Ecology Chapter 4: Biomes and Biodiversity

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Questions and Answers

What is one primary consequence of logging on biomes?

Improves biodiversity in ecosystems

Enhances soil fertility

Destroys habitats and fuels climate change (correct)

Increases habitat size for wildlife

Which abiotic factor is NOT typically associated with aquatic biomes?

Oxygen levels

Nutrient availability

Salinity

Wind speed (correct)

How does agricultural development affect biodiversity?

Creates new habitats for wildlife

Converts land to monoculture, reducing biodiversity (correct)

Increases natural ecosystems

Promotes the growth of diverse species

What happens to smaller animals in response to climate change according to the provided information?

They adapt or die Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes to habitat fragmentation?

Highway development Signup and view all the answers

What type of habitat receives different abiotic conditions, making trees more susceptible to diseases?

Edge habitat Signup and view all the answers

Which factor enhances the ability of a species to adapt to environmental changes?

High genetic diversity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of episodic natural disruption?

Earthquakes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between primary and secondary succession?

Condition of the soil Signup and view all the answers

Why are pioneer species crucial in ecological succession?

They can adapt quickly and alter the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the seasonal movement of animals between habitats?

Seasonal migration Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes species that benefit more from constant habitats?

Specialist species Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor influencing ecological tolerance?

Predation rate Signup and view all the answers

Which animal migration is primarily driven by the need for better mating opportunities?

Right whales Signup and view all the answers

How do ecosystem engineers impact their habitats?

By creating or modifying habitats Signup and view all the answers

Which species is classified as a generalist due to its ability to reproduce quickly and adapt to various resources?

Raccoon Signup and view all the answers

What type of survivorship curve is characterized by most individuals dying early in life?

Type 3 Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of K-selected species?

Strong parental care Signup and view all the answers

Which factor would be considered a density-dependent resistance factor?

Competition for resources Signup and view all the answers

How does carrying capacity (K) affect population growth?

It can lead to overshoots and diebacks. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the age structure diagram of a population that is not growing and has a stable birth rate?

Middle heavy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is NOT a density-independent resistance factor?

Food availability Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of solar radiation on ecosystems?

It affects the rate of photosynthesis and primary productivity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical effect of parental care on Type 1 survivorship curves?

It increases survival rates. Signup and view all the answers

In which zone of a watershed would you expect to find the most sedimentation?

Floodplain zone Signup and view all the answers

What trend characterizes Phase 3 of the demographic transition model?

Education and later reproduction ages increase. Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of building dams in a watershed?

They block the flow of sediments and nutrients necessary for habitats downstream. Signup and view all the answers

The rule of 70 is used to calculate which of the following?

Doubling time Signup and view all the answers

Which species exemplifies an R-selected species due to its rapid growth rates?

Mosquitoes Signup and view all the answers

How do trade winds affect hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean?

They steer hurricanes west. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a component of a watershed?

Ozone layer Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason that generalist species may thrive in changing environments?

Ability to adapt to different resources Signup and view all the answers

What primarily determines the intensity of solar radiation received in a given area?

Season and latitude Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a population exceeds its carrying capacity?

The population experiences dieback. Signup and view all the answers

Which zone of the watershed has the steepest terrain?

Source zone Signup and view all the answers

What happens to sunlight exposure during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere?

It has less than 12 hours of sunlight. Signup and view all the answers

What can increase the risk of flooding in watersheds?

Adding more impervious surfaces Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential effect of pesticide and fertilizer use in a watershed?

Increase in phosphorus and nitrogen levels, possibly leading to eutrophication. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP)?

GPP is the total energy captured by producers, while NPP is the energy left after producers use some for their own processes. Signup and view all the answers

How does the 10 percent rule apply to ecological efficiency?

10% of the energy consumed by primary consumers is transferred to secondary consumers. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a consequence of having less complex food webs?

Increased susceptibility to stress factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is biomagnification?

The accumulation of substances as they move up the food chain. Signup and view all the answers

What factors can increase genetic biodiversity?

Minor disturbances in the environment. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a benefit provided by ecosystem services?

Genetic manipulation of species. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes island biogeography?

Large islands near the mainland tend to support the highest species richness. Signup and view all the answers

What effect do generalist species have in an ecosystem?

They thrive in a broader range of habitats and diets. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between primary productivity and biodiversity?

Higher productivity supports diverse species. Signup and view all the answers

What role does natural selection play in biodiversity?

It selects traits that allow better adaptation to the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of the profundal zone in aquatic ecosystems?

Utilization of nutrients by decomposers Signup and view all the answers

Which is an example of a provisioning ecosystem service?

Providing clean water. Signup and view all the answers

Which action is likely to decrease genetic biodiversity?

Extinction of species. Signup and view all the answers

How do upwellings benefit marine life?

They cause temperature regulation and nutrient cycling Signup and view all the answers

What impact does human activity have on food webs?

Human activity can disrupt food chains and cause trophic cascades. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process responsible for moving carbon from the atmosphere into plants?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of extreme environmental stresses on biodiversity?

They usually result in extinction of species. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a limiting factor in ecosystems?

