Ecology final part 2

climate

long term pattern of temperature and rain

Convection cells

Heat at surface rises, travels in circles

Carbon cycle

Co2 is taken up by plants, converted to glucose, things eat plants, break down glucose releasing co2 into atmosphere

Two major causes of increased co2

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation

Greenhouse effect

Heat accumulates and causes earths temp to rise, more co2= more heat trapped

Feedback loops w co2

Photosynthesis, phytoplankton, seawater, polar ice, water vapor

More co2 in atmosphere affects photosynthesis by

Decreasing photosynthesis, causes buildup of co2

When sea water warms

Co2 is released into atmosphere, reduces nutrient upwelling- reduces phyotoplankton

Climate change and polar ice

Melting of polar ice causes heat to be trapped by darker water

Climate change and water vapor

Water vapor increases cloud cover, trapping heat

Warmer weather and spread of disease

Increases length of transmission, and latitude/longitude

How many species are at risk of extinction based on co2 levels

20-30%

landscape

Heterogeneous mosaic of habitat patches

patch

Discrete, homogeneous habitat, that differs from surrounding matrix

Patch-corridor matrix model

2d habitat mosaics with patches embedded in homogeneous matrix

context

Components of variability in the landscape from a species-specific perspective

Landscape structure affected by

Heterogeneity of vegetation, topography, temporal dynamics

Ecotone

Transition of biological and physical characteristics of connected ecosystems

Patch size

Affects density, abundance, species richness

Path connectivity

Affects dispersal rates

Patch shape

Affects rate of edge to interior species

Hydrolic cycle

Solar energy evaporates water, wind transports water, water condenses as rain

What percentage of water is salt

97

What disrupts water cycle

Overuse, dams, urbanization, climate change

Increased glacier melt effects

Increases flooding and erosion

Desertification

Expansion of desert land that were once productive

Causes of desertification

Over cultivation of grasslands, grazing, cutting trees, climate change

Drylands are what % of earths land area

41

Major threats to biodiversity hippo

Habitat loss, invasive species, pop growth, pollution, overharvesting

Loss of habitat due to

Clearing, construction, cutting, resource extraction

Broadleaf forests

Almost gone- replaced by cities

Northern coniferous forests

Clear cut for logging, monoculture

Temperate rainforest

Federal forests protected from logging due ot spotted owl

Wetlands loss

Water used for agriculture, drained or filled for development

Marine habitat loss

Habitat destruction, development, bottom trawling, impoundments, run off, pollution

Fragmentation

Results in habitat islands, increases density, reduces genetic diversity