Term
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Definition
| Biogeography is the study of how organisms are distributed geographically |
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Term
| What is the range of a species? |
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Definition
| The range of a species is its geographical distribution |
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Term
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Definition
| Dispersal refers to the movement of an individual from the place of its birth to the location that it lives and breeds as an adult |
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Term
| What is considered to be an invasive species? |
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Definition
| An exotic species, that when introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly and eliminates native species. |
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Term
| What are two applications of biogeography? |
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Definition
| predicting the effects of climate change and effectively designing nature reserves |
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Term
| What type of environment does Thermus aquaticus live in? |
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Definition
| Thermus aquaticus live in hot springs with temperature higher than 70 degrees Celsius |
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Term
| What is it that allows certain organisms to live in extremely hot or cold temperatures? |
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Definition
| The enzymes do not denature in extreme heat or their enzymes can still work effectively in near freezing temperatures, respectively. |
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Term
| Which species have the widest geographic range currently? |
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Definition
| Humans and the bacteria that live on them |
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Term
| What are the three main factors contributing to a species range? |
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Definition
| History, biotic factors and abiotic factors |
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Term
| What could cause a species to be missing from one area, but present in another area with the same biotic and abiotic factors? |
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Definition
| There may be a physical barrier, such a river, glacier, mountain range or ocean. |
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Term
| What percent of new species introduced to an area actually become common? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are three types of biotic factors in biogeography? |
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Definition
- competition
- parasitism
- dependence |
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Term
| Give three examples of biotic factors affecting a species range |
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Definition
- townsend's warblers fighting harmit warblers, thus reducing their habitat
- tsetse flies infecting cattle in their habitat
- songbirds in Hawaii live in altitudes above the range mosquitoes because they carry avian malaria
- the yucca moth only lays its eggs in the flowers of the yucca plants, and thus does not live outside the range of the yucca plant |
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Term
| How does global warming affect organisms living in certain environments? |
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Definition
Global warming changes the abiotic conditions of an environment. Species living in a certain environment have adapted to the conditions that are now in a state of change.
The changing environment makes previous adaptation less useful and the species is less fit to their new environment. |
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Term
| Why are regions at the equator much warmer than those closer to the poles? |
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Definition
| The sunlight hitting the areas close to the equator is hitting it straight on, but because the areas closer to the poles are slanted, the sunlight hits them on an angle. When the sun hits the earth at an angle there is less sunlight hitting each unit area. |
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Term
| The sun is never directly overhead at latitudes greater than ________ degrees. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Regular, annual fluctuations in temperature and/or precipitation. |
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Term
| How many degrees is the earths axis tilted by? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which hemisphere is tilted towards the sun and faces the sun most directly in June? |
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Definition
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Term
| In which months does the equator hit the sun most directly? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the two causes of the most important regional climate effects? |
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Definition
| the presence of mountain ranges and proximity to an ocean |
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Term
| What causes rain shadows? |
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Definition
| Rain shadows are created when wind causes moisture laden air to rise over mountains. As the air rises over the mountains it cools and the moisture in the air turns in to rain. The now dry air passes over to the other side of the mountain with no precipitation. |
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Term
| What effect do mountain ranges have on precipitation? |
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Definition
| They have a stratifying effect, causing one side to be very humid and the other to be very arid. |
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Term
| What effect do oceans have on temperature? |
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Definition
| Oceans have a moderating effect on temperature |
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Term
| How do oceans moderate temperature? |
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Definition
| Since water has a very high specific heat it has a large capacity for storing heat. When the air of a nearby landmass is hotter than the water, the body of water can easily absorb some of the excess heat. When the air of a nearby landmass is colder than the water, the body of water can easily release some of the stored heat. |
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Term
| What are the three tools used by biologists to predict the effects of global warming? |
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Definition
1) simulation studies
2) observational studies
3) experiments |
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Term
| What are some components of aquatic ecosystems affected by heat and precipitation? |
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Definition
- ocean currents
- lake turn over
- water levels |
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Term
| How much is the average global temperature projected to increase in the next century? |
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Definition
| according to our textbook, 5.8 degrees celcius |
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Term
| What is a simulation study based on and what does it do? |
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Definition
| A simulation study is based on computer models of weather patterns in local regions. By increasing average temperatures researchers can predict how global warming will affect wind and rainfall patterns, storm frequency and intensity, and other aspects of weather and climate. |
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Term
| What is an observational study based on and what does it do? |
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Definition
| Observational studies are based on long term monitoring at fixed sites around the globe. Researchers are documenting changes in key physical variables: water depth, water flow, temperature, and precipitation. As well as changes in the distribution and abundance of organisms. |
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Term
| How are experiments testing the effects of climate change carried out? |
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Definition
| Experiments are designed to simulate climate change and record the responses of organisms present |
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Term
| What effect does overall increase in temperature have on precipitation and temperature variability? |
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Definition
| It causes higher variation in precipitation and temperature. Stated another way, it makes environments more extreme. |
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Term
| What was the effect of increased variation in precipitation (but the same total amount of precipitation) on temperate grasslands? |
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Definition
| The average soil moisture declined, the NPP declined and the species diversity increased. |
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Term
| Why would species diversity increase in an environment undergoing climate change? |
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Definition
| Species diversity would increase because the species that previously dominated is no longer as prolific, so other species may be more suited to thrive and develop appropriate adaptations. |
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Term
| Describe the procedure and results of the experiments simulating an increase in temperature in the arctic tundra. |
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Definition
| Transparent, open topped domes are placed at random locations around the study site. The characteristics of the vegetation are recorded annually. The same measurements are taken in plots that lack chambers. The average increase in temp in the chambers was between 1-3 degrees C. The species diversity decreased and there was decline in lichens and mosses and an increase in grasses and shrubs. |
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Term
| What predictions did the results of the experiments simulating an increase in temperature in the arctic tundra support? |
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Definition
| The results of the experiments supported the predictions from observational and simulation studies, that the arctic tundra environments are giving way to boreal forest. |
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Term
| What type of factor affecting biogeography has the biggest effect on invasive species? |
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Definition
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