Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
125 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is ecology?
|
The study of organisms in relation to their environment; environmental relationships. The flow of energy, matter and growing populations within ecosystems.
|
|
|
What is an ecosystem?
|
Collection of plants, animals and physical environment in which they interact. Varies in location, size, weather, climate, flora (plants) and fauna (animals).
-Study organisms as relates to other organisms in environment |
|
|
What is energy/different types of energy?
|
Ability to do work:
Potential, kinetic, heat |
|
|
Why is energy a requirement for all living organisms?
|
because of chemical reactions in body.
|
|
|
Potential energy
|
energy stored
ex. rock on top of a hill |
|
|
kinetic energy
|
in motion
ex. rock rolling down hill |
|
|
heat energy
|
produced by fire
|
|
|
How are organisms inter related with each other?
|
Organisms are inter related with each other by food (energy) gathering process.
|
|
|
Define calories vs. Calories
|
Unit of energy
calorie: unit of energy to express quantity of heat; amount of heat required to heat up 1 g of water 1 degree celsius. Calorie: 1000 calories/kilocalorie; Amount of heat required to heat up 1000 grams of water 1 degree celsius. |
|
|
Autotrophs
|
green plants, engage in autotrophi/ photosynthesis. Obtain energy from sun-> chemical energy-> glucose, fat, sugars & proteins.
|
|
|
Heterotrophs
|
organisms dependent on preformed sources of energy. Obtain energy from other sources. Includes man, animals, mammals, most organisms. Requires organic material already synthesized (ex. apple). Carry on cellular respiration.
|
|
|
Auxotrophs
|
Need slight amount of organic material already synthesized for metabolism. Ex. bacteria
|
|
|
Equation for photosynthesis
|
6Co2+ 6H2O + Energy (Sunlight)-> C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2
-chloroplasts: chlorophyll capture sunlight |
|
|
Equation for cellular respiration
|
6O2+ C6H12O6-> 6Co2+ 6H2O
|
|
|
Trophic levels?
|
producers, heterotrophs, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer
|
|
|
Producers
|
level of consumption. Non consumers. Ex. tree, grass
|
|
|
heterotrophs
|
primary consumers. Get energy from autotrophs. ex. cows,grasshoppers
|
|
|
secondary consumer
|
get their energy from plants indirectly. ex. wolf + owls
|
|
|
Tertiary consumers
|
Heterotrophs get energy indirectly. ex. tree shrew, bears, eagles.
|
|
|
Food Web
|
plants eaten by grazers eaten by predators eaten by other predators.
-Flow of food energy progressing through a food chain -action of food consumer in a natural ecosystem -waste recycled by saprophytes (worms, bacteria) |
|
|
What are saprophytes
|
eat dead/decaying stuff. fungi, nematodes, bacteria, snails
|
|
|
bioaccumulation
|
accumulation of chemicals in organs in organisms.
|
|
|
biomagnification
|
ncreasing amount of chemicals stored more and more higher in the food chain in the organism’s fatty tissues. Ex. DDT (still used in 3rd world countries b/c of malaria)
|
|
|
biomass
|
total mass of organic matter present at any time in ecosystem.
|
|
|
detritus feeders
|
eat waste matter, consume waste.
|
|
|
oxygen cycle
|
-Plants photosynthesis, cellular respiration use oxygen
-present in any ecosystem as oxygen, ozone, ions (NO3), NO, NO2, in rocks and minerals, calcium carbonate, limestone CaCo3 |
|
|
carbon cycle
|
-Related to O2; Carbon and water becomes salt water
-limestone, oil shale (oil in rock), dead organic matter, atmosphere, terrestrial plants, plankton (ocean) |
|
|
nitrogen cycle
|
-Atmosphere has ~80% Nitrogen but can’t be used directly by most organisms.
