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Biology 101 - Chapter 18
Biology 101 - Chapter 18 Introduction to Ecology and Biosphere
61
Biology
Undergraduate 1
09/22/2013

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Term
Global Climate Change
Definition
%CFAverage global temperatures 1.4%CB over the past century, mostly over the past 30 years. %CFNorthern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Peninsula have heated up the most.
%CFAlaskan winter temperatures have risen by 5-6%CB
%CFPermanent Arctic Sea is shrinking, polar bears are showing signs of starvation as their winter hunting grounds melt away.
%CFAntarctic Peninsula limits access of Ad
Term
Ecology
Definition
scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
%CFField research is fundamental to ecology.
Ecologists use discovery based natural history or hypothesis driven science to learn more about organisms react to their environment and vice versa.
Term
Biotic Factors
Definition
All the organisms in the area
Term
Abiotic Factors
Definition
All the nonliving components. Includes chemical and physical factors
Temperature
Air
Water
Minerals
Term
Habitat
Definition
specific environment including biotic and abiotic factors that an organism lives in.
Term
Four levels of ecology
Definition
organism
population
community
ecosystm
Term
Organism
Definition
an individual living thing
Term
Organismal ecology
Definition
evolutionary adapatations that enable organisms to meet the challenges posed by their abiotic environments.
Term
Population
Definition
group of individuals of the same species livingin a geographical area
Term
Population ecology
Definition
Concentrates mainly on factors that affect population density and growth. Biologists who study endangered speciesa are especially interested in this level of ecology
Term
Community
Definition
consists of all the organisms that inhabit a particular area. Assemblage of populations of different species.
Term
Community ecology
Definition
Focuses on how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community structure and organization
Term
Ecosystem
Definition
includes all the abiotic factors in addition to the community of species in a certain area
Term
Ecosystm ecology
Definition
questions concern energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among the various biotic and abiotic factors
Term
Biosphere
Definition
global ecosystem - the sum of all the planet's ecosystems or all of life and where it lives. Most complex level of ecology. Includes atmosphere to an altitude of several kilometers, the land down to water-bearing rocks about 1500 m deep, lakes, streams, caves and oceans to a depth of several kilometers.
Term
Physiological Responses
Definition
acclimation-gradual, temporary, reversible adjustment that occurs in response to an environmental change.
Ex: temperature, season, altitude
Term
Anatomical Responses
Definition
a change in body shape or structure
Term
Behavioral Responses
Definition
Moving to another location, dressing warmer for winter, birds migrating
Term
Biome
Definition
major terrestrial or aquatic life zone characterized by vegetation type in terrestrial biomes and physical environment in aquatic biomes.
Term
Aquatic biomes
Definition
Freshwater, Rivers and Streams, Wetlands, Marine
Term
Freshwater Biome
Definition
●Standing water (lakes and ponds) and Flowing water (rivers and streams)
●Covers less than 1% of earth and contain a mere .01% of its water. Harbors an estimated 6% of all described species.
Term
Lakes and Ponds
Definition
Communities of plants, algae and animals are distributed according to the depth of the water and its distance from shore. Less oxygen than rivers or streams.
Term
Photic Zone
Definition
Shallow water near the shore and the upper layer of water away from the shore. Named so because light is available for photosynthesis.
Term
Aphotic Zone
Definition
If lake or pond is deepy or murky enough it will have an aphotic zone where light levels are to low to support photosynthesis.
Term
Benthic Realm
Definition
Bottom of all aquatic biomes. Made of sand and organic and inorganic sediments. Occupied by communities oforganisms that are collectively called benthos.
Term
Phytoplankton
Definition
Collective name for microscopic algae and cyanobacteria in aquatic biomes. Mineral nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus typical regulate the growth.
Term
Rivers and Streams
Definition
Flowing water generally supports quite different communities of organisms than lakes and ponds. Changes greatly between its source and the point at which it empties.
Term
River or Stream source
Definition
water is usually cold, low in nutrients and clear. Channel is often narrow with swift current that does not allow much silt to accumulate. Inhibits growth of phytoplankton. Most organisms are supported by the photosynthesis of algae attached to rocks or by organic material (leaves)
Insects that eat algea, leaves or one another. Trout are predominant fishes, locating their food mainly by sight in the water.
Term
River or Stream - Downstream
Definition
Typically widens and slows. Water is usually warmer and may be murkier because of sediments and phytoplankton.
Worms and insects that burrow, waterfowl, frogs and catfish and other fishes that find food more by scent and taste than by sight.
Term
Wetland
Definition
transitional biome between aquatic ecosystem and a terrestrial one.
Among the most productive areas on earth.
Includes swamps, bogs and marshes.
Term
Marine Biome
Definition
Oceans and Seas.
Salt concentration generally around 3%
Term
Benthic Realm
Definition
Sea floor (or floor of freshwater biomes)
Term
Pelagic Realm
Definition
All open waters. In shallow areas, submerged parts of continents, the photic zone includes both pelagic and benthic regions.
Term
Zooplankton
Definition
free floating animals, including microscopic ones
Term
Intertidal zone
Definition
where the ocean meets land.
Term
Aphotic zone - "no light"
Definition
1000 m to 6-10,000 m Most of benthic organisms consume organic material on the seafloor.
Crustaceans, polychaete worrms, sea anemones and echinoderms such as sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins.
