An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

1. Chapter 52 An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere Questions prepared by Eric RibbensWestern Illinois University John ZarnetskeHoosick Falls Central Schools

2. 1. Ecology is often called an integrative science. This means that ecologists • need to be able to calculate integrals. • often combine skills and information from other scientific disciplines. • build theories that integrate ideas from many different biomes. • study life at very large spatial scales. • don’t separate the ecosystems they study into their different components.

3. 2. The figure below shows the distribution of red kangaroos in Australia. From this figure, we can predict that kangaroos • are herbivorous. • are best adapted to climatic conditions in southeast Australia. • utilize seasonal migratory routes. • prefer to live in areas of low human population. • are more abundant in some years than in other years.

4. 3. Study the following graph. Seaweed was much more abundant when limpets and sea urchins were removed. However, removing limpets alone had no effect, but removing sea urchins alone had a substantial effect. From this, you can conclude that • limpets don’t eat seaweed. • limpets eat sea urchins. • limpets don’t matter. • sea urchins can eat more seaweed than limpets can. • limpets can eat more seaweed than sea urchins can.

5. 4. One reason that deserts tend to be found at 20ºN and S latitude is that • deserts are dry. • it’s warmer near the equator. • global wind and pressure patterns affect where rain falls. • desert soils are different from tropical rain forest soils. • mountains change rainfall patterns.

6. 5. From this graph, we can conclude that • each biome has distinct temperature and mean annual precipitation. • precipitation and temperature determine biomes. • precipitation determines temperature. • tundra and tropical forest are climatically different. • biomes determine precipitation.

7. 6. Biomes are affected by disturbance andclimate. However, disturbances usually don’t change a biome from one type of biome to another. Which of the following is an exception? • Temperate forests can be changed to grassland by frequent fires. • Grasslands can be changed to estuaries by frequent floods. • Deserts can be changed to chaparral by frequent acid overgrazing. • Boreal forests can be changed to tundra by excessive snowfall amounts. • Tropical rain forest can be changed to savanna by frequent hurricanes.

8. 7. The tundra biome is situated as a gray band in the Northern Hemisphere, especially along the Arctic Ocean and the edges of Greenland. There is no comparable band in the Southern Hemisphere. This is probably because • the tundra plants and animals can’t migrate that far away. • it’s warmer in the Southern Hemisphere. • Global wind and pressure areas differ in the northern and Southern Hemispheres. • it has all been destroyed by global warming. • there isn’t land at that latitude in the Southern Hemisphere.

9. 8. Even though the tundra biome is shown as a gray band in the north, there is tundra in the tropics. This is probably because • the climate is suitable for tundra at high-elevation equatorial locations. • global warming is making all of the biomes move toward the tropics. • birds that nest for the summer in the arctic tundra disperse tundra seeds when they migrate south. • tundra evolved more than once. • the global air pattern is generally for air to move from the poles toward the equator.

10. 9. Identify three specific biome boundaries that would have to be redrawn if global temperature were to increase 4oC and explain why the change in distribution would likely occur.

11. 10. Describe the seasonal turnover in deep temperate lakes in terms of the physical properties of water. Discuss the importance of this seasonal turnover to the organisms in a lake ecosystem.

12. 11. Plants carry on photosynthesis several different ways. In particular, we classify plants as C3 or C4 plants (in reference to the carbon compound they manufacture at first). C3 plants do better in cooler environments, C4 plants in warmer environments. Therefore, we would expect • tropical forests to be dominated by C4 plants. • temperate grasslands to be dominated by C3 plants. • temperate broadleaf forests to be dominated by C4 plants. • tundra regions to be dominated by C3 plants. • that C3 and C4 plants should be present in every biome.

13. 12. Open Ocean • Members of which of the following are the major primary producers in the marine ecosystem? • Yeasts • Sponges • Sporozoans • Fishes • diatoms

14. Terrestrial Biomes • Long, cold, moist winters and short summers are typical of this biome dominated by gymnosperms • Deciduous forest • Tropical rain forest • Desert • Tundra • taiga

15. Terrestrial Biomes • A prolonged, relatively mild period with ample precipitation alternates with a cold period when plants become dormant. • Deciduous forest • Tropical rain forest • Desert • Tundra • taiga

16. Terrestrial Biomes • This biome has the greatest species diversity. • Deciduous forest • Tropical rain forest • Desert • Tundra • taiga

17. Terrestrial Biomes • This biome is dominated by dwarf shrubs, grasses, and sedges that can tolerate long dark winters. • Deciduous forest • Tropical rain forest • Desert • Tundra • taiga