Becomes Nitrogen compounds through photochemical reactions (lightning) and fibers: bacteria + algae make it readily useable by plants. -N=essential to plants, constituent of proteins -4 times more Nitrogen in atmosphere than oxygen NO2-> Nitrate NO3-> Nitrate NH3->Ammonia NH4+->Ammonium ion |
|
|
what is NO2
|
Nitrate
|
|
|
What is NH3
|
Ammonia
|
|
|
NH4+
|
Ammonium Ion
|
|
|
How does nitrogen go back into the atmosphere?
|
-Nitrogen goes back into the atmosphere through fire and denitrifying bacteria
|
|
|
mineral cycles
|
Small amounts of essential minerals: phosphorous, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron
|
|
|
Biome
|
Largest ecological unit found on land. Certain type of vegetation due to type of weather; swamps, mountains, forest. A large, stable, terrestrial ecosystem
|
|
|
Realm
|
Geological unit, containing many biomes, species of plants and animals. There are 7 different realms:
|
|
|
Neoacrtic realm
|
North America, Northern plateau in central Mexico
|
|
|
Palearctic
|
asia, Europe, Africa north of Sahara desert
|
|
|
Holarctic
|
North America, Northern plateau in central Mexico
and asia, Europe, Africa north of Sahara desert |
|
|
Neotropical realm
|
south America and central America
|
|
|
Ethiopian realm
|
Africa, south of Sahara
|
|
|
Oriental realm
|
Asia/South of Himalayan Mountains and east sides of Bornea and Java islands.
|
|
|
australian realm
|
Australia, Indonesian islands, and west sides of Bornea and Java islands.
|
|
|
biosphere
|
region includes all life supporting portions of earth and earth’s atmosphere. Includes ecosystems, trosphere, etc.
|
|
|
Major ecosystems
|
oceans
freshwater systems (lakes, ponds, streams, rivers) Estuaries: mouth of a river. fresh water meets salt water. Brackish (slightly salty Terrestrial ecosystems; tropical, coniferous, evergreen, deciduous, deserts. |
|
|
what are the primary predators of the ocean?
|
zooplankton
|
|
|
What do you find at the bottom of the ocean?
|
the bottom dwellers, known as the benthic species. some illuminate in the dark!
|
|
|
freshwater ecosystems
|
-constantly fertilized by nutrients taken by the nearby soil banks, and the lakes and ponds have hteir ocean plant and animal species. in freshwater system there are less levels of nourishment- less trophic levels.
lilies, algae, rooted plants, and marsh grasses. fish, reptiles, perts, trouts, sunfish, turtles, snakes, frogs, shallower than oceans. |
|
|
why are estuaries important?
|
important because they act as nurseries for deep sea water fish whose young would not survive out in the ocean, come into the estuaries to reproduce.
|
|
|
how would you describe the water in estuaries?
|
brackish
|
|
|
how are estuaries characterized?
|
categorized by their easy access to the sea, high concentration of nutrients which originate from the land and from the sea. offer protective shelter to many species and lastly in the estuaries we would find many rooted plants in shallow water.
|
|
|
which ecosystem contains the most biodiversity?
|
tropical rainforest
|
|
|
tropical rainforest
|
contain the most biodiversity
many plant species offer medicinal value. some plant species have not even been discovered yet. found in the Amazon region in parts of south-east asia, new guinea, parts of africa, malaysia, central america (costa rica), very thick vegetation + many diff. types of organisms. trees take in a lot of CO2 |
|
|
deserts
|
might find cactus plants, shrub brush, or barron.
have rain fall of less than 10 inches a year. very dry but can be hot or cold. africa, nevada. home to many species of organisms |
|
|
prairies
|
grasslands: bison, pairie dogs,
rainfall can’t really support a forest so no trees. Alberta, CA. central part of the USA. Lots back in the 1800’s but many has been destroyed. |
|
|
savannas
|
long grass, many migratory animals,
the flora has fire-resistant trees, other characteristic vegetation. yearly rainfall is about 40-60 inches of rain and annual wet season and an annual dry season. |
|
|
tundra
|
many plants but no trees
has its own characteristic animals. summer temp.=50 degrees F. found in Northern North America, Alaska, North of Taiga. |
|
|
taiga
|
South of the tundra we find more animals,
primary grazers include deer, moose, caribou, wood buffalo, elk and many rodents, largest predators would include the wolf, lynx, mountain lions, characteristic vegetation. Canada. temperatures are warmer than the tundra areas. |
|
|
forests
|
generally are south of the taiga,
need b/w 30 and 60 inches of rain every year. temperatures b/w 60 degrees+ 65 d F. red wood forest, sequoia, mountain forests, deciduous forests with a wide diversity of plants and animals. |
|
|
climax ecosystem
|
stable ecosystem. Ex. Red Wood Forest, CA, tend to resist pests and fire, very stable ecosystem!
|
|
|
ecotone
|
border ecosystem. have more life than either bordering ecosystem. where 2 ecosystems meet (the overlap). ex. estuary. River mouth=aquatic ecotone.
