Final

Question 1

brown or detritus-based food web

Answer 1

in the soil, predators influence primary production

Question 2

Decomposition

Answer 2

Breakdown of organic matter into simpler inorganic forms and the associated release of energy

Question 3

Detritus

Answer 3

Dead organic matter

Question 4

Decomposer

Answer 4

Specialize in eating dead things two groups: bacteria/fungi, detritivores

Question 5

Detritivores

Answer 5

Consume large particles of dead organisms and fragment it, making it easier for bacteria and fungi to break down

Question 6

k - decomposition constant

Answer 6

daily rate of mass loss

Question 7

Pool

Answer 7

The amount of material located in a given area

Question 8

Flux

Answer 8

Rate material or energy moves from one pool to another

Question 9

N Fixation

Answer 9

Creation of biologically available N from huge pool of atmospheric N

Question 10

N fixers

Answer 10

Bacteria associated with plant roots- mutualism only large natural source of biologically available N

Question 11

Uptake

Answer 11

Plant roots, fungi, bacteria, and algae take up inorganic N to make organic N (incorporate into tissues)

Question 12

mineralization

Answer 12

Decomposers breakdown organic N detritus and convert back into inorganic forms

Question 13

Nitrification

Answer 13

NH4+ [Symbol] NO3- performed by chemoautotrophic bacteria only large natural source of nitrate

Question 14

Denitrification

Answer 14

NO3- [Symbol] N2O [Symbol] N2 performed by bacteria only sink for biologically available N

Question 15

Leaching

Answer 15

Loss of nutrients from the soil

Question 16

Acidification

Answer 16

Reduction in pH

Question 17

Eutrophication

Answer 17

Change in an ecosystem from nutrient poor to nutrient rich

Question 18

Weather

Answer 18

day to day variation

Question 19

Climate

Answer 19

Long-term average description of weather

Question 20

Climate anomalies

Answer 20

difference between an observed value of some parameter mean; its long-term mean

Question 21

Climate Change

Answer 21

altered patterns or anomalies

Question 22

greenhouses gases

Answer 22

trap heat in the atmoshpere

Question 23

Keeling curve

Answer 23

CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing

Question 24

Forcings

Answer 24

Factors that can affect earth’s climate

Question 25

Phenology

Answer 25

study of cyclic and seasonal phenomena

Question 26

Range shift

Answer 26

Natural responses to climate changes (mobility helps respond quicker)

Question 27

Match/mismatch with respect to climate change

Answer 27

Recruitment variation in a population in relation to phenology and the species at the immediate lower level

Question 28

Remote sensing

Answer 28

Scanning of earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft to obtain information

Question 29

Global albedo

Answer 29

Reflectiveness/shiny reflected by a surface

Question 30

threshold with respect to climate change

Answer 30

Level of climate change that triggers a tipping point for an abrupt and irreversible change

Question 31

Feedbacks with respect to climate change

Answer 31

Positive feedback amplifies the change, negative reduces it

Question 32

CFCs

Answer 32

Chlorofluorocarbon used in refrigerants and aerosol harmful to earth

Question 33

Emissions gap

Answer 33

Where we are and where we need to be

Question 34

Ozone

Answer 34

Colorless unstable toxic form of oxygen

Question 35

What are the controls on the rate of leaf litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems? Do they have negative or positive effects? How are the controls similar or different than the controls influencing NPP/NEP/GPP?

Answer 35

Leaf type control decomposition rate. Harder to break down, slower decomposition rate

Bottom-up effects more leaf litter increases secondary production, reduces abundance & biomass of insects and predators

Top down effects trout reduce density of detritivore

Question 36

Name one of the populations models we discussed this semester, what is it used for, and one assumption of it.

Answer 36

An example of a population model is Loggerhead sea turtles (endangered species). In this study scientist examined which stage the turtles are most vulnerable. They suspected that that saving baby sea turtles that traveling to sea would increase their overall population. But they discovered that baby sea turtles traveling to sea was not the most vulnerable stage and that turtles in the large juvenile has the most death rates because turtles were getting caught in shrimp nets, they are not as smart to avoid predation.

Question 37

Name one of the species interaction models we discussed this semester, what is it used for, and one assumption of it.