An essential element that is scarce but vital for functioning Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the process of lithification in the phosphorus cycle?

Phosphorus becomes sedimented and forms rocks Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes does NOT return carbon to the atmosphere?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Which type of biomass has the highest primary productivity?

Tropical rainforests with high biodiversity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of the nitrogen cycle?

Microbial action drives the cycling of nitrogen Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the water cycle is true?

Ice caps hold a significant portion of Earth’s freshwater Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of monocultural agricultural practices on ecosystems?

Decreased primary productivity and diversity Signup and view all the answers

What role do algae play in marine biomes?

They produce a significant portion of the Earth's oxygen Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of secondary productivity in cold waters?

It can be high due to increased dissolved oxygen levels Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference between gross primary productivity and net primary productivity?

Net productivity accounts for energy loss to respiration Signup and view all the answers

Which process contributes to carbon being stored in long-term reservoirs?

Fossil fuel extraction and combustion Signup and view all the answers

What is one way that nitrogen becomes more accessible to plants?

By being converted to ammonium and nitrates Signup and view all the answers

What happens at a convergent plate boundary?

Plates push towards each other Signup and view all the answers

Which layer of Earth is responsible for tectonic plate movement?

Asthenosphere Signup and view all the answers

Which type of soil particle is the smallest?

Clay Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of plate boundary earthquakes?

Friction between locked plates Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant effect of tsunamis?

Contamination of water with saltwater Signup and view all the answers

What typically leads to soil erosion caused by water?

Deforestation Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the top layer of soil rich in organic matter?

Topsoil Signup and view all the answers

Which soil texture is categorized as having a mix of sand, silt, and clay?

Loam Signup and view all the answers

How does gravity influence soil erosion?

It pulls soil down slopes Signup and view all the answers

Which layer of the atmosphere is closest to Earth's surface?

Troposphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of the Coriolis effect on global wind patterns?

Wind is deflected due to Earth's rotation Signup and view all the answers

What type of erosion forms small channels that can lead to larger structures?

Rill erosion Signup and view all the answers

Which soil property is affected most by soil texture?

Water retention Signup and view all the answers

What typically occurs in the thermosphere due to solar radiation?

Temperature rises due to absorbed radiation Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of transform boundaries?

They frequently produce earthquakes Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Effects of Warming on Vegetation in Biomes

Animals can migrate if large enough/fly.
Smaller animals need adaptation or face death.
Polar biomes shrink, tropical biomes expand.

Causes Affecting Biomes

Logging: Destroys habitats, fuels climate change, reduces biodiversity.
Erosion: Creates new land but pollutes waterways, lowers agricultural productivity.
Loss of Topsoil: Reduces soil for growth, decreases biodiversity.
Natural Disasters.
Housing Developments: Increases runoff, consumes land, boosts carbon emissions, disrupts natural cycles.
Climate Change.
Mining: Contaminates water (especially groundwater), releases harmful substances, emits carbon, and causes erosion/land degradation through explosives.
Agricultural Development/Monoculture Conversion: Consumes land, lowers biodiversity (if replacing a forest).
Highway Development: Destroys habitats, fragments habitats.

Freshwater Biomes

Vocabulary: Streams vs. rivers, ponds vs. lakes, marshes vs. swamps vs. bogs.
Considered best aquatic biome due to warmth, nutrients, and plant growth conditions.
Saltwater swamps include mangroves.

Abiotic Conditions in Aquatic Biomes

Light: Decreases with depth, limiting photosynthesis.
Temperature: Warmer near the surface.
Current Velocity.
Salinity.
Oxygen: Indicates plant photosynthesis levels.
Nutrients: Often scarce in aquatic systems.
Suspended Matter.
Bottom Substrate.

Abiotic Conditions in Terrestrial Biomes

Precipitation.
Temperature.
Latitude and Altitude.
Soil Type.
Topography.
Wind Speed.

Aquatic Biome Zones

Littoral Zone: Near-shore areas with high plant life.
Benthic Zone: Bottom areas where nutrients accumulate after death.
Profundal Zone: Low sunlight, low productivity.
Upwellings: Mixing of sunlight and nutrient-rich water, promoting phytoplankton feeding and temperature regulation.
Photic Zone: High sunlight, optimal for plant growth.

Marine Biomes

Marine algae significantly contribute to Earth's oxygen supply, and CO2 uptake.
Chemosynthesis: Energy production in aphotic zones from chemical compounds.
Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) are higher near coastlines due to runoff.
Cold water with high dissolved oxygen often has high secondary productivity.

Carbon Cycle

A biogeochemical cycle regulating matter flow.
Carbon cycles in living and nonliving forms.
Reservoirs: Store carbon (e.g., atmosphere, biomass, sediments) with varying time scales.
Processes: Examples include photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and decomposition.
Atmosphere is a short-term reservoir of carbon, absorbed and released continually.
Long-term sequestration: Carbon in sediments (e.g., limestone), fossil fuels (e.g., oil, gas, coal.)
Can be released by fossil fuel combustion or slow weathering of limestone.

