Term
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Definition
General to Specific
All lynx in MN eat hares, this hare is from MN so it eats hares.
Certain Inference |
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Term
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Definition
Specific to General
All observed lynx eat hares. All lynx live in MN, so all MN lynx eat hares.
Probable Inference
Starting point for science |
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Term
| Inductive Scientific Method |
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Definition
Observation
Question
Hypothesis
Prediction
Test
Theory |
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Term
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Definition
Atmosphere: climate/ weather patterns
Hydrosphere: all phases/ activities involving water
Biosphere
Lithosphere: plate tectonics, soils |
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Term
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Definition
No matter can go in or out
Energy CAN go in/ out
Earth! |
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Term
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Definition
Energy and matter can go in/out
Most of Earth's subsystems are open |
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Term
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Definition
| Balance between inputs and outputs as open systems interact |
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Term
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Definition
| Interactions that take place between 2 systems |
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Term
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Definition
Directional change that shifts a system away from equilibrium
Encourages increased system response
Further production leads to growth of the system |
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Term
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Definition
Counteracting Change
Steady-state equilibrium
In a graph, the zig-zag line stays right around the line |
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Term
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Definition
Angular distance north or south of the Equator
0-90 degrees |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Latitude of Tropic of Cancer |
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Definition
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Term
| Latitude of Tropic of Capricorn |
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Definition
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Term
| Latitude of ARctic Circle |
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Definition
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Term
| Latitude of Antarctic Circle |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Different amounts of species at different latitudes
More species at lower latitudes |
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Term
| Reasons for Latitudinal Gradient |
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Definition
Sphericity of the Earth influences:
Change in orientation/ angle/ incidence/ social insolation
Amount of atmosphere energy has to travel through
Diffuse versus direct (vertical) ray |
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Term
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Definition
Point where the sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface
Maximum energy |
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Term
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Definition
Point in Earth's orbit where it is farthest away from the Sun
July 4th |
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Term
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Definition
Point in Earth's orbit where it is closest to the Sun
January 3rd |
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Term
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Definition
Number of waves passing a point in one second
Distance between peaks/ troughs |
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Term
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Definition
| Atomic nuclei, medical devices |
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Term
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Definition
| Heat, microwave, TV, radio |
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Term
Incoming and Outgoing Energy:
Short or Long? |
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Definition
Incoming: Short (because the Sun has a high surface temp)
Outgoing: Long |
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Term
Albedo
What determines albedo |
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Definition
Reflective quality of a surface, expressed as a percentage
Determined by:
Sun angle
Surface color
Surface texture |
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Term
| Where is shortwave/ longwave energy greatest? |
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Definition
Shortwave: greatest in the tropics
Longwave: equal everywhere |
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Term
| Global Energy Balance of Polar Regions |
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Definition
Angle of incoming radiation is low
Surfaces are highly reflective
Period of no incoming radiation
Energy deficits |
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Term
| Global Energy Balance of Tropical Regions |
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Definition
Angle of incoming radiation is high
Day length is consistent
Energy surplus |
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Term
| 6 Important Temperature Controls |
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Definition
Latitude
Elevation
Land-Water Contrasts (continentality)
Ocean Currents
Cloud Cover
Topographic Position |
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Term
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Definition
Temperature conditions are extreme
Land warms and cools rapidly
Less evaporation, opaque surface
Land has no mixing between layers |
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Term
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Definition
Temperature conditions are moderate
Water warms and cools slowly
Surface is transparent
Greater evaporation (higher latent heat)
Water mixes in vast ocean currents
Water has a higher specific heat |
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Term
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Definition
Reflects solar energy
Traps heat
Raises night temps, lowers day temps
50% of world is covered by clouds at all times
Cloud coverage has the greatest impact on diurnal (daily) temperature range
Temp range is large with cloud coverage |
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Term
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Definition
Rises and expands (cools as it expands)
Rate of expansion/ cooling depends on moisture content |
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Term
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Definition
As air cools, water vapor condenses
Holds less H2O |
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Term
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Definition
| Measure of water vapor content in the air |
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Term
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Definition
Pressure exerted by water vapor molecules in an air parcel
Measured in mb |
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Term
| Saturation Vapor Pressure |
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Definition
| Max amount of WV that air can hold at a given temp and pressure |
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Term
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Definition
| Temp to which air must be cooled to condense WV (saturation) |
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Term
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Definition
Amount of WV in the air compared to amount of WV the air can hold given its temp and pressure
Ratio
RH= actual WV content/ max WV content |
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Term
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Definition
| Rate of air temp decrease with increasing altitude |
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Term
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Definition
| No interchange of heat with surroundings |
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Term
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Definition
Unsaturated air
10 deg C/ 1000m |
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Term
| Moist/ Environmental Lapse Rate |
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Definition
Air is saturated
1.5 deg C/ 1000 m
More gradual because condensation releases stored heat |
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Term
| Lifting Mechanism: Orographic Uplift |
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Definition
Windward: going up mountain
Leeward: going down mountain
Air sinks, compresses. Warmer and drier.
