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What is ecology?
The study of the interrelationships of organisms and their environment
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Describe Lonesome George
Species of Galapogos were spread among the islands, therefore there was a 'lonesome George" (only male). 70-80 years old
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What is a biome?
large scale communities generally defined by plant assemblages
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What is a community?
an assemblage of populations of different animals, plants, microbes, etc.
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Explain Range of optima, zones of physiological stress and intolerance
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Two Physical Factors Permit Classification of the Major Communities are?
Water and Temp.
- Temperature= available light
- Precipitation= available water
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Temp and Moisture are primarily determined by
- 1. Solar Radiation
- 2. Air and Wind Circulation
- 3. Land Masses
- 4. Ocean Currents
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Reasons Differences in Incoming Solar Radiation:
- a. Angle of Incidence Changes and Dilutes Light
- b. More Atmosphere (i.e. Particles) to Travel Through
- c. Tilt and Rotation of the Earth = Seasonality
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Formation of Convection Cells AKA Hadley Cells
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Oceanic currents
- West coast always cold
- North equator : clockwise
- South equator: counter-clockwise
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Local Perturbations
- Water has a high specific heat than air and changes temp more slowly than air
- Seattle vs North Dakota
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Adiabatic Cooling
Passive cooling due to expansion of warm air without loss of total heat content
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Adiabatic Heating
Passive heating due to compression of cool air
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Hopkins Bioclimatic Law
- cooling is similar between altitude & latitude
- Altitude: cools 3oF/1000 ft
- Latitude: cools 3oF/100 miles
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4 Major physical factors/determinates of aquatic environment
- 1. Light
- 2. Temp -> holds heat well, releases slowly
- 3. Oxygen
- 4. Pressure
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Lotic
Flowing aquatic environment
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Lentic
Non-flowing environment
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Lentic Environment terminology
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Abiotic Factors
Environmental influences produced other than by living organisms -> temp, pH, humidity, salinity, sunlight
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Biotic Factors
- Environmental influences caused by living
- organisms->Competition, predation, disease
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Fundamental Niche
- Determined by Abiotic factors only
- idealized or theorized
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Realized Niche
- Determined by Abiotic and Biotic factors
- Actual
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Niche
Is what the animal does, its 'profession'
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Natural Selection
- Evolution: Genetic change over time
- Adaptation: Genetic change that improves function
- Natural Selection: Differential reproduction of individuals that differ by >= 1 genetic trait
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Natural Selection Requirements
- Variation: Traits have to be variable
- Heritable: Traits have to have a genetic basis
- Differential Reproduction: heritable traits must be passed on in different proportions
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Darwinism Fitness
Maximizing the number of genes that are passed on to the next generation
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Types of natural selection
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