Answer 37

Service- Service mutualism: where both organisms give a service to each other

Ex. Gobbi: protects shrimp from predator and shrimp: digs a hole for gobbi to live in

If one organism is not present, then it increases the chances of survival for the other organism

Question 38

Why is detritus important in food webs? Explain what they do and how they impact food webs. Describe an example from class or the text.

Answer 38

Most ecosystems are dependent on detritus as an energy and food source

Base of food chains and for cycling of nutrients

Example- mountain beech detritus, microbes, detritivores insects, predators

Question 39

What long-term data did Charles Keeling collect from Mauna Loa, Hawaii?

Answer 39

CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing

Question 40

How do climate scientists determine which forcing’s are more important in influencing climate change? What are the main findings?

Answer 40

There are two different type of forcing’s: Natural (volcanic emission, variation in solar output, and changes in earth’s orbit) and anthropogenic (Land-use, Aerosol emissions, Ozone, and Greenhouse gas emissions)

When scientist compare observed versus modeled climate changes, they see more changes due to anthropogenic forcing. This is because the more greenhouse gases the hotter the surface, the land is changed with more land being covered in concrete, and aerosol emissions can damage the ozone.

Climate is changing rapidly and is very different now than in the past

Question 41

What happened to nutrient cycles and export after cutting all of the trees in a watershed at Hubbard Brook? What mechanisms lead to these changes in the nutrient cycling?

Answer 41

Huge amount of nitrate lost following deforestation

Losses of other nutrients change of pH of soil & water

Mechanisms:

Vegetation uptake of nutrients went to 0

Decomposition accelerated

Nitrification increased leading to more nitrates

Question 42

Atmospheric CO2 has increased from what number of what number?

Answer 42

Less than 300 for past 800,000 years currently 406 ppm

Question 43

How much has temperature increased over the past 50 years?

Answer 43

1-degree Celsius increase since 1950

Question 44

Name 3 different lines of evidence that climate change is happening. Graphs may be helpful.

Answer 44

Increase in temperature

Decline in sea ice

Increase in sea level due to melting of polar ice caps

Question 45

How does CO2 affect the earth’s temperature?

Answer 45

Increases the greenhouse gas effect

Less heat escapes into space, more re-emitted heat to earth

Question 46

Name 4 observed or predicted ecological changes with respect to climate change. Describe an example of one of them based on text or lecture.

Answer 46

Terrestrial NPP

NPP increased 6% globally can’t keep increasing

Increase in phosphorus in solid

Shift in species

Ocean primary productivity

NPP declines with increased MEI

MEI & SST are increasing

Phenology

Migratory species & potential mismatches

Leaving hibernations earlier

Range shifts

Wintering closer to home

Changing ranges

Question 47

Why do you think some species are able to shift their phenology’s in response to climate change while others are not? Make sure to incorporate concepts that we have discussed this semester. Describe at least 3 factors that may influence this.

Answer 47

Ability to migrate

Food resources

Mutualisms

Question 48

How might climate change affect the evolution (by natural selection) of a species? You can come up with your own example and explain in detail what is happening, the selective agent, and what trait(s) are being impacted. Make sure that you talk about the three tenants/assertions of natural selection.

Answer 48

Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos: size of bill determines size of seed that can be eaten

Beak size is dependent on Seed size and weather

As a drought occurs the size of seeds increases so finches that have larger beaks survive. So each finch in an individual and expresses different types of the genes, but birds with larger beak sizes survive and those genes are passed on and inherited by offspring. This is also due to the finches who are “fit” is good health, not starving, and reproductively sound are the finches that are able to reproduce and survive therefore those traits of a large beak get passed on.

Question 49

How much climate change affect the niche of your favorite organism. Use graphs of the previous niche and the new niche. It can’t be just “climate.”

Answer 49

fundamental niche graph

The realized niche is where the organism is found living and surviving

A fundamental niche is where the organism can potentially be found

For example. As the climate changes and goes into a drought the seed size gets larger causing the birds realized niche to shift locations.

My favorite organism. A lion’s hunting ground. The fundamental niche is very broad and is far or near the pride and size of prey. As the climate changes such as a drought the savannahs dry up and they must shift their eating habits causing them to hunt farther from the pride and hunt smaller animals.

Question 50

Explain the differences between the green food web and the brown food web and how they are linked.

Answer 50

Green food webs are the interactions between primary producers and other trophic levels that are above the surface.

