How is a habitat different from an ecosystem? Is a habitat composed of biotic or abiotic elements?
A habitat is a place where organisms such as plants, animals and humans live whereas an ecosystem is a biological community of organisms living together in the physical environment. A habitat is composed of abiotic elements such as oxygen, sunlight, water, soil and temperature.
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What is a biome? How does it differ from a habitat? How does it differ from an ecosystem?
A biome is a large ecological area that is characterized by distinctive flora and fauna species adapted to that environment. Whereas an ecosystem refers to the interaction between living and non-living organisms within an environment, a biome defines a specific geographical area with species living there. A habitat houses plant and animal species of all kind whereas a biome only has a specific specie.
Approximately 1/3 of Earth’s land area is covered by what type of vegetation?
Deserts
Why is it so important to preserve our forests? (Aside from the oxygen production part). What job do they do that is critical for reducing our greenhouse gases?
As part of their metabolism, forests absorb CO2 therefore reducing the amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. This in turn reduces the impact of global warming on earth.
What is a deciduous plant?
Deciduous plants are those that shed their leaves depending on a particular season, mostly during the fall.
Why is clear-cutting areas of tropical forest not sustainable farming practice? Where are the nutrients held in a rain forest?
Clear-cutting rain forests exposes the soil to heavy tropical rain. The soil gets quickly gets washed away and causes floods and landslides, thus preventing regeneration of the original rainforest. The rainforests are rich in iron and aluminum nutrients which give the soil its red appearance.
How much of our planet is covered in water?
71%.
Why are marine algae vital for our continued wellbeing? What do they do to greenhouse gases?
Marine algae are very important because they produce most of earth’s oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. This means that an estimated 30 to 50% of the net global oxygen that humans and other animals use for respiration is produced by marine algae. As they grow, marine algae absorb a considerable amount of CO2 (greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere.
Differentiate between weather and climate
Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time whereas climate refers to the weather patterns of a particular place over a long period of time.
How could climate change be expected to affect the distribution of plants and animals (including people)? Include factors such as surface temperature, growing seasons, ocean temperature, sea levels, ocean acidity, and so forth.
Climate change such as increased temperatures on land have contributed to the increased migration patterns in some animal species. Similarly, aquatic organisms such as fish also migrate to areas where the waters are less acidic and at lower temperatures. Whereas some plant and animal species have adapted to the climatic changes, most move to regions that have more favorable conditions.
What effects might you observe on an organism if its habitat changes? What if it CANNOT adapt?
When a habitat changes, an organism may try to adapt to the new environment by changing its behavioral traits and eating habits. It may become dormant as a means of dealing with the change. Those that cannot adapt are at a greater risk of extinction.
What is arctic amplification?
Artic amplification refers to a phenomenon where the net radiation balance brought as a result of elevated greenhouse gas levels causes a large increase in the temperatures, melting ice in the arctic pole.
Name at least two greenhouse gasses.
Carbon Dioxide, Methane.
Explain the greenhouse effect and 1) why it is (overall) important to our survival 2) why it is a problem at this time
This refers to a phenomenon that warm’s earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere when greenhouse gases absorb and re-radiate heat from the sun. The survival of the human race hangs on the balance as a result of this effect because it leads to global warming. The levels of greenhouse gases have increased over the recent past and affected the weather patterns as seen from frequent and severe heat waves, increased wildfire risks., sea-level rise among other hazards.
Be able to trace the carbon cycle. What is the ONLY way carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide can only be removed from the atmosphere when it is absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.
What are anthropogenic effects? Be able to name at least two ways humans release excessive carbon into the atmosphere.
These refers to the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2 as a result of human activities. This gas is can be released by burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
What is bioaccumulation? What is biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation refers to the accumulation of toxic chemical substances in the tissue of an organism. Biomagnification refers to the increased levels of toxic chemical concentration for animals who are higher in the food chain.
How do scientists know what the CO2 levels were 10,000 years ago (and longer)?
Scientists are able to measure the amount of CO2 that was in the air hundreds of years ago by using air that has been trapped in snow for centuries. They do this by examining the air samples on icecaps and measuring the composition of the air in those bubbles.
How do many plants respond to elevated carbon dioxide levels? Why might this be a problem for mixed plant communities?
Plants reduce the number of breather pores when they are exposed to higher levels of CO2. For instance, a plant may lose 200 molecules of water through its stomata for every molecule of CO2 absorbed. Reducing the number of stomatal pores decreases the plant’s ability to cool its leaves through evaporation. In mixes plant communities, many species may wither as a result of this exposure.
