what is the cause of El Nino?
when trade winds weaken, then reverse to move west to east in Equatorial Pacific
Why do islands support fewer species than the mainland?
Limited resources, catastrophic events, higher extinction rates & higher difficulty to replace extinct species
the most efficient irrigation method to conserve water
drip irrigation
3 characteristics of a specialist
less likely to move to a new habitat, less likely to adapt to new conditions, and is at a disadvantage when conditions change rapidly
How do plants play a role in the carbon cycle?
Plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
the largest carbon sink
The oceans
characteristics of a growing population pyramid
the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
what is a climate
The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands
What is adiabatic cooling?
An area that is biologically isolated that a species occurring within the area rarely mixes with any other population of the same species
What is a habitat island?
If a population die declines in number, the genetic diversity carried by the surviving individual is greatly reduced
Population Bottleneck
3 reasons death rates decline during the . developing stage of the DTM
Better sanitation, clean drinking water, and availability of food and healthcare
How does vegetation affect climate?
plants give off moisture, so the more plants the cooler and more moist the region will be.
5 factors that affect TFR
What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
A shared and limited resource becoming depleted through excessive use
Theoretically, in what period does a population grow at its maximum rate?
When it is at about half carrying capacity
examples of density-independent factors
Storms, fires, heat waves, and droughts
Which type of ecosystem service is flood control and air purification?
what is regulating?
climate (temperature and precipitation) and plants
species that gives early warning signs of damage or danger to a community
What is the one chemical cycle with no atmospheric component
The phosphorus cycle.
What drives atmospheric circulation at the equator? What is the name for this region?
intense sunlight leads to rising air, and convergence of the 2 Hadley cells. The ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone)
what is permafrost and in which biome is it prevalant
Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two years straight. Biome = tundra
3 physical properties of soil and how they impact productivity
Texture - particle size distribution; Permeability & porosity --> impact water-holding capacity of soil
what is nitrification and what is its role in the nitrogen cycle?
Nitrification definition is - the oxidation (as by bacteria) of ammonium salts to nitrites and the further oxidation of nitrites to nitrates. An important step after nitrogen fixation to make nitrogen more biologically available.