Chapter 3: comm, eco, biomes

limiting factors

any abiotic factor to biotic factor that restricts the numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms

ex of limiting factors

sunlight, climate, nutrients, space, food

range of tolerance

For any environmental factor, there is an upper limit and lower limit that define the conditions in which an organism can survive

tolerance

the ability of any organism to survive when subjected to abiotic factors or biotic factors

Zone of intolerance:

none of that organism

Zone of physiological stress:

fewer organisms, limited reproduction, growth if at all

Optimum zone:

best for survival, most organisms

Ecological Succession: 

change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic factors; primary and secondary

Primary Succession:

the establishment of a community in an area of exposed rock that does not have any topsoil

Pioneer species:

first organisms to appear, help create soil by secreting acids that help to break down rocks and make up the first stage of soil development

Climax community:

stable, mature community that results when there is little change in the composition of species, true is never to occur (climate change)

Secondary Succession:

orderly and predictable change that takes place after a community of organisms has been removed by that e soil has remained intact after a disturbance like fire, flood, windstorm

Weather:

condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and time

Latitude:

distance of any point on the surface of Earth north or south from the equator

Climate:

average weather conditions in an area, including temperature and precipitation affected by latitude, elevation, ocean currents

tundra definition

treeless biome with a layer of permanently frozen soil below the surface (permafrost)

tundra plants and animals

short grasses, shrubs, caribou, polar bears

tundra weather

soggy summers, cold and dark winters

boreal forest def

dense evergreen forest with high precipitation

boreal plant and animal

moose, spruce and fir, deer

boreal weather

short wet summer, long cold winter

temp forest def

decid forest w all 4 seasons

temp forest plants

oak, beech, maple, squirrels, rabbits, deer

te,p forest weather

warm summer, mod win

woodland def

open woodlands and mixed shrub, less rainfall than te,p forest

woodland plants

shrubs, jackrabbits, birds, coyotes

woodland weather

hot dry summ, cool wet wint

grassland def

fertile soils suppor grasses, drought and fire prevent forest

grassland plants

grasses, gazelles, lions, bison

grassland weather

hot summ, cool win, mod rain

desert def

any area where rate of evap > rate of precip

desert plant

cacti, lizards, bobcats, tortoises

desert weather

varying temp, min rain

savanna def

grasses and scattered trees, w less precip

savanna plant

grasses, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes

savanna weather

hot year round, dry and wet season

trop forest def

like temp forest

trop forest plants

decid + con trees, elephants, tigers, monkeys

trop forest weather

seasonal rainfall

rainforest def

warm and lots of rain, diverse

rainfall plant

broadleaf evergreens, tigers, elephants, monkeys, toucans

rainfall weather

humid all year, hot, wet

why is mountains not a biome

climate differs based on elevation

why is polar regions not a biome

not a true land form as covered in ice

% of water that is fresh

2.50%

% of freshwater that is livable

0.30%

water in rivers and streams flow

flow in one direction from headwater (source) to mouth where it empties into a large body

sediment

material that is deposited by water, wind, or glaciers

interactions btwn wind and water

oxygenate

interactions btwn land and water

erosion, nutrient availibility, changing path

fast moving water has

less sediment, less organisms

lake or pond

inland body of standing water

ponds

may only be filled for months of the year

lakes

exist for thousands of years

lakes in summer

diff water temps, cold deeper

lakes in winter

surface colder, rest of lake all one temp

lakes in summer and fall

turnover occurs, circulating oxygen, nutrients

ogliotrophic lakes

nutrient poor lakes likely high in mountains

eutrophic lakes

lower altitudes, lots of orgs

littoral zone

area closest to shore, shallow, sunlight can reach bottom

limnetic zone

open water area that is well lit and dominated by plankton; fish

plankton

free floating photosynthetic autotrophs that live in freshwater or marine ecosystems

profundal zone

minimal ight can penetrate, colder, less oxygen, limited species

transitional aquatic ecosystems

aquatic ennvironment that is a combo of two diff; ex wetlands and estuatries

wetlands

areas of land that are saturated with water and support aquatic plants; lots of diversity

ex of wetlands

bogs, marshes, swamps

estuary

ecosystem formed where freshwater from river or stream mixes with saltwater from ocean; also land and water

intertidal zone

narrow band where ocean meets land w subzones; organisms have to adapt

spray zone

dry most of the time, splashed with water during high tide, few life

high tide zone

more life

mid tide zone

severe disruption when tide (un)cover, life must be adjusted to water and air

low tide zone

almost always covered w water, most populated

pelagic zone

most of the ocean; includes (a)photic zone

photic zone

area to 200m depth, shallow enough sunlight penetrates, makes up epupelagic and mesopelagic zones

aphotic zone

sunlight is unable to penetrate, constant darkness and cold, life does not depend on light energy

benthic zone

along ocean floor that consists of sand, silt, and dead organisms, can be shallow or deep, diversity decreases w depth, hydrothermal vents

abyssal zone

deepest region of the ocean, very cold, orgs depend on food materials that drift down, vents spew hot water, hydrogen sulfide, minterals

coral reefs

most diverse, natural barriers along continents protect shorelines,

Ecological Succession:

change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic factors; primary and secondary

rainfall def

warm and lots of rain, diverse

water in rivers and streams

flow in one direction from headwater (source) to mouth where it empties into a large body

limiting factors

any abiotic factor to biotic factor that restricts the numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms

ex of limiting factors

sunlight, climate, nutrients, space, food

range of tolerance

For any environmental factor, there is an upper limit and lower limit that define the conditions in which an organism can survive

tolerance

the ability of any organism to survive when subjected to abiotic factors or biotic factors

Zone of intolerance:

none of that organism

Zone of physiological stress:

fewer organisms, limited reproduction, growth if at all

Optimum zone:

best for survival, most organisms

Ecological Succession: 

change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic factors; primary and secondary

Primary Succession:

the establishment of a community in an area of exposed rock that does not have any topsoil

Pioneer species:

first organisms to appear, help create soil by secreting acids that help to break down rocks and make up the first stage of soil development

Climax community:

stable, mature community that results when there is little change in the composition of species, true is never to occur (climate change)

Secondary Succession:

orderly and predictable change that takes place after a community of organisms has been removed by that e soil has remained intact after a disturbance like fire, flood, windstorm

Weather:

condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and time

Latitude:

distance of any point on the surface of Earth north or south from the equator

Climate:

average weather conditions in an area, including temperature and precipitation affected by latitude, elevation, ocean currents

tundra definition

treeless biome with a layer of permanently frozen soil below the surface (permafrost)

tundra plants and animals

short grasses, shrubs, caribou, polar bears

tundra weather

soggy summers, cold and dark winters