Forest Ecology Overview
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Questions and Answers

What primarily influences the distribution of vegetation around the globe?

  • Climate (correct)
  • Human interference
  • Soil nutrients
  • Species competition

Which of the following is NOT a major tree taxon in the Eastern deciduous forest?

  • Fraxinus
  • Sequoia (correct)
  • Acer
  • Carya

In the Eastern deciduous forest, which stratum is most likely to contain wildflowers and ferns?

  • Canopy
  • Herb (correct)
  • Ground
  • Understory

What ecological factor does NOT play a role in determining plant distribution within a biome?

<p>Animal migration patterns (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the physiological structure of the Eastern deciduous forest?

<p>Distinct layering consisting of canopy, understory, shrub, herb, and ground layers (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of ecological interaction is represented by mycorrhizae?

<p>Mutualism (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor influences the intensity and frequency of natural fires?

<p>Climate (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main benefit of disturbance in an ecosystem?

<p>It allows new individuals to establish (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor influencing plant distribution?

<p>Competition (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which event is primarily caused by natural lightning strikes?

<p>Forest fires (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary relationship in parasitism?

<p>One benefits at the expense of another (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does drought affect ecosystems?

<p>It can determine species composition (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process describes the recovery after a disturbance leading to ecosystem restoration?

<p>Ecological succession (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a direct consequence of systemic racism and inequality in urban landscapes?

<p>Greater habitat quantity and quality in wealthier neighborhoods (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT listed as an urban ecology challenge?

<p>More habitats (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of the MillionTreesNYC initiative?

<p>To plant and maintain one million new trees (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What purpose do Greenstreets serve in New York City?

<p>To capture storm water and improve drainage (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT considered when identifying birds?

<p>Dietary preferences (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do boreal forests accumulate more carbon over time compared to tropical forests?

<p>Cool temperatures in boreal ecosystems slow down the breakdown of dead biomass. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a vital service provided by forests and trees?

<p>Conserving biodiversity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant characteristic of the North American Boreal Forest compared to other forest types?

<p>It is the largest intact forest left on Earth. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key environmental challenge faced by urban areas?

<p>Declining biodiversity (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do boreal forests impact climate change?

<p>They store almost twice as much carbon as tropical forests. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the early stages of community succession?

<p>Low soil nutrients and abundant light (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following changes occur as succession progresses in a community?

<p>Increased species diversity (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors does NOT contribute to local variations in tree species in deciduous forests?

<p>Gold mining activities (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason boreal forests are dominated by evergreens?

<p>To adapt to the long severe winters. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do animal communities respond to changes in plant communities?

<p>They adapt by migrating to track food availability. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following threats is NOT currently affecting the North American Boreal Forest?

<p>Urban expansion (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of data do Icarus tags collect from animals?

<p>Temperature and GPS location data (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a service provided by trees?

<p>Stabilization of soil nutrients (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What roles do photosynthesis, respiration, and evapotranspiration play in forest ecosystems?

<p>They facilitate ecosystem services. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is carbon stored in boreal forest ecosystems?

<p>Within trees and underlying peatlands (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor contributes to animal migration in response to community changes?

<p>Changing roosting and nesting sites (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of resilience in the context provided?

<p>The capacity to maintain functioning and well-being despite disturbances. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do trees help in removing pollutants from the air?

<p>By inhaling gases through their stomata. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which pollutants are specifically mentioned as being removed by trees?

<p>Nitrogen dioxide and ozone. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of particulate matter (PM) is defined as particles smaller than 2.5 μm?

<p>PM2.5. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do trees play in relation to surface flooding?

<p>They capture water during rainstorms. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way do trees contribute to mental health, according to the information provided?

<p>By offering aesthetic benefits. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does tree canopy disparity refer to?

<p>The unequal distribution of tree canopies in urban areas. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What societal issues contribute to the challenges presented by tree canopy disparity?

<p>Residential segregation and systemic racism. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Forest Ecology

The study of the relationships between living things (biotic factors) and their environment (abiotic factors) in a forest.

Biotic Factors

Living components of an environment like plants, animals, and microbes.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components of an environment (e.g., water, sunlight, temperature).

Plant Distribution

The pattern of where plants grow, determined by climate, nutrients, water, sunlight, and other factors.

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Eastern Deciduous Forest

A temperate forest biome characterized by broadleaf trees like oaks and maples.

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Biotic factors

Interactions between members of a community (living organisms).

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Mutualism

A relationship where both organisms benefit.

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Competition

Organisms competing for the same resources.

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Abiotic factors

Physical characteristics of the environment.

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Ecological disturbance

Discrete events disrupting ecosystems, communities or populations.

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Ecological succession

Predictable recovery process after disturbance, restoring biotic and abiotic processes.

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Fire as ecological factor

Influences ecosystems (e.g., grasslands, pine barrens).

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Mycorrhizae

Mutualistic association between soil fungi and plant roots.

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Succession stages

The progressive change in plant and animal communities over time in a given area.

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Early successional species

Plants that thrive in harsh, early stages of succession, characterized by rapid growth and high seed dispersal.

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Late successional species

Plants that thrive in later stages of succession, characterized by slow growth, longer lifespans, and specialized seed dispersal.

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Animal community change

The changes in animal types and populations related to changes in the environment, including plant communities.

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Ecosystem services

The benefits that humans derive from the natural world. Examples include water purification and climate regulation.

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Icarus tags

Sensors attached to animals to record movement and environmental data.

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Boreal forest carbon storage

Carbon stored in trees, peatlands, and permafrost soils.

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Animal Migration

Movement of animals from one place to another in response to changes in resources and optimal conditions.

