E.Bio- Exam 1 (Ch 1-3-B)

Hypothesis

a scientific question asked in a way that can be tested through observations or experiments

response (dependent) variable

measures an outcome of a study

experimental controls

parts of an experiment in which the test factor is not applied or the test factor is at its natural level; allows comparison between replicates that have been "treated" and "untreated" and allows us to make determinations of casualty.; ensures that the results of an experiment are caused by the test factor

competition

Interaction among organisms that vie for the same resource in an ecosystem

Factor

some condition that may influence the system (may be biotic or abiotic)

replicate

make a copy of (experiment0; Multiple samples of the same control, test or observations (provides statistical reliability of results)

Increases

During an El Nino year, the probability of a typhoon passing near Guam __________.

Zonation

gradual changes in vegetation; caused by both biotic and abiotic factors such as water, light, salinity

abiotic factors

Nonliving components of environment (ex: temperature, pH, radiation, pressure and sound)

biotic factors

components caused by one or all the living organisms that inhabit an environment (ex: competition, predation, disease/parasites, mates, prey, primary production (plants))

transect

A line across a habitat or part of a habitat

environmental gradients

usually result from the gradual change in abiotic conditions

proximate questions

addresses an immediate cause of a phenomenon

ultimate questions

Address evolutionary significance of a behavior; one that explains underlying causes

H2O, CO2 and energy

photosynthesis produces (3)

transform boundaries

plate boundaries in which two plates are sliding past each other in opposite directions /\\/

diverging boundaries

plate boundaries move apart and form rift zones where new crust is made

converging boundaries

plate boundaries collide, forming subduction zones where trenches are produced (oceanic crusts are denser and tend to subduct when clashing with the continental crust) ->

Thermocline

separates the upper layer of the ocean from the more dense, deepwater layer

Theory

an explanation of a natural phenomenon that is widely supported by evidence from many observations and experiments and that accounts for all the relevant data.

look alike

For sexually reproducing organisms to produce fertile offspring in nature the must, _____.

Eocene

Name the epoch when volcanic activity first began to uplift what would become the island of Guam.

Cambrian

Name the period when all current life forms arose.

65.5 million years ago

When was the End-Cretaceous Extinction; dinosaurs become extinct ?

Environmental science

a systematic approach to learning about the environment; applied interdisciplinary field with an emphasis on solving problems

orographic rain

rain or other precipitation produced when moist air is lifted as it moves over a mountain range.

continental crust

A solid, thin outermost layer of Earth; older than oceanic crust

oceanic crust

thinner, more dense, younger crust making ocean floor; rich in iron

plate tectonics

the scientific theory that describes the movement of crustal plates of the lithosphere

hot spot

formed where plumes of superheated mantle melt through overlying plate (Hawaiian Islands are an example of an archipelago formed by this type of volcanism)

subduction

Process in plate tectonics in which one plate moves down under another where they meet. (Marianas Islands are an example of an archipelago formed by this type of volcanism)

Phytoplankton

Microscopic, free-floating, autotrophic organisms that are primary producers in aquatic ecosystems

Mantle

the layer of the earth composed of mostly of molten rock that the crust lays upon

inner core

the region of the earth is mostly composed of solid iron and nickel about 9,800 degrees F

outer core

A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth; made of liquid

islands are too far away for people to transport plants and animals easily

Why do oceanic islands tend to have many endemic species?

Biological Organization

atom, molecule, cell, tissue, organ, body system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere

Population

All of the individuals of a given species occurring in the same area. (E.g., all the fiddler crabs in a mangrove swamp; all the koa haole on O'ahu; all the remaining Guam rails.)

community

All the species populations living together in a habitat and their interactions. (E.g., all the epiphytes on a tree and the organisms living on and among them; all the plants, animals, fungi and bacteria in a pond.)

Ecosystem

A biological community, or several interacting communities plus their environment; are not places, they are concepts (E.g., coral reefs, wetlands, forests.)

Biome

Large-scale classification of vegetation, useful primarily on a global scale for continental areas. (E.g., grassland, desert.)

habitat

a natural environment of an organism, the place in which it is natural for it to live and grow; includes all of the biotic and abiotic factors

heat in the water, which drive convection currents

Typhoons are powered by ?

Low limestone islands

Made of reef material- coral remains; there may be only a single small island, however, there are generally several on a barrier reef, forming an atoll

Raised limestone islands

Formed when old coral reefs or atolls are pushed up above sea level

Volcanic islands

an island formed when an underwater volcano builds up enough lava and ash to rise above sea level; consist of a single volcanic peak rising from the sea floor

Continental islands

Islands that were formed by the shifting of the earth's plates; simply submerged parts of the continental shelf that are entirely surrounded by water

fringing reef

the coral reef along the shore of a high island

barrier reef

An offshore coral reef, separated from the island (or mainland shore) by a lagoon or other deep water. (E.g., Great Barrier Reef, atoll reefs, Guam's Cocos and Luminao reefs.)

biota

plants (flora) and animals (fauna) living in a particular region, habitat, or geological period

endemic

native or confined to a particular region

oceanic islands

Islands far from continents and not part of the continental crust; usually formed from undersea volcanoes.

fast to colonize

What does Near Oceania mean?

slow to colonize

What does Remote Oceania mean?

