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Ecology part 1 - Coggle Diagram
Ecology part 1
animal behavior (51)
innate- developmentally fixed and under strong genetic control. Innate behavior is exhibited in virtually the same form by all individuals in a population despite internal and external environmental differences during development and throughout their lifetimes.
ex- construction of a spider’s web. Although a spider’s web is quite complex, web building is innate, not learned
fixed action pattern- a sequence of unlearned acts that is essentially unchangeable and, once initiated, usually carried to completion.
ex- The fixed action pattern of certain moths takes the form of evasive flight maneuvers—loops and spirals—performed instantaneously upon hearing the sounds of an echolocating bat or an ultrasonic whistle in the same frequency range
imprinting- the formation at a specific stage in life of a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object
ex- Among gulls, for instance, the sensitive period for a parent to bond with its young lasts one to two days. During the sensitive period, the young imprint on their parent and learn basic behaviors, while the parent learns to recognize its offspring. If bonding does not occur, the parent will not care for the offspring, leading to the death of the offspring and a decrease in the reproductive success of the parent.
associative learning- The acquired ability to associate one environmental feature (such as a color) with another (such as danger)
ex- a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) that ingests a brightly colored monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Substances that the monarch accumulates from milkweed plants cause the blue jay to vomit almost immediately
trial and error- a type of learning in animal behavior where an animal tries different actions until it finds one that successfully solves a problem or achieves a goal
ex- lottery, slot machines
habituation- simple form of learning where an animal stops responding to a repeated, non-threatening stimulus after a period of continuous exposure
ex- a cat that was wary of a new owner will become used to petting as it realizes the owner poses no threat.
observational learning- when an animal learns a new skill or behavior by watching another individual of the same or different species
ex- babies mimicking their parents
insight- a type of complex learning where an animal solves a problem by using past experiences and reasoning to find a novel solution, often in a "flash of insight"
ex- crows, dolphins, and gorillas can solve complex problems
ecology and the biosphere (52)
factors that affect earths climate
seasons- tilt of the earth- 23.5 degrees, sunlight lights the tropics (regions between 23.5 north latitude and 23.5 south latitude) most directly, more heat and light per unit of surface area are delivered there. higher latitudes, sunlight strikes earth at an oblique angle
June and December solstice- summer and winter
march and September equinox- spring and fall
air rises (low pressure) at 0 and 60 degrees longitude
air sinks (high pressure) at 30 and 90 degrees longitude
terrestrial biomes
tropical forest- around the equator, wet, hot, jungle, diverse and abundant
desert- 30 degrees north and south latittude, dry, hot, none, few animals, reptiles and bugs
savanna- between desert and grassland, seasonal, warm, grasses, shrubs, few trees, herbivores, birds
chaparral (fire) - grassland but enough vegetation for fires, seasonal, warm, grasses, shrubs, herbivores
temperate grassland- 30 and 60 degrees latitude too dry for big trees, moderate rain, seasonal, grass, herbivores, birds, large predators
northern coniferous forest- 60 degrees latittude tops of mountains, wet, cold, conifer trees, large predators
temperate broadleaf forest- 30 and 60 degrees north and south latittude, moderate rain, seasonal, broadleaf trees (oak), diverse animals
tundra- close to the poles, dry, cold, short lived small herbs and wildflowers
aquatic biomes
lakes- land locked freshwater
chemical characteristics
oligotrophic- nutrient poor, oxygen rich, low amount of decomposable organic matter
eutrophic- nutrient rich, depleted of oxygen, high amount of decomposable organic matter in deeper waters
geologic characteristics- oligotrophic lakes have less surface area relative to their depth than eutrophic lakes. oligotrophic lakes may become more entropic over time as runoff adds sediments and nutrients
autotrophs
littoral zone- rooted and floating plants
limnetic zone- phytoplankton, cyanobacteria
wetlands- inundated by water at least some of the time and that supports plants adapted to water- saturated soil, some flood frequently and some are inundated some of the time
chemical characteristics- water and soils are low in dissolved oxygen, high capacity ro filter dissolved nutrients and chemical pollutants
geologic features
basin wetlands- shallow basins. upland depressions to filled in lakes and ponds
riverine wetlands- shallow and periodically flooded banks of rivers and streams
fringe wetlands- coasts of large lakes and seas, where water flows back and forth because of rising lake levels or tidal action, freshwater and marine biomes
autotrophs- among most productive biomes on earth, lilies, sedges, bald cypress, black spruce, woody plants dominate the vegetation of swamps, while bogs are dominated by sphagnum mosses
heterotrophs- birds, invertebrates, crustaceans, muskrats, algae, detritus, plants, dragonflies, otters, frogs, alligators, herons
streams/rivers- headwater streams are cold, clear, swift, turbulent; downstream- warm water and more turbid because of suspended sediment
chemical environment- headwaters- rich in oxygen; downstream- contain substantial oxygen except where there has been organic enrichment, a large fraction of organic matter in rivers consists of dissolved or highly fragmented material that is carried by the current
geologic features- headwater- narrow, rocky bottom, alternate shallow and deeper pool sections; downstream- wide and meandering; river bottoms are often silty from sediments deposited over long periods of time
autotrophs- headwater streams that flow through grasslands or deserts may be rich in phytoplankton or rooted aquatic plants
heterotrophs- diversity of fish and invertebrates inhabit unpolluted rivers and streams. in streams flowing through temperate or tropical forests, organic matter from terrestrial vegetation is the primary source of food for aquatic consumers
estuaries- transition area between river and sea, salty wetlands
chemical environment- salinity varies spatially within estuaries, from nearly that of fresh water to that of seawater. salinity also varies with the rise and fall of the tides. nutrients from the river make estuaries, like wetlands, among the most productive biomes
geologic features- estuarine flow patterns combined with the sediments carried by river and tidal waters create a complex network of tidal channels, islands, natural leeves and mudflats
autotrophs- salt marsh grasses and algae, including phytoplankton, are the major producers
heterotrophs- worms, oysters, crabs, many fish species that humans consume.
intertidal zones- periodically submerged by the tides, twice daily on most marine shores
chemical- oxygen and nutrient levels are generally high and are renewed with each turn of the tides
geologic features- rocky or sandy, configuration of bays or coastlines influences the magnitude of tides and the relative exposure of intertidal organisms to wave action
autotrophs- algae inhabit rocky zones, sandy zones have plants or algae, sandy zones have rich beds of seagrass and algae
ocean pelagic zones- deepwater ocean
chemical- oxygen is high, nutrient concentrations are lower than coastal waters,
geologic- 70% of earths surface, average depth of 4,000 m. deepest point is more than 10,000m
autotrophs- phytoplankton
heterotrophs- zooplankton, worms, copepods, shrimp like krill, jellies, squids, fishes, turtles, marine mammals
coral reefs -calcium carbonate skeletons of corals, shallow reef building corals live in the photic zone of relatively stable tropical marine environments, sensitive to temps below 18-20 degrees celsius
chemical- high oxygen, high inputs of freshwater and nutrients
geologic- require solid substrate for attatchment
autotrophs- unicellular algae
heterotrophs- corals, fish, invertebrates
marine benthic zones- seafloor below surface waters, no sunlight, cold
chemical- oxygen present at sufficient concentrations
geologic- soft sediments mainly, some rocky
autotrophs- algae, chemoautotrophic prokaryotes
heterotrophs- invertebrates and fishes
major environmental factors that affect animal distribution and dispersal
climate
microclimate- fine, localized patterns
geography
mountains
bodies of water
relationship between evolution and the environment
ecological change- alters selective pressures in population, evolutionary change- alters outcome of ecological interactions