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Boreal Forest Carbon Storage

Boreal forests hold almost twice the carbon per area compared to tropical forests, due to slow decomposition.

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Tropical Forest Carbon Flux

Tropical forests have a balanced carbon cycle, with plant growth and decay roughly equal.

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Boreal Forest Ecosystem Services

Boreal forests provide vital services like clean water, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration, contributing to climate change mitigation.

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Boreal Forest Threats

Boreal forests face threats from logging, mining, oil/gas extraction, hydro development, and climate change.

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Deciduous vs. Boreal Forests

Deciduous forests have broadleaf trees that lose leaves, while boreal forests have evergreen conifers, with differences in temperature and soil type.

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Urban Ecosystem

Urban areas are complex social-ecological systems encompassing social capital, built environment, and natural resources.

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Urban Environmental Challenges

Cities face issues like heat stress, pollution, flooding, diseases, and food shortages.

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Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure in urban areas utilizes nature to mitigate environmental problems and enhance resilience.

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Urban Habitat Inequality

Wealthier, predominantly white neighborhoods often have more and better quality habitats compared to less affluent neighborhoods, impacting ecological and evolutionary processes.

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Urban Ecology Challenges

Urban areas face challenges like higher pollution, disturbance, and species invasions, as well as warmer, drier conditions and reduced connectivity.

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NYC Sustainable Forest Initiatives

New York City has programs to plant and care for trees, improve storm water management with greenspaces, and establish green roofs, making urban areas more livable and resilient.

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Identifying Trees (Needle-leaved)

Methods to distinguish needle-leaved tree species, likely focusing on identifying features like leaf shape.

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Identifying Trees (Broadleaf)

Techniques for distinguishing broadleaf tree species, likely focusing on visual characteristics like leaf shape, size, or arrangement.

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Resilience

The ability to maintain functioning and well-being despite challenges.

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Tree air cleaning

Trees absorb pollutants like CO2, NO2, and O3, and trap particulate matter (PM).

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Particulate Matter (PM)

Small particles (solid or liquid) from sources like cars and fires, harmful to health.

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PM10 and PM2.5

Different sizes of particulate matter, PM2.5 being smaller and more dangerous.

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Tree ecosystem services

Beneficial roles of trees in urban areas, including cleaning air and providing shade.

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Environmental Injustice

Disproportionate negative environmental impact on vulnerable communities.

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Urban Canopy Disparity

Unequal access to trees and green spaces in different neighborhoods.

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Redlining

Government policy restricting access to services and amenities in certain areas, often based on race or class.

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Study Notes

Forest Ecology

  • Ecology is the study of the relationship between living things and their environment
  • Vegetation distribution is not random, but largely depends on climate gradients including light, temperature, moisture, soil nutrients, fire, competition, etc.
  • Biotic interactions (like mutualisms, competition, and parasitism) influence plant distribution.
  • Eastern deciduous forest (a temperate forest):
    • Includes biotic and abiotic factors, disturbance and succession.
    • Contains various types of forests such as Hemlock-white pine-northern hardwoods, Oak-chestnut, Oak-pine, Southeastern evergreen-southern mixed hardwood, Mixed and western mesophytic, Beech-maple, Maple-basswood, and Oak-hickory.
  • Boreal forest:
    • Predominantly a conifer forest (sometimes called Taiga)
    • Has short summers, long severe winters, and wet acidic soils.
  • Trees in cities:
    • Offer ecosystem services such as shade, wind breaks, cleaner air, and storm water capture.
  • How do trees clean our air:
    • Sequester carbon dioxide (CO2)
    • Remove pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM).
    • Act as physical barriers to block pollutants.
  • Tree canopy disparity:
    • A lack of trees is an environmental injustice.
  • Ecological factors of the environment:
    • Abiotic factors include solar radiation, temperature, fire, soil, and water.
    • Biotic factors include: competition, commensalism, mutualism, parasitism, and predation.
    • Mycorrhizae are an important mutualism in forests.
  • Fire as an ecological factor:
    • Natural fires can be caused by lightning, sparks, volcanic activity, and human activity.
    • Fire intensity, frequency, and behavior are influenced by several factors (climate, fuel amount, moisture, soil moisture).
  • Disturbance is a discrete event disrupting ecosystems, impacting substrates and resource availability, creating opportunities for new individuals, and is often a necessary and beneficial ecosystem process..
  • Agents of disturbance can includes wind, massive blow-downs, moving water, drought (prolonged), and fire.
  • Ecological Succession:
    • The predictable recovery of an ecosystem after disruption.
    • This process involves re-vegetation, and the replacement of one community with another over time.
    • Examples of community attributes include soil nutrients, light, substrate, opportunistic species, biomass, species diversity, moisture, etc..
  • As plant communities change, animal communities also change, particularly in response to food availability and nesting/roosting sites.
  • Ecosystem services:
    • Include purification of air and water, regulation of atmospheric composition, climate, and hydrological cycles.
  • Carbon storage by global forest biomes.
    • Boreal forests store significant amounts of carbon.
  • Tips for identifying needle-leaved and broadleaf trees:
    • Focus on characteristics like leaf arrangement, shape, size, and bark.
  • Tips for identifying birds:
    • Consider size, shape, color pattern, behavior, habitat, songs, and calls. Consider field marks (eye rings, wing bars, etc).

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Forest Ecology & Urban Ecology Lecture Notes Fall 2024 PDF

Description

This quiz explores the intricate relationships between living organisms and their environment, focusing on forest ecosystems. It covers various types of forests, their biotic and abiotic factors, and the ecological roles of trees in both natural and urban settings.

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