside of an ecosystem

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autochthonous

inputs of organic matter that are produced by algae and aquatic plants inside an ecosystem

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is most of the organic matter in streams allochthonous or autochthonous?

allochthonous

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is most of the organic matter in rivers allochthonous or autochthonous?

autochthonous

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turbidity

cloudiness of water created by stirring up sediment

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why are dams built?

to control flooding, provide water for irrigation, and to generate electricity

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how do dams affect the water?

water becomes warmer, stream bottoms become filled with silt, water released from dams has low oxygen, they alter seasonal cycles of flooding and disrupt animals

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pond

aquatic biome smaller than a lake, non-flowing freshwater with some area of water that is too deep for plants to rise above the surface

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lake

aquatic biome bigger than a pond, non-flowing freshwater with more area of water that is too deep for plants to rise above the surface

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how are a lot of lakes and ponds created?

from glaciers or shifting basins

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oxbow lakes

broad bends of what was once a river, cut off by shifts in the main channel

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littoral zone

the shallow edge of a lake or pond containing rooted vegetation

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limnetic zone

open water beyond the littoral zone, where the dominant photosynthetic organisms are algae

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profundal zone

area in a lake that is too deep to receive sunlight

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benthic zone

area with sediments at the bottom of the lake/pond

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epilimnion

surface layer of water (most production occurs in the epilimnion)

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hypolimnion

deeper layer of water (anaerobic conditions)

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thermocline

middle of the epilimnion and hypolimnion, rapid changes in temp over short distance

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freshwater wetland

aquatic biome with standing freshwater or saturated soils, shallow enough for emergent vegetation throughout all depths

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swamps

contains emergent trees

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marshes

contains emergent non-woody vegetation

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bogs

contains acidic water and adapted vegetation

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salt marshes

a saltwater biome that contains non-woody emergent vegetation

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mangrove swamps

biome that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contains salt-tolerant trees with roots in water

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