Term
Aphotic Zone - "twilight"
Definition
200 m to 1000 m
Some light reaches this zone but not enough for photosynthesis. Here animals feed on sinking food from the photic zone. Some fishes have enlarged eyes, enabling them to see in the very dim light and light-emitting orkgans that attract mates and prey.
Sponges, sea pen, octopus, sperm whale, hatchet fish
Term
Photic Zone
Definition
down to 200 m
phytoplankton, zooplankton, man of war, blue shark, turtle
Term
Coral reef biome
Definition
occurs in the photic zone of warm tropical waters. Built up slowly by successive generations of coral animals - a diverse group of cnidarians that secrete a hard external skeleton - and by multicellular algae encrusted with limestone. Unicellular algae live within the coral's cells providing the coral with food.
Term
Intertidal zone
Definition
Where the ocean meets lands. Home to many sedentary organisms, such as algae, barnacles and mussels, which attach to rocks and are thus prevented from being washed away.
Term
Estuary
Definition
a transition between a river and the ocean. Saltiness of estuaries ranges from nearly that of fresh water to that of the ocean.
Waters are enriched by nutrients from the river, making estuaries among the most productive areas on earth.
Term
Climate patterns
Definition
largely the result of the input of radiant energy from the sun and the planet's movement in space.
Term
Tropics
Definition
The region from the tropic of cancer to the tropic of capricorn.
Term
Temperate zones
Definition
latitudes between the tropics and artic circle and the antartic circle. Generally milder climates than the tropics or the polar regions. Coniferous forests dominate the landscape.
Term
Tropical Forest
Definition
occurs in equatorial areas where the temperature is warm and days are 11-12 hours long year round. 200-400 cm of rain per year.(6.6 to 13 feet)
Treetops create canopy. Many trees covered by woody vines. Orchids gain access by growing on branches or trunks of tall trees.
Monkeys, birds, insects, snakes, bats and frogs.
Term
Savanna
Definition
dominated by grasses and scattered trees. Temperature is warm year-round. Rainfall average is 30-50 cm (12-20 inches) per year. Fires are common here.
Zebra, anteloupe, lions and cheetah.
Term
Desert
Definition
Driest of all biomes, characterized by low and unpredictable rainfall. Sometimes less than 30 cm (12 inches) per year. Some are very hot 140○ daytime with large daily temp flux. Others are cold
Water-storing vegetation includes cacti and deeply rooted shrubs.
Snakes, lizzards and seed-eating rodents.
Term
Chaparral
Definition
Small coastal areas.
Dense, spiny, evergreen shrubs cominate chaparral. Many plants contain flammable chemicals and burn fiercely. Southern
Deer, fruit-eating birds, seed-eating rodents, lizards and snakes.
Term
Temperate grasslands
Definition
Mostly treeless except along rivers or streams. Rainfall averages between 25-75 cm per year (10-30 inches)
Bison and pronghorn, rabbits, voles, ground squirrels, prairie dogs and pocket gophers.
Term
Temperate broadleaf forest
Definition
Annual temp varies over a wide range. Annual precip is high 75-150 cm (30-60 inches) and typically distributed evenly throughout the year.Hot summers and cold winters.
Deciduous trees.
Bobcats, foxes, black bears and mountain lions.
Term
Coniferous Forest
Definition
Cone-bearing evergreen trees such as pine, spruce, fir and hemlock dominate. Northearn coniferous forest or "taiga" is largest terrestrial biome on earth. Also found at high elevations in more temperate latitudes. Mountainous region of western North America. Long, snowy winters and short, wet summers that are sometimes warm.
Moose, elk, hares, bears, wolves, grouse and migratory birds.
Term
Tundra
Definition
Covers expansive areas of Arctic between the taiga and polar ice. Very little annual precipitation.
Small shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens.
Term
Polar Ice
Definition
covers land at high latitudes north of the artic tundra in the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere. Extremely cold all year round. Precipitation is very low.
Polar bears (northern hemisphere) penguins (southern hemisphere) and seals.
Term
Hydrothermal Vents
Definition
Adjoining edges of earth's giant plates where molten rock and hot gases are spewed into the ocean. Chemicoautotrophic bacteria that derive energy from the oxidation of inorganicchemicals such as hydrogen sulfide. Bacteria with similar metabolic talents support communities of cave-dwelling organisms. Giant tube worms, annelids that may grow to 2 m long are members of the vent community.
Term
Marine Biome Threats
Definition
Humans dumping in the ocean, oil spills, pollution and alteration of freshwater inflow. Coral reefs are imperiled by ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures due to global warming.
Term
Greenhouse Effect
Definition
Certain gases in the earth's atmosphere are transparent to solar radiation but absorb or reflect heat.
Term
Greenhouse Effect on Global Climate Change
Definition
Extensive deforestation and burning of fossil fuels and wood is flooding the atmosphere with CO2. Excess CO2 was sucked up by the oceans for decades, making the ocean more acidic.
Term
Distribution and reaction of species from global climate change
Definition
Many species have already shifted toward the poles or to higher elevations. Animals at higher elevations have nowhere to go and some have begun to disappear. 20 species of frogs and toads have disappeared from Coasta Rica.
Term
Carbon footprint
Definition
The amount of greenhouse gas emitted as a result of the actions of a single individual
Term
Reducing carbon footprint
Definition
Reduce home energy. Share rides with friends or find alternate means of transportation when possible. Recycle or reuse items purchased. Eat less meat.
Term
Extinction due to global climate change
Definition
species with long life spans are not high candidates for evolutionary adaptation to save the species and will likely become extinct.
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