|
|
|
ecosystem homeostasis
|
the balance of nature, the ability to maintain the healthy/normal state. can be used for an ecosystem. the various physiological arrangements which serve to restore the normal state.
|
|
|
current pop. on earth
|
6.9
|
|
|
expected pop. by 2050
|
9 bill.
|
|
|
results of increase in pop. size
|
the depletion of natural resources,
air pollution + water pollution, destruction of and, production of much waste increase in housing problems decrease in the amount of food decrease in number of jobs increase of diseases (ex. TB) affecting people physiologically. |
|
|
population size is limited by:
|
limitations in space
limitations in nutrition (animals and humans) famine and disease social forces- few children during a depression the decisions of families (ex. to only have 1 child) the decisions of nations (ex. One Child Policy in China; China has about 1.3 billion people) temperature: affects any population size (even bacteria) oxygen levels; ex. water pollution economics |
|
|
Thomas Malthus
|
said that populations would increase in size much more rapidly than food supplies, however over the course of history that has been proven not true because of the rapid growth of agricultural techniques. Any uncontrolled population would eventually deplete its food supply; pessimist. correct in stating that there are limits of the earth’s capacity to support its people.
|
|
|
arithmetic growth curve
|
As time goes on, population size increases proportionally
|
|
|
geometric growth curve
|
Small at first but then it takes off! (K curve)
|
|
|
oscillating growth curve
|
increases/decreases around a set point
|
|
|
sigmoid curve
|
(s shaped) small increase in population up to a certain point, then it takes off, and then it stabilizes.
|
|
|
extinction curve
|
increases over time but then dies off
|
|
|
____% of all species that have lived on earth are now extinct
|
95%
|
|
|
what is demography
|
A branch of sociology/ anthropology dealing with the statistical characteristics of human populations with reference to their total size, density, number of deaths, disease, and migrations. Vital events affecting a population: births, deaths, marriages, migrations.
|
|
|
what is population ecology?
|
The study of population dynamics of a species of plant or animal and the population ecologists study the geography of a region. he looks at the climate, the food supply, the predation of one species upon another, interspecific competition (competition b/w species), intra-specific competition (competition within a species)
Different than demography b/c it’ll look at any plant or animal pop. |
|
|
distribution of a population
|
we are looking at the age/sex composition; affects the growth rate in the population. Growth rate is determined by birth rate and the death rate. Death rates will vary by age and by sex.
|
|
|
absolute difference
|
look at pop. at two different times.
Ex. 1975 213 million people, 1950 had 142 million. 61 million person difference. |
|
|
rate of growth
|
the difference b/w the population at two diff. times divided by the population size at the earlier time.
ex. 213 million-152 million / 152 million x 25 years= 1.6 % |
|
|
doubling time
|
td. the doubling time a population would take to double in size if its growth rate were to remain constant. Places like Mexico and lower countries are very low, won’t take long for the population to double. England, France, etc the doubling time is much higher. developing countries double sooner.
Rule of 70: 70/Growth rate -> doubling time |
|
|
rate of natural increase
|
the difference between the number of births in A year and the number of deaths in the same year divided by the population size.
1000 births-30 deaths/ 2800= 2.5% increase |
|
|
do males or females have a higher probability of surviving?
|
Females have a higher probability of surviving from one year to the next than men do, except during the child bearing years in areas that do not have much modern medical care.
|
|
|
country with the highest life expectancy
|
japan
|
|
|
life expectancy
|
E0:
or TFR: Total fertility rate; can be used to compare patterns of birth + death from one country to another. |
|
|
Sensation
|
much of the driving source for the supply of air pollution come from the responses from unwanted sensations- especially what can be seen, like smoke, or smelled.
|
|
|
Properties of Gas
|
Transparent
Gases do not settle out! (do not percipitate out) Gases consist of molecules in constant motion (brownian movement- where molecules collide with each other) Almost all are colorless Readily expand and contract Gases disperse in space Gases show little resistant to flow- Ar. Ne, Xe, He, All noble gases |
|
|
properties of smoke
|
readily visible
settles out precipitates out (falls to the ground) consists of particles smoke is opaque (can’t necessarily see through it) |
|
|
what is the atmosphere/what is it consisted of?