Nitrogen Cycle

A biogeochemical cycle driven by microbial action.
Nitrogen is essential but often a limiting factor in ecosystems.
Nitrogen fixation by (lightning/soil microbes) makes it usable for plants.
Plants incorporate usable nitrogen into their tissues, with animals consuming plants, thus passing nitrogen through trophic levels.

Phosphorus Cycle

A slow biogeochemical cycle, limiting ecosystems.
No atmospheric phase.
Major reservoirs are rocks and sediments, weathering releases phosphorus into soil/water.
Plants absorb phosphorus, and transfer it through food webs.
Runoff carries phosphorus into aquatic systems, eventually depositing as sediments.

Water Cycle

A biogeochemical cycle driven by solar energy.
Major reservoirs include oceans, ice caps, and groundwater.

Primary Productivity

Rate of autotrophs creating organic compounds through photosynthesis.
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP): Total photosynthesis rate.
Net Primary Productivity (NPP): GPP minus energy loss to metabolism.
Measured in energy units per unit area per unit time (kcal/m²/year).
Important for supporting consumers.

Trophic Levels

Energy transfer between levels (10% rule).
Energy loss due to respiration, heat, movement, and growth.
Ecological Efficiency: Energy transfer efficiency between levels.

Food Webs

Arrows show energy and matter flow between trophic levels.
Complex webs are more resilient to environmental pressures (stress) compared to simple ones.
Impacts like pollution, over-harvesting, etc., can have cascading effects on a food web.
Biomagnification/bioaccumulation: Pollutants accumulating at higher trophic levels.

Biodiversity

Genetic Biodiversity: Variation within a species, essential for adaptation.
Species Diversity: Number and evenness of species in an ecosystem.
Habitat Diversity: Variety of habitats in an ecosystem.
Human activities can increase or decrease biodiversity.

Ecosystem Services

Supporting: Habitats, primary productivity.
Provisioning: Food, water, raw materials.
Regulating: Moderating natural phenomena (e.g., pollination, water flow, waste treatment).
Cultural: Tourism, recreation, knowledge generation.

Island Biogeography

Species richness highest on large islands near the mainland.
Habitat fragmentation, maintaining biodiversity through habitat corridors.

Ecological Tolerance

Range of abiotic conditions an organism can tolerate.
Higher genetic diversity allows for greater tolerance.

Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems

Periodic: Regular events (e.g., spring rains).
Episodic: Irregular events (e.g., earthquakes).
Random: Unpredictable events (e.g., tornadoes).
Climate Change: Long-term, driven by greenhouse gases.

Migration

Seasonal movement due to environmental changes, resources, and mating opportunities.

Adaptations

Genetic changes enable organisms to adapt to their environment.

Ecological Succession

Gradual change in community structure over time.
Primary Succession: From bare rock/no soil.
Secondary Succession: From disturbed soil.

Keystone/Ecosystem Engineer/Indicator Species

Species with significant roles and influence.
Species that create or change habitats.
Species that indicate environmental conditions.

Population Growth

Biotic potential: Maximum reproductive rate in ideal conditions.
K-selected species: Long lifespan, slow reproduction.
R-selected species: Short lifespan, rapid reproduction.

Survivorship Curves

Display relative survival rates among population groups.
Useful for understanding population growth patterns.

Carrying Capacity

Maximum population size an environment can sustain.
Often not constant due to changing resources.
Overshoot followed by population dieback.

Environmental Resistance Factors

Density-dependent (e.g., competition, predation).
Density-independent (e.g., natural disasters).

Age Structure Diagrams (Population Pyramids)

Show age distribution in a population (by sex).
Shape reflects growth patterns (e.g., expanding populations, stable populations, declining populations).

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Average number of children born per woman.
Factors influencing TFR: Age of first pregnancy, education, costs, policies, etc.

Demographic Transition Model

Model showing trends in birth rate, death rate, and population size during development.

Earth's Layers and Plate Tectonics

Layers: Crust, asthenosphere, mesosphere.
Plate Boundaries: Convergent, divergent, and transform.
Earthquake Causes: Built-up pressure at fault lines.
Tsunamis: Displaced water from tectonic plate movement.

Soil

Properties: Color, texture, structure.
Soil-forming Factors: Parent material, topography, biology, climate, time.
Soil Profile: Distinct layers.
Soil erosion: Water, wind and gravity, human activities.

Soil Texture (sand, silt, clay)

Soil triangle used to identify soil type.

Earth's Atmosphere (layers)

Exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere.

Global Wind Patterns

Driven by convection and Coriolis effect.
Trade winds, westerlies.

Watersheds

Area of land draining to a river.
Zones: Source, transition, floodplain.
Human impacts: Logging, pollution, damming.

Solar Radiation

Insolation: Incoming solar radiation, dependent on season and latitude.
Effects: Photosynthesis, ecosystems, etc.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the impacts of logging, agricultural development, and climate change on various biomes and biodiversity. This quiz explores key ecological concepts including abiotic factors, habitat fragmentation, and succession. Answer questions related to animal migration and the importance of pioneer species in ecosystems.