Biology Unit 10 - Ecology and Climate Change

Ecological Equivalents

Species that occupy similar niches but live in different areas, not competing for rescources (Ex. Poison Dart frogs in Madagascar vs. in Amazon)

Symbiosis

Ecological relationships between 2 or more organims

Mutualism

A relationship in which both organisms benefit (Ex. Clownfish and Anemone)

Commensalism

A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other one is unharmed (Ex. Whales and fish that hitch rides)

Parasitism

A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other gets harmed (Ex. Mosquitoes and Humans)

Population Density

Measurement of the number of individuals living in a defined space.

Formula for population density

# of individuals

---

area (units^2₎

Population Dispersion

How individuals of a population are distributed, or spread out, in an area

Clumped Dispersion

When the dispersion is grouped together in one area whilst not having any in the other (for mating, protection, or resources)

Uniform Dispersion

Live at specific distances from one another (competition and limited resources)

Random Dispersion

Organisms of a species are randomly spread

Survivorship Curve and Reproductive strategies (3)

Type I,II, and III

Type I

A few infant deaths with dying of old age (Ex. Humans + Mammals that care for young)

Type II

Equal chance of dying all life (Ex. birds, small mammals, some reptiles)

Type III

Many infant deaths from large amount of offspring, less make it to adulthood (Ex. Frogs, Fish, Plants)

Factors that affect population size

Movement into and out of an area together with births and deaths

Formula for rate of Growth

rate of growth=birth rate - death rate

Exponential Growth

When population is greatly increased when there are plenty of resources

Logistic Growth

A slow growth followed by exponential growth

Carrying Capacity

The amount of organisms an ecosystem can support

Population Crash

When a large amount of the population dies in a short time

Limiting Factor

The factor that determines how many individuals can live in an ecosystem

Density Dependent Limitng factors

Factors that are dependent on the population density (mostly biotic)

Competition

When 2 species need the same thing, therefore creating competition

Predation

When there is a predator that controls the population

Density independent limiting factors

Factors which affect population no matter the density (mostly abiotic)

Density independent limiting factors examples

• unusual weather

• natural disasters such as volcanoes

• Human activities such as deforestation

Succession

After a disaster, the changes that shape the environment back into its original one, or create a new one

Primary Succession

When there is an ecosystem being developed in an uninhabited area (Ex. Island after volcano eruption)

Pioneer Species

The first organisms that live in the destroyed habitats, making them slowly livable

Lichens

Mix with rock to create soil. Have a mutualistic relationship with fungi and algae in which food and water gets absorbed

Secondary Succession

Regeneration of a destroyed ecosystem, restoring it or creating something new

Biome

A region that is defined for its land and climate

Tropical Rainforest

Warm temperatures, lots of rain, lots of biodiversity, much forest

Grassland

Grass dominates the region

Desert

Little to no rain all year round and climate extremes

Temperate forest

Medium climate forests which include rainforests

Taiga

long winter, short summer, lots of trees across NA and Asia

Tundra

Longest winter and ground has permafrost

Chaparral

hot dry summers + cool moist winters, at Southern California

Biomagnification

When pollutants such as plastics make it up the food chain and accumulate at the predator level

Are limiting factors Biotic, Abiotic, or Both?

Both

Weather

Short term atmospheric conditions which can be predicted a few days prior

Climate

long term average of the weather patterns

Greenhouse effect

A natural process in which gases in the atmosphere reflect energy back onto the earth’s surface

Troposphere

Lower atmosphere

Intergovernmental panel of Climate Change (ICPP)

An organization set up by World Meteorological which has assessments on climate change

How many Members does the IPCC have?

195

Human’s Increase Greenhouse Gases by

Burning Petroleum for transportation, deforestation, industrial exhaust, and large scale agriculture

Factors Other than CO₂

El Nino (wind) changes, Volcanic eruptions, aerosols, and the variation in the sun’s energy

Factors Responsible for Natural Variability in Climate

Glacial-Interglacial Cycles and seasonal winds

Predicted Future Global Average temperature Change

There could be Natural Variations, response uncertainty, and emissions uncertainty,

Lower atmosphere (our level) Warming Data Collection

Usually measured with balloons, now used with microwaves from Oxygen molecules

Stratospheric Temperature Cooling

Warming in the Troposphere makes the heat not get through to the Stratosphere

Albedo Surface

A reflective surface such as ice which reflects sunlight and energy

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)

NASA/Germans Satellites which observed the ice loss in the Arctic and Antarctica

Causes of sea level rise

• Thermal Expansion

• Thermohaline Circulation

• Ice Melting

• Groundwater Extraction

Thermal Expansion

Water molecules disperse/move apart the more energy/heat they absorb

Thermohaline Circulation

Circles warm water to cool, deep water, causing thermal expansion

Melting Ice

Glaciers, Ice Caps, and Ice sheets are melting

Groundwater Extraction

Water from the ground is being pumped up for Agriculture and other uses

Current Rate of Sea Level Rise

3.2 mm per year (96mm since 1993)

Improved Data taking

• Satellites and increased amount of measurements

• Computing speed/memory improvement

• Paleoclimate (before tools) studied with models

Representative concentration Pathways (RCPs)

4 scenarios created by the IPCC assessment that is used for climate modeling and future climates

Demography

The study of human population