Chapter 19: Ecology and the Biosphere
- Define ecology.
- What are the 6 levels of ecology, from smallest to largest?
- If Charles Darwin considered himself an ecologist, which field of ecology would be fit best into?
- What does a population ecologist study? Give an example.
- What does a community ecologist study? Give an example.
- How is community ecology different from population ecology?
- What does an ecosystem ecologist study? Give an example.
- Which level of organisms ignores species?
- What is the range of species defined as?
- What is the primary determinant of a species range?
- Why are organisms limited to a specific range? Why don’t cacti grow in Canada?
- How do biotic factors play a role in a species range?
- How does competition affect a species' range?
- How does the sun’s angle of incidence vary by latitude?
- What causes the Earth’s seasons?
- What is the winter solstice? Summer solstice? Vernal equinox? Autumnal equinox?
- What is the degree of tilt of the Earth?
- Explain the Hadley cell: What happens at the equator? What happens at 30˚N? How does it affect precipitation?
- Why do air masses rise? What happens when air masses rise?
- Why do air masses fall?
- What happens to the water holding capacity as air masses rise and sink? What is the effect of this?
- How many global circulation patterns are their? What latitudes do they exist? What are their names?
- What is the climate like at 0˚? 30˚N? 60˚S? 90˚N?
- What are the contrasting consequences of the rain shadow effect?
- Give an example of where you might encounter a rain shadow effect.
- How does the heat capacity of water create the ocean moderation effect?
- Describe the temperature (mean & variability) and precipitation (mean & variability regimes for each of the following terrestrial biomes:
- Tropical rainforest
- Subtropical deserts
- Temperate forests
- Temperate grasslands
- Taiga
- Tundra
- What is the difference between a biome’s productivity and its biomass?
- Can a biome have high biomass and low productivity? If so, give an example.
- Can a biome have low biomass and high productivity? If so, give an example.
- Explain the plant productivity and biomass regimes for each of the following terrestrial biomes:
- Tropical rainforest
- Subtropical deserts
- Temperate forests
- Temperate grasslands
- Taiga
- Tundra
- What is a multilayered canopy? Where is it most commonly found?
- Do tropical rainforests have seasons? What are they?
- Where do tropical rainforests exist?
- Give some examples of tropical rainforests (i.e. Congo).
- Where are subtropical deserts located?
- Why don’t trees grow in temperate grasslands?
- Why is fire common in temperate grasslands?
- What latitude are temperate forests found? Give some examples.
- In taiga, there is low annual precipitation, but high biomass. How is this possible?
- Where are tundra biomes found?
- What kind of plants live in a tundra?
- What is permafrost? Where is it common?
- How long is the growing season in the tundra?
- Be able to identify the following sections of a lake: littoral zone, limnetic zone, benthic zone, photic zone, aphotic zone.
- What types of organisms live in the littoral zone? The limnetic zone? The benthic zone?
- How are freshwater wetlands different from ponds?
- What is the difference between a bog, a marsh, and a swamp?
- How are rivers different from estuaries?
- What are the physical differences between the source and mouth of a river?
- What are the biological differences between the source and mouth of a river?
- How does salinity vary in estuaries?
- How do changes in salinity levels affect biological organisms?
- What are intertidal zones? How are they different from estuaries? How are they different from coral reefs?
- What are the physical characteristics of intertidal zones?
- What organisms are most commonly found in intertidal zones?
- Where are coral reefs restricted? Why>
- Why are coral colored?
- Describe the symbiosis between coral and dinoflagellates?
- What is the most diverse aquatic ecosystem in the world?
- What is the pelagic zone?
- What are the physical characteristics of the pelagic zone?
- What organisms are common in the photic zone in the open ocean?
- What are nekton? Give some examples.
- What is the benthic zone? What kind of organisms live there?
- What are benthos? Give some examples.