Brown food webs include all the interactions below the surface that is in the soil

They are important in impacting higher trophic levels and they impact the green food web

The brown food web contains decomposers that break down nutrients that come from the green food web and they recycle these nutrient and make them available again for the green food web

Question 51

Given an example of top-down and bottom-up effects in a brown food web and how they tested these effects.

Answer 51

Top-down: More carbon in atmosphere causing the temperatures to be warm causing the plant community composition to change by some plants dominate and others decrease

Bottom-up: test the soil for carbon, if there is less carbon that means there in an increase in carbon in the atmosphere causing there to be an increase in temperature

Question 52

Be able to explain the different parts of the nitrogen cycle. What is happening during uptake, mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification.

Answer 52

Uptake (immobilization/assimilation): plant roots, fungi, bacteria, and algae take up inorganic N to make organic N

Mineralization: decomposers breakdown organic N detritus and convert back into inorganic forms

Nitrification: NH4+ –> NO3- performed by chemoautotrophic bacteria only large natural source of nitrate

Denitrification: NO3- –> N2O –> N2 performed by bacteria only sink for biologically available N

Question 53

What happens when there is too little nitrogen? What happens where there is a lot of nitrogen? What about for phosphorus?

Answer 53

Too little nitrogen

Reduces NPP

Too much N: decline in species abundance and species richness, changes in species composition more invasive species and few dominant species, changes in species behavior

Direct toxicity

Loss of other important nutrients, like Ca and K

Increased susceptibility to pests, disease, and environmental stress

Acidification

Eutrophication

Phosphorus

Nutrient pollution impacts streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans

May cause algae to grow faster

Plants need to uptake phosphorus for survival

Question 54

Explain the differences between eutrophication and acidification. What ecological effects do each of them have?

Answer 54

Eutrophication: excessive richness or nutrients in a lake or body of water that comes from runoff and causes dense plant growth and animal death due to lack of oxygen.

Cause the waters to have an increase in pH causing death of plants and animals by poisoning them. Can also poison drinking water

Acidification: rain, snow, fog, and clouds have been mixed with pollutants causing a decrease in pH. Release of fuel combustion in vehicles and power plants and burning of fossil fuels into soil and freshwater. Release of CO2 in ocean

As fish and water quality decreases, impacts on species population decrease higher up the tropics carbon

Question 55

What did Schindler find in his acidification experiment?

Answer 55

Over an 8-year period there was a huge shift in the communities in the lake, and as pH decreases fish stop reproducing

Question 56

What are some of the ways that climate change might impact us? Discuss two examples.

Answer 56

increase in temperatures can cause droughts which will affect a lot of different species

Rising of sea levels means increased chances of coastal flooding

More destructive hurricanes

More frequent and intense heat waves

Question 57

What are general circulation models, and what are they used for?

Answer 57

Predicts future climate changes

Predict based on current trends in emissions and land use

Incorporate variability, and confidence in models

Question 58

Given the predicted effects of climate change, you decide to put together a grant proposal for examining the impacts of climate change at multiple ecological levels (population, community, ecosystem) for an ecosystem in Wyoming. Write your hypothesis, and discuss at least three key concepts or terms you may track in response to climate change and define these terms.

Answer 58

I propose to study the fish populations are affected by high temperatures in the Wind River Basin. I hypothesize that higher temperatures will cause more snow to melt leading to less snow pack which causes erosion (gradual destruction of something by natural agents) due to runoff. The excessive run-off can cause eutrophication (too much nutrients in bodies of water) which increases alage bloom and causes population decrease which could even lead to extinction (dying off a species) this causes a major imbalance in the ecosystem.

Question 59

You have worked on a project studying avian diversity in Wyoming, and you are presenting that work at a conference in Panama. A researcher there points out that diversity at your Wyoming sites is MUCH lower than at her sites in Panama, so your sites should not be a conservation priority. Why is this logic flawed?

Answer 59

Climate change is unpredictable therefore it is beneficial knowing how species act, survive, and reproduce in other regions in case a climate shift occurs. This information may also help bridge the gap between unknowns of the species in the ideal climates or regions.

Question 60

Select one specific theory we discussed in class. Give a simple (1 sentence) summary of the theory, and identify at least one drawback or assumption to the theory. You may use labeled figures if it is useful.

Answer 60

Equilibrium Theory of Island biology, which is a balance between colonization of new species and extinction of species. A drawback to this theory is unpredicted predation. As humans we cannot always control the outcome of nature.