Atmospheric Science and Genetics in Ecology

Composition: Earth’s atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and trace gases (1%).
Layers:
- Troposphere: Weather occurs here, temperature decreases with altitude.
- Stratosphere: Contains the ozone layer, temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorption of UV radiation.
- Mesosphere: Coldest layer, meteoroids burn up.
- Thermosphere: Contains ionosphere, high temperatures due to solar activity.
Climate: Long-term atmospheric conditions influenced by factors like latitude, altitude, and ocean currents.
Weather Systems: Includes frontal systems, cyclones, and anticyclones.

Genetic Variation: Diversity in genes within populations contributes to adaptation and evolution.
Natural Selection: Favorable traits increase survival and reproduction, impacting gene frequency in populations.
Gene Flow: Movement of genes between populations may strengthen or diversify genetic traits.
Inbreeding and Outbreeding: Inbreeding can lead to reduced genetic diversity, while outbreeding may enhance adaptability to changing environments.

Trophic Levels: Hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, including producers (autotrophs), consumers (heterotrophs), and decomposers.
Energy Flow: Energy enters ecosystems primarily through photosynthesis; only about 10% is transferred between trophic levels.
Food Chains and Webs: Food chains depict linear energy flow, whereas food webs show complex interconnections among various organisms.
Biomagnification: Accumulation of toxins in organisms at higher trophic levels, posing risks to predators.

Plate Tectonics: Earth's lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.
Plate Boundaries:
- Divergent: Plates move apart, creating new crust (e.g., mid-ocean ridges).
- Convergent: Plates collide, leading to mountain formation or subduction.
- Transform: Plates slide past one another, causing earthquakes (e.g., San Andreas Fault).
Sea-Floor Spreading: Oceanic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and form new crust.

Rock Cycle: Processes of erosion, sedimentation, metamorphism, and melting contribute to the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
Landforms:
- Mountains: Formed by tectonic uplift or volcanic activity.
- Valleys: Created by erosion or glacial activity.
- Plateaus: Elevated flat areas resulting from volcanic activity or erosion.
Sedimentary Features: Include fossils and layered formations, indicating past environments and biological activity.

Earth's atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), with the remaining 1% consisting of trace gases.

The troposphere is the lowest layer, where weather occurs, and temperature decreases with altitude.
The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which absorbs ultraviolet radiation, causing temperature to increase with altitude.
The mesosphere is the coldest layer, where most meteoroids burn up.
The thermosphere is the hottest layer, containing the ionosphere, which is heated by solar activity.

Climate refers to long-term atmospheric conditions in a specific region, influenced by factors like latitude, altitude, and ocean currents.

Weather systems include various phenomena like frontal systems, cyclones, and anticyclones, which contribute to short-term weather patterns.

Genetic variation within populations is crucial for adaptation and evolution, as it provides a range of traits for natural selection to act upon.

Natural selection favors traits that increase survival and reproduction, leading to changes in gene frequencies within populations.

Gene flow refers to the movement of genes between populations, which can either enhance or diversify genetic variation.

Inbreeding occurs when closely related individuals reproduce, leading to reduced genetic diversity.
Outbreeding, involving reproduction between unrelated individuals, can increase adaptability to changing environments.

Trophic levels represent levels of energy transfer in an ecosystem, starting with producers (autotrophs), followed by consumers (heterotrophs), and decomposers.
Energy flow begins with photosynthesis, where producers convert sunlight into chemical energy. Only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
Food chains demonstrate linear energy transfer, while food webs depict complex interconnections between different organisms in an ecosystem.
Biomagnification is the accumulation of toxins in organisms at higher trophic levels, posing risks to predators.

Plate tectonics describes the movement of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates floating on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Divergent plate boundaries occur when plates move apart, resulting in the creation of new crust through processes like seafloor spreading.
Convergent plate boundaries involve the collision of plates, leading to mountain formation or subduction.
Transform plate boundaries involve plates sliding past each other, causing earthquakes.

Sea-floor spreading occurs at divergent plate boundaries, where oceanic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and form new crust.

The rock cycle involves processes like erosion, sedimentation, metamorphism, and melting, resulting in the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Mountains form through tectonic uplift or volcanic activity.
Valleys are created by erosion or glacial activity.
Plateaus are elevated flat areas formed through volcanic activity or erosion.