Unit 3 Exam

Lectures 9-13 BIOL005C

Climate

long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area

Weather

daily conditions of the atmosphere in terms of temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, and moisture

The _____ makes things hot.

sun

The earth is _____ and _____.

curved, tilted

Hot air _____, cold air _____.

rises, sinks

How air holds _____ water than cold air.

more

Wind _____ water around.

pushes

Water changes temperature _____ than air.

slower

The earth spins _____ near the equator, bending the wind.

faster

Specific heat

amount of energy required to raise temperature

Water has a higher _____ _____ than land or air.

specific heat

Primary productivity

amount of plant growth in a given area over a given time

Biodiversity

number of species

Biomes are largely determined by:

Climate on land; Depth and sanity in water

The same biome in different parts of the world harbor different species with similar characteristics. This is known as?

Convergent evolution

Terrestrial biomes

large land areas on Earth with similar climate, temperature, rainfall, plants, and animals

Disturbance

an event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community

Tropical Forest

• High temperature, little seasonal variation

• Abundant, constant rainfall

• Very high biodiversity

Temperate Broadleaf Forest

• Abundant, constant rainfall

• Cool winters, hot & humid summers

  • (seasonal variation)

• Moderate biodiversity

Northern Coniferous Forest

• Varied rainfall

• Overall cool climate

• Low biodiversity

• Some species depend on periodic fires to regenerate (disturbance)

Chaparral

• Low rainfall, highly seasonal

• Hot summers, cool winters

• Low, variable biodiversity

• Many plants are adapted to disturbance

Temperate Grassland

• Low, seasonal precipitation

• Hot summers, cold winters

• Moderate biodiversity

• Plants adapted to disturbance

Savanna

• Seasonal precipitation, prolonged dry season

• Warm, seasonally variable temperatures

• Moderate biodiversity

• Tree abundance constrained by disturbance

Desert

• Low precipitation, highly variable

• Extreme temperatures, seasonally variable

• Low, variable biodiversity

Tundra

• Low precipitation, cold

• Low biodiversity

The distribution of terrestrial biomes is largely determined by _____

climate

Aquatic biomes are largely determined by _____ and _____.

depth, salinity

Pelagic zone

the open-water component of aquatic biomes

Benthic zone

the bottom surface of an aquatic environment

Wetlands

• Shallow, intermediate salinity

• High biodiversity

  • One of the most productive biomes

Aquatic ecosystems show far less ________ than terrestrial biomes, with all types found across the globe.

latitudinal variation

Lakes

• Oligotrophic lakes

  • Nutrient poor, O₂ rich with low organic content

• Eutrophic lakes

  • Nutrient rich, high organic content

  • O₂ periodically depleted in deeper layers

• Intermediate depth, freshwater

• Relative biodiversity

Estuary

• Nutrient rich and productive transition zone between river and sea

• Variable salinity

• Low biodiversity

Streams and Rivers

• Prominent characteristic: currents

• Shallow, freshwater

• High biodiversity

Intertidal Zone

• Periodically submerged

• Shallow, saltwater

• Variable temperature and salinity

• High biodiversity

Coral Reef

• Formed from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals

• Intermediate depth, saltwater

• High biodiversity

Oceanic Pelagic Zone

• Expanse of open water covering about 70% of Earth’s surface

• Deep, saltwater

• Low biodiversity

Marine Benthic Zone

• Consists of the seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal zone and the offshore pelagic zone

• Varied depth, saltwater

• High biodiversity

Species distribution

the geographical area where a particular species is found

What factors determine species distribution?

Biotic, abiotic, dispersal

Biotic (living) factors

The organisms in an environment

Abiotic (non-living) factors

the physical and chemical properties of an environment

Dispersal

movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or from their area of origin

• evolutionary history plays a role

Species interactions (biotic)

• predation

• parasitism

• competition

• mutualism

• herbivory

Environmental characteristics (abiotic)

• temperature

• water and oxygen

• salinity

• sunlight

• rocks and soil

Population

a group of individuals of a single species living in the same general area and interbreed

Population ecology

explores how biotic and abiotic factors influence the abundance, dispersion, and age structure of populations

Immigration

the influx of new individuals from other areas

Emigration

the movement of individuals out of a population

Population properties

• size: # of individuals in population

• density: # of individuals per unit area or volume

• dispersion

• rate of change in size over time

Mark-Recapture Method

N=(n₁n₂)/m

• N: population size

• n₁: # captured and marked

• n₂: # captured in 2nd sample

• m: # recaptured

Clumped dispersion

Individuals aggregate in patches (most common)

Uniform dispersion

evenly spaced individuals

Random dispersion

unpredictably spaced individuals

Population size, density, dispersion, and rate of change are influenced by:

• The ecological needs of the species

• Distribution/abundance of resources

• Interactions among individuals (attraction/repulsion)