|
the gaseous envelope that surrounds earth
-consists of air -mixture of gases, water vapor, solid particles (smoke), liquid droplets -78% Nitrogen; 21% Oxygen; 1% Other gases -Water vapor/moisture/suspended particles/living particles. -suspended particles: soot, dust, pollen, sand, dirt, pieces of cloth, hair, skin. -living particles: bacteria, viruses. |
|
|
pollutant
|
Any substance that adversely affects air quality
|
|
|
gas pollutants
|
O3 Ozone, CO Carbon monoxide, SO2 sulfur dioxide, CO2, N20 Nitrous oxide, NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide, NO Nitrogen Oxide, Air that has 10% of CO2 is a pollutant.
|
|
|
particulate impurities
|
rate of settling vary from one area to the next, the concentrate of these particles is usually expressed as the total mass per unit of volume of air. Ex. Micrograms/meter cubed
|
|
|
-Harmful effect of any pollutant depends on
|
the concentration of the pollutant and the specific toxicity of the pollutant.
|
|
|
Aerosol/types of aerosols
|
A general term for particles suspended in the air.
Mist: An aerosol consisting of liquid droplets Dust: An aerosol consisting of solid particles |
|
|
smog
|
Originated in England and it comes as a mixture of fog and smoke.
|
|
|
soot
|
A term of something consisting of carbon particles and these carbon particles could be cancer-causing (carcinogenic)
|
|
|
natural sources of pollution
|
carnifer trees: give off terpenes; terpenes are volatile substances found in resins. These terpenes can turn the air a smokey-blue color in a coniferous forest (TN).
Forest fires Volcanoes: particulate matter into the atmosphere |
|
|
manmade sources of pollution
|
A mobile: cars, trucks, buses, give off pollutants, these pollutants undergo reactions w/ sunlight to form photochemical smog.
Stationary: factories, power plants, heating plants, industry, garbage dumps, agricultural burning: give off pollutants into the air. These Stationary sources produce bi-products. Can either be useful or hazardous. |
|
|
london smog
|
(Industrial smog):
Due to pollutants primarily from the burning of coal and it does not require sunlight; it smells smokey looks gray-black (color), could damage stone and marble. |
|
|
los ángeles smog
|
(photochemical smog):
irritates your eyes, cracks rubber (windshield wipers), smells like ozone, it’s yellow-brown in color, it can destroy crops such as lettuce/spinach, found in areas where there are lots of gas polluting vehicles like Los Angeles which is a city surrounded by mountains/high pressure/little air movement. Common in cities like NYC which have a lot of sunshine/vehicles. |
|
|
gases in smog/how it's made:
|
Find CO, SO2, NOx, Hydrocarbons.
Formed: O2+UV-> Ozone; Ozone+auto exhaust-> Smog |
|
|
does smog start in morning or night?
|
morning
|
|
|
temperature inversion
|
Cool lower layer of air is trapped by a warmer, upper air mass. The cool air is unable to rise and can only move in a lateral direction. Pollutants get trapped near the ground and move laterally. The situation continues to build up.
|
|
|
1st effect of air pollution
|
crates aesthetic problems: Industry mainly cares about the visible products b/c of public’s reactions. (danger in allowing aesthetic considerations to be the most important criteria in setting standards to pollution control)
|
|
|
2nd effect of air pollution
|
NOX (more important!) Acid rain: can kill plants/trees, and acid rain will continue as long as man continues to burn fossil fuels. can corrode lung tissue, can also destroy metals. Also, most acid rain has a pH of 4-5. Many lakes are biological deserts b/c they’ve lost their fish populations that can’t survive in acid water. Forms according to: 2So2+O2-> 2So3 So3+H2O-> H2So4
Corrosive and soiling effects: in certain countries, bronze and marble statues/carvings have been eroded by air that is rich in sulfuric acid/nitric acid. Acid rain can interfere with rubber. Broken down by Ozone. weakening of textiles / paints are blacked by sulfides in the air. communities are subjected to a black rain of carbon. |
|
|
3rd effect of air pollution
|
3) Damage to vegetation: Air pollution has caused wide spread damage to trees, vegetables, and flowers. Ex. the citrus trees in LA have been defoliated by smog. Leaves that are damaged by smog are not able to carry on photosynthesis. Defoliated on many trees in San Veridino, CA. Trees weakened by air pollution are more susceptible to droughts, disease, insects.
