Animal Form and Function & Introduction to Ecology

Regulator

Uses internal mechanisms to control internal changes in the face of external fluctuation. ex: Mammals

Ectotherm

Gain most of their heat from external sources. ex: birds or mammals

Poikilotherm

An animal whose body temperature varies with its environment. ex: reptiles, amphibians, fish

Acclimatization

An animal's physiological adjustment to changes in its environment. ex: humans shivering in cold environments

Conformer

Allows its internal condition to change in accordance with external changes in the particular variable. ex: reptiles

Adaptation

A genetic change results in a phenotype better suited to the external environment. ex: long necks of giraffes

Endotherm

Getting warm mainly by heat generated by metabolism. ex: mammals

Homeotherm

An animal who has a relatively constant body temperature. ex: mammals, birds

Thermoregulation

The process by which animals maintain an internal temperature within a tolerable range.

5 general adaptations for thermoregulation

1. Insulation

2. Circulatory Adaptations

3. Cooling by evaporative heat loss

4. Behavioral response

5. Adjusting metabolic heat production

How can natural selection/adaptations relate to the abundance and distribution of a species?

Natural selection causes changes in allele frequency and makes species adapt. Adaptations need to match the species' environment

6 levels of ecological research

1. organismal

2. population

3. community

4. ecosystem

5. landscape

6. global

Climate

The long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area.

Major components of climate are

temperature and precipitation.

Global climate patterns are determined by

by input of solar energy and Earth's movement in space.

What causes Earth's Arid zones

Air circulation and precipitation patterns

-ascending moist air releases moisture

-descending dry air absorbs moisture

Tropical forests

Equatorial-fairly constant temp, seasonal rain, layered vegetation, immense biodiversity

threats: cut down and converted to farmland

Deserts

Little precipitation, scattered plants, animals w/ water conservation

threats: urbanization reduce natural biodiversity

Savannas

Warm temp, seasonal rain, scattered trees, grasses, and forbs, migratory animals due to seasonal drought

threats: frequent fires reduce tree regeneration

Chapparals

dry summers, shrubs, small trees, small mammals

threats: easy to ignite bc very dry

Temperate grasslands

Midlatitude, wet summers, grasses, forbs, large grazers, and burrowers

threats: most have been converted to farmland (humans) or deserts (animals)

Northern coniferous forest (taiga)

Cold winters, hot summers, variable rain, bears, moose

threats: logged-> old growth might dissappear

Temperate broadleaf forest

Cold winters, hot summers, rain avg, herb layer

threats: logging and land clearing for agriculture, cleared almost all forests

Tundra

Arctic- low temperatures and high winds, caribou, migratory birds, and wolves

threats: became the focus of mineral and oil extraction recently

Aquatic Biomes (8)

1. Lakes

2. Wetlands

3. Streams and Rivers

4. Estuaries

5. Intertidal Zone

6. Oceanic pelagic

7. Coral Reefs

8. Marine benthic zone

Photic Zone

The upper layer of aquatic environments where sufficient light penetrates for photosynthesis.

Aphotic Zone

The region in aquatic environments where little to no light penetrates.

Benthic Zone

The bottom of all aquatic zones, composed of organic and inorganic sediments.

Contains photic and aphotic zone

How does dispersal limit the distribution of species (habitat selection/behavior)?

Habitats are specific to where they were born.

Adaptations don't allow species to choose where to go

Natural Range Expansion

Shows the influence of the dispersal of individuals beyond their origin which leads to an increase in population range.

Saguaro Cactus Abiotic Factors

- Temperature: freezing temps

- Water availability: seedling survival requires years of moist conditions

Saguaro Cactus Biotic Factors

- Grazers eat seedlings

- Bats pollinate flowers that open at night

- Pathogens: vulnerable to a deadly bacterial disease

Introduced Species (species transplant)

Organisms that have been intentionally or accidentally relocated from their original distribution.

Invasive Species

Introduced species that negatively impact native species and ecosystems.

What makes an invasive SO invasive

- high reproduction rates

- growth habits

- chemical warfare (allelopathy)

- enemy release