Deserts form on the leeward side of mountain ranges |
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Term
| Lifting Mechanism: Convergence |
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Definition
When air rises, pressure at the surface is lower
Air moving in from different directions displaces air upward |
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Term
| Lifting Mechanism: Frontal |
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Definition
Cold air is denser than warm air
Cold air moving in acts as a wedge and forces warm air upward
This creates a cloud |
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Term
| Lifting Mechanism: Convectional Heating |
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Definition
| Heat energy from the ground is transferred to surrounding air |
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Term
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Definition
Deflects winds from a straight line path
To the right in northern hemisphere
To the south in southern hemisphere |
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Term
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Definition
| Large terrestrial ecosystem characterized by specific plant communities and formations |
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Term
| Most food webs begin with __________ |
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Definition
| Energy derived from the Sun |
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Term
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Definition
| Plants (autotrophs) which fix energy from the Sun (through photosynthesis) |
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Term
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Definition
Water + Carbon Dioxide + Light = Starches + Sugars + Oxygen
Requires reactions within plant leaves dependent on chlorophyll (light-sensitive pigments) |
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Term
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Definition
Reverse of photosynthesis
Energy produced through photosynthesis is stored and used later
Plant growth happens when there is a surplus of carbs beyond what's used in respiration |
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Term
| Gross Primary Productivity |
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Definition
| Total energy fixed in the ecosystem |
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Term
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Definition
| Gross minus the energy loss in respiration |
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Term
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Definition
10% of energy from previous level is transferred to the new level
As you move up the food pyramid, we get less energy out of the food we eat |
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Term
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Definition
Considers the way energy moves through a system
Primary Producer
Primary Consumer (Herbivores)
Secondary Consumer (Carnivores)
Energy gets less with each level |
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Term
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Definition
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Individual Organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| All life on the planet collectively |
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Term
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Definition
| Includes the physical environment (abiotic) as well as the living/ non-living parts (biotic) |
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Term
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Definition
| All populations of organisms that live and interact within a prescribed area |
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Term
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Definition
| All individuals of a given species within a prescribed area |
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Term
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Definition
Hierarchical system used to classify organisms
Kingdom (cellular organization, methods of nutrition)
Phylum (basic body plan)
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Kings Play Chess On Fine Grained Sand |
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Term
| Morphological Species Concept |
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Definition
| Each species is usually morphologically distinguishable from its closest relative |
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Term
| Biological Species Concept |
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Definition
Species is a group of organisms that interbreed freely under natural conditions
Ernest Mayer 1942 |
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Term
| 3 Density zones of population size |
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Definition
Zone of the Optimism: most dense
Zone of Stress
Zone of Intolerance: least dense
Highest densities occur near center of a species' range
Greatest population fluctuations at margins of a range |
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Term
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Definition
Generalist: Wide range of environmental tolerance
Specialist: Narrow range of environmental tolerance |
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Term
| Population density is highest where: (3 reasons) |
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Definition
Abiotic conditions are most suitable for growth
Competition/ interations with other species are limited
Population is highest at center of range |
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Term
| Population patterns of 2 competing species |
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Definition
When population of one species is high,
population of competing species is low |
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Term
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Definition
| Mutually detrimental interaction between species/ individuals |
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Term
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Definition
Intraspecific: between the same species. More intense
Interspecific: Between 2 different species |
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Term
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Definition
Resource Exploitation: species compete for the same resources but don't directly interact with each other
Interference Competition: Competitors interact physically or chemically (eg allelopathy) |
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Term
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Definition
One animal releases a chemical that is problematic for another species
Eg plants in the desert do this |
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Term
| Competitive Exclusion Principle |
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Definition
2 similar species cannot occupy the same niche but instead must displace each other or undergo evolution
Complete competitors cannot exist |
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Term
| Options for complete competitors (3) |
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Definition
Displacement: bumping one species out of a habitat by another
Ecological Differentiation/ Character Displacement:
coexisting species should differ in some ecologically significant way
Replacement: species replace each other geographically or by using different habitats |
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Term
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Definition
| Broad niche of a species in the absence of competition |
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Term
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Definition
The niche of a species when competition is present and excludes a species from certain portions of its range.
This applies only to the weaker competitor |
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Term
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Definition
Earth is lined up with the Sun
Circle of illumination runs from N Pole to S Pole
March 21 and September 22 |
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Term
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Definition
June 20:
Subsolar point at T of Cancer
S Pole in the dark
S Pole tipped away
Dec 21
Subsolar point at T of Capricorn
N Pole in the dark
N Pole tipped away |
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