|
|
|
4th effect of air pollution
|
4) Damage to animals: not more clearly seen. Various fluorine compounds have fallen out from the air to the ground and have poisoned cattle. Have caused cattle to get “Fluorosis”- the cattle has abnormal calcification of bones, lose weight, if too many fluorine in the air this can cause damage to enamel teeth.
|
|
|
5th effect of air pollution
|
Effects on Human health: (most important?), believed that air pollution leads to various lung/respiratory diseases- lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema (replacement of the elastic tissue of the lungs with more rigid networks, makes lungs nonfunctional). Acute episodes of air pollution: First noticed in 1948 in Donora, PA (industrial city)- several people died.
|
|
|
Synergism
|
ne effect or another effect, both together becomes much worse! (greater net toxicity); an interaction that produces more than an additive effect. (pollution1+pollution2<Net effect).
ex. smoking+air pollution |
|
|
6th effect of air pollution
|
Effects on the climate/atmosphere: All possible effects:
1.The ozone layer is being depleted by fluorocarbons CFCL3 or CF2Cl2- known as freons. Ozone is a blueish, explosive, poisonous gas. They say that freons have been depleting the ozone layer which is not found in the troposphere- found in stratosphere, so more carcinogenic UV rays are making their way through. 2. Particles in the air may change patterns of precipitation; particles int he air serve as nuclei in moisture- more rain. 49 MINUTES -radiation might be reflected by airborne dust resulting in the cooling of the atmosphere. |
|
|
green house effect
|
normally keeps us warm, usually good, but when it is exaggerated this leads to global warming which causes problems! defined as the phenomen of carbon dioxide absorption of heat. Heat meant to leave earth is readmitted to the atmosphere and warms earth. too much leads to harmful global warming. Concentration of CO2 is increasing in our atmosphere and that in the next 40 years it will be enough to warm up our atmosphere about .5 degrees centigrade.
|
|
|
weather vs. climate
|
-weather: is it raining today? climate: over a long period of time.
|
|
|
Primary standards and secondary standards
|
Primary standards: guard human health, secondary stands: guard plants, materials, and visibility
|
|
|
emission standards/what they're based off of
|
permissible limits for air pollution sources. How much can you emit and still be in the law? -EPA has created air standards based off of 3 things: what the pollution is, look at time of exposure, concentration of the pollutant.
|
|
|
#1 cause of lung cancer
|
radon
|
|
|
control of air pollution emissions
|
Can be controlled by their removal from the air before they’re admitted into the environment. Converting the air pollutants into harmless products which can then be released into the atmosphere ex. scrubbers, precipitators, filtration, etc.
|
|
|
air quality act
|
The local authorities (towns) were expected to find their own means to implement the standards. federal role is to do research + create standards, but locals find their own ways to implement it. 1970: amendments to the clean air act, governments set national ambient (surrounding) standards for 5 years in the future to 1975. 1970 the gov. entered air quality management on a large scale and in 1970 and beyond the amendments were the limit the qualities of air contaminants from any new factory. new amendments are constantly being added from time to time! conflicting goals b/w businessmen and those that want good air quality.
|
|
|
layers of the atmosphere
|
Troposphere, first 11 miles
Stratosphere- Ozone Mesosphere |
|
|
gases of the air: water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane are called what?
|
greenhouse gases
|
|
|
what are greenhouse gases
|
they absorb and release energy that warms the lower atmosphere
|
|
|
where is the ozone found?
|
the stratosphere
|
|
|
what is the hydrosphere
|
consists of all the water on or near the earth's surface.
|
|
|
what is the geosphere
|
consists of the earth's intensely hot core, a thick mantle composed mostly of rock, and a thin outer crust.
|
|
|
biosphere
|
consists of all the parts of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere where life is found.
|
|
|
the energy from the sun reaches the earth how?
|
in the form of electromagnetic waves, composed mostly of visible light, ultra violet radiation, and infrared radiation.
|
|
|
what percentage of all the solar radiation reaches the planet's surface?
|
~50%
|
|
|
natural greenhouse effect
|
natural effect that releases heat in the atmosphere near the earth's surface. the gases in the troposphere absorb some of the IR radiated by the earth's surface. their molecules vibrate and transform the absorbed energy into long wavelength Infrared radiation in the troposphere.
|
|
|
chemosynthesis
|
a few producers, mostly specialized bacteria, can convert simple inorganic compounds from their environment into more complex nutrient compounds without using sunlight.
|
