Chapter 44: Ecology and the Biosphere

Organismal Ecology

The study of morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that enable individuals to live in specific habitats.

What does population ecology study?

The number of individuals in an area and the reasons why population size changes over time.

What does community ecology study?

The processes driving interactions between species and the consequences of those interactions.

Ecosystem ecology

The study of the storage and movement of nutrients and energy among organisms and the surrounding atmosphere, soil, and water.

Biogeography

The study of the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that influence their distribution.

Temperature and rainfall

The two primary abiotic factors that vary based on latitude and elevation.

Endemic species

A species that is naturally found only in a specific, usually restricted, geographic area.

Generalist species

Species that can live in a wide variety of geographic areas.

Ocean upwelling

A process that recycles nutrients and energy by bringing nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths to the surface.

What causes ocean upwelling?

Wind pushing surface water offshore, which causes deeper, colder water to rise to the surface.

Spring and fall turnover in deep freshwater lakes

Water reaches its maximum density at 4 °C, causing denser water to sink and displace water at the bottom of lakes.

What is the ecological purpose of lake turnover?

It moves nutrients and oxygen from the bottom of the lake to the top.

How does fire act as an abiotic factor in terrestrial ecosystems?

It can clear vegetation, allowing for new growth that receives more sunlight, and triggers specific adaptations like the opening of jack pine cones.

What is a characteristic adaptation of desert plants to reduce water loss?

Many have tiny leaves or no leaves at all, and some only produce leaves after rainfall.

What is the primary vegetation type that dominates savannas?

Grasses.

List three abiotic factors relevant to aquatic environments.

Oxygen, salinity, and currents (or tides/vents).

List two abiotic factors relevant to terrestrial environments.

Fire and wind.

List two abiotic factors that affect both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Volcanism and tectonics (or natural events).

Sunlight

The main energy source for most ecosystems.

True or False: The divisions of ecology (organismal, population, community, ecosystem) are strictly separate and do not overlap.

False

What happens to plant and animal communities as abiotic factors like temperature and rainfall change?

The composition of the communities also changes.

Why is a seedling that germinates after a forest fire often more successful?

Because it has killed competing vegetation, allowing the seedling to receive ample sunlight.

What type of vegetation dominates the chaparral biome?

Shrubs.

What is a notable grazing mammal associated with temperate grasslands?

The American bison (Bison bison), or buffalo.

What is the dominant plant type in a temperate forest?

Deciduous trees.

Which two types of plants are characteristic of the boreal forest (taiga)?

Low-lying plants and conifer trees.

What type of vegetation is typically found in the tundra?

Low-growing plants, such as shrub willow.

What are three examples of organisms found in the intertidal zone?

Sea urchins, mussel shells, and starfish.

What biological structures form coral reefs?

Calcium carbonate skeletons of coral organisms (marine invertebrates in the phylum Cnidaria).

Algal Bloom

An environmental issue indicated by the uncontrolled growth of algae in a lake.

What are three examples of environments found within the Everglades National Park?

Sawgrass marshes, cypress swamps, and estuarine mangrove forests.

What is the definition of global climate change?

Altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, largely due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

What are the three main areas of study regarding global climate change?

Current and past climate change, causes of past and present-day climate change, and ancient and current results of climate change.

How does 'climate' differ from 'weather'?

Climate refers to long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions, while weather refers to atmospheric conditions over a short period.

What materials are found in ice cores that help researchers study climate history?

Air bubbles and biological substances.

What has been the trend of atmospheric CO2 concentration since the beginning of industrialization?

It has risen steadily.

What is a primary environmental consequence of glacial retreat?

The loss of summer meltwaters, which reduces seasonal water supplies and affects local ecosystems.

What is the primary cause of the worldwide increase in temperature associated with climate change?

Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Taiga

Another name for boreal forest.

What does the retreat of glaciers serve as evidence for?

Global warming.

What is the primary factor used to distinguish different zones in the ocean?

Water depth and distance from the shoreline.

What is the significance of studying ancient climate results?

It helps researchers understand the causes and patterns of past climate change to better assess current and future trends.