Basalt & Limestone

2 main rock types on Guam

Basalt

A dark, dense, igneous rock; doesn't absorb water; rich in iron and aluminum; mostly found in southern Guam

Limestone

a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals; primarily calcium carbonate; mostly found in Northern Guam

44 million years ago

When was Guam formed?

food chain

A simple linked feeding series (ex: grass-rabbit-wolf)

food web

The connections between organisms in an ecosystem showing who eats whom

Atoll

A ring of coral reefs and islets surrounding a lagoon; the remains of a former volcanic island; built by waves on barrier reefs

type I atolls/islets

islets are sandy and occurs along the leeward atoll rims near reef passages. They grow and shrink but remain about the same size and in the same location. Are susceptible to large storms because sand is loosely cemented again.

type II atolls/islets

islets are the ones people mostly live on, because they are the largest and most stable with the best-developed soil. In the long term, type II islets tend to get larger. But these islets can also get smaller or bigger depending on typhoon waves. They are hook-shaped and form on sharp bends on the atoll rim.

type III atolls/islets

islets are long and narrow, often curved. These types and type IV such as Coco's Island, have complex combinations of characters and are not stable. They tend to grow dramatically during catastrophic storms and gradually erode away until another storm builds them up again. They often have a series of beach ridges tracing their history.

type IV atolls/islets

islets are not stable and tend to change dramatically during storms.

climate

Overall weather in an area over a long period of time; the long-term patterns of temperature, wind, rainfall, etc.

weather

Short-term changes in temperature, rainfall, wind, etc. at a particular place.

Monsoons

seasonal reversing wind patterns that alternately cause strong rain wet and distinct dry seasons

windward side

side of the mountain that receives prevailing winds (wetter)

leeward side

side of mountain that gets very little precipitation and can be desert like; sheltered from the prevailing winds (drier)

Typhoons/Hurricanes/Cyclones

Powerful spiral (cyclonic) tropical storms (sustained wind speed more than 74 miles per hour).

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

based on the difference in atmospheric pressure between two regions of the pacific and is use to determine the ENSO state for a particular

Homeostasis

tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level, regardless of outside conditions

make an observation that identifies a problem

Step 1 of the Scientific Method

ask questions about the problem

Step 2 of the Scientific Method

form a hypothesis

Step 3 of the Scientific Method

design and carry out an experiment

Step 4 of the Scientific Method

organize and analyze data

Step 5 of the Scientific Method

state a conclusion

Step 6 of the Scientific method

communicate results to other scientists

Step 7 of the Scientific method

invasive

plants, animals, or a disease that tends to spread prolifically and undesirably or harmfully in a certain place

Pseudoscience

A fake or false science that makes claims based on little or no scientific evidence; lack of refutable hypotheses is a common feature

Raised limestone, low limestone and volcanic island

What three island types is Guam made of ?

Science

a process for producing knowledge methodically and logically

inductive reasoning

reasoning involves formulating a prediction based upon a set of specific observations ("Since every insect I have examined so far has six legs, I conclude that all insects must have six legs.")

deductive reasoning

A logical argument in which the conclusion is contained in the premises. (E.g., all butterflies are insects; this animal is a butterfly; therefore this animal is an insect.)

false

(T/F) tropical islands are always hot and humid.

Human impact on the Earth

The fundamental basis of environmental science as a discipline is _______.

Darwin's Theory of Atoll Formation

1. Early-stage - islands form a fringing reef
2. The second stage - the island has a barrier reef with a lagoon between fringing and barrier reef
3. Atoll stage - volcanic peak is now completely submerged and buried under coral
Atolls are thought to form when volcanic islands gradually sink and coral grows at sea level to maintain a barrier reef

Law

An observation of a phenomenon that happens the same way each time given identical conditions

Density of ocean water

greater than the density of air and allows organisms that are less dense than water to float

complex, interrelated problems

Most environmental problems result from

gross primary production (GPP)

total amount of fixed carbon

net primary production

the amount left to support other trophic levels (GPP - growth and maintenance respiration by plants)

Production

The amount of carbon or energy added to the biomass of an organism or group of organisms (often used with reference to trophic levels). Usually productivity excludes carbon and energy lost through respiration and is thus net productivity, as opposed to the total carbon and energy taken in (gross productivity).

6CO2 (carbon dioxide) + 6H2O(water)-C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6O2(oxygen)

formula for photosynthesis

field experiment

An experiment typically longer than lab experiments; more environmental variability; more biological realism

laboratory experiment

Experiment in which conditions are highly controlled; typically short term; sacrifcies biological realism

natural experiment

An experiment in which nature, rather than an experimenter, manipulates an independent variable; lacks control and less powerful and can provide important natural history information for future controlled studies

Models

simply representations of reality (maps, equations, food webs)