INTRO TO GLOBAL SYSTEMS
The scientific study of interactions among organisms
and between organisms and their environment.
What is Ecology?
This is defined by patterns and averages of temperature, precipitation, clouds, and wind over many years. It also includes the frequency of extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods.
What is Climate?
This consists of short-term changes in temperature, precipitation, clouds, and wind from day to day, or minute to minute.
What is Weather?
A wetland formed where a river meets the sea.
What is an Estuary?
A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
Biome
What is the difference between Biotic and Abiotic factors?
Biotic = Living
Abiotic= Nonliving
The process in which certain gases trap sunlight energy in Earth’s atmosphere as heat.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor that trap heat in the atmosphere are referred to as these.
What are Greenhouse Gases?
The most diverse of all the biomes, these have warm temperatures and lots of precipitation.
What are Tropical Rain Forests?
These biomes receive very little rain and often have extreme temperature changes between day and night.
Deserts
What are the three main methods in Ecological studies?
Observation, Experimentation, Modeling
Give an example of a non-human cause of climate change.
Answer will vary...
Volcanic activity, continental drift, changes in solar energy, variation in Earth's orbit, Meteor strike
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Climate= long term averages and patterns
Weather= day to day conditions
These are dense forests of evergreen conifers at the northern edge of the temperate zone.
What are Boreal Forests/Taigas?
These biomes are characterized by permafrost, a layer of permanently frozen subsoil. Their plants are small because it is hard for them to take root in the permafrost. Animals that live in these are adapted to limit heat loss or to migrate to avoid winters.
What are Tundras?
What are the 4 main global systems?
Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere
When did the last ice age end?
~10,000 years ago
What is typically the result when the climate changes faster than life can adapt?
Mass Extinction
What are the three main groups of aquatic ecosystems?
Marine ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems, and estuaries.
What is the difference between the photic zone and aphotic zone?
Photic zone= Light = Photosynthesis
Aphotic zone=No Light = No Photosynthesis
Put the bolded ecological terms in order of increasing levels of Ecological organization: Biosphere, Community, Individual, Ecosystem, Population, Biome
Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere
What are the earth's three main climate zones?
Tropical, Temperate, Polar
What causes the earth to have varying climate zones?
The curvature and the tilt of the earth on it's axis.
What are the main zones for Marine ecosystems?
Intertidal zone, Coastal Ocean, Open Ocean
Humans have altered nearly ______ % of all land outside the steepest mountains, the polar regions, and the deserts.
75%