Envi Sci 114 2
Terms
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- Vernal Pool Cycles
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⬢Fall and winter
o Filled with fall rains
o Frozen over winter
⬢Spring
o Filled
⬢Summer
o Dry
o Dormant
- Direct indicator species
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o Obligate species
o Dependent on vernal pools for part of their life cycles
- Indirect indicator species
-
o Facultative species
⬢ Use both vernal pools and wetlands
- Human impact on vernal pools
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⬢ Filled for housing and roads
⬢ Used for retention ponds for roads
⬢ Drained to decrease mosquitoes
⬢ Affected by run-off of fertilizers and pesticides
⬢ Wells lower the water table
- Obligate species method of certification
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o Photograph of pool with water
o Evidence of breeding activity of:
o Wood frogs, spade-foot toads, blue spotted, spotted, Jefferson, or marbled salamanders or fairy shrimp
- Facultative species method
-
o Photograph of pool with water and dry and evidence of any two facultative species breeding
- Dry pool method
-
o Photograph of dry pool and photograph
⬢ Shell of fingernail clams
⬢ Cases of caddisfly larvae
⬢ Exoskeletons of dragon and damsel flies
- return of longwave radiation
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Clouds (water vapor) and reradiative gases can slow return of infrared energy and retain some of it making the troposphere warmer
- Water Vapor and Cooling
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⬢ Increased water vapor may result in more clouds that may reflect more incoming short-wave irradiation and cool the troposphere
⬢ Possible solution to global warming?
- Carbon Dioxide
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⬢ Excellent IR absorption ability
⬢ Long lived in air
⬢ Energy requirements and land clearing remove carbon from stored state to gaseous state
⬢ We have interfered with the normal carbon cycle
- Methane
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⬢ Very effective in absorbing IR and shorter life than others
⬢ Released during from low O2 areas
⬢ Wetlands, rice farming, emissions from animals
- Nitrous Oxide
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⬢ N2O
⬢ From microbial denitrification in soil and water
⬢ Also nitrogenous fertilizers
⬢ Animal wastes
⬢ Nitrogen saturated forest soils
- Tropospheric Ozone
-
⬢ Concentrations have increased by 30% since the industrial revolution
⬢ Very short lived
⬢ IPCC considers O3 to be the third most important reradiative gas, after CO2 and methane
- CFCs
-
⬢ No natural sources- synthesized
⬢ Long-lived 100 years
⬢ Destroy o3 in the stratosphere
⬢ Also function as reradiative gases on their very slow journey to the stratosphere
- Phenology
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• An integrative environmental science
• Used to be a past time
• Derived from Phaino (to show/appear)
• The study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events
o Environmental influences (temperature) – driven by weather/climate
- Phenology observes relationships
-
⬢ Discrete phonological events
o Budding-flowering
o Migration
o Insect dormancy/ fish spawning
o Emergence of dormant animals
o Leaf emergence
⬢ Events + seasons
⬢ Events + local weather
⬢ Events + climate change
⬢ Over time results used to determine
o Climate changes
o Shifts in native organism populations
- 2 requirements for Phenology
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o careful detailed record keeping
⬢ organism development
⬢ climate data : daily
o Data can be used/ subjected to statistical analyses
⬢ Look for correlations in biological events and climate
- Global Warming and plants
-
⬢ Faster increase in minimum temperatures compared to maximum temperatures
⬢ Result: longer growing season and GDD in mid-high latitudes
⬢ NE US: Frost free season 11 days earlier than in the 1950s
- Increased available heat energy & plants
-
⬢ Positive effects on crop species
o New varieties previously inhibited
⬢ Negative effects on crop species
o Greater evapotranspiration
o Less available soil water
- Plant Migration
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⬢ In response to warming, plants may migrate or shift
⬢ To cooler climates
⬢ Northward
How Will They Do That?
⬢ Through seed dispersal
o Animals
o Wind
o Water
- Genetic change in animals in response to warming
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⬢ Genetic change in response to warming
⬢ Female red squirrels in the Yukon Region of Canada
⬢ Give birth in spring 18 days earlier than 10 years ago
Implication
⬢ Not all females give birth earlier then before
⬢ Females that give birth earlier are more likely to have offspring that are also successful in reproducing and thriving
⬢ This is an inherited trait
⬢ This is natural selection at work
- positive effects on animals
-
⬢ Butterfly caterpillars are parasitized
⬢ Different species of butterflies feed on different plants
⬢ Parasitoids associate different butterfly caterpillars with certain plants
⬢ This helps to keep populations in check
Rationale
⬢ Common Blue butterfly are prevalent in northern areas where Brown Argus is migrating
⬢ Parasitoids there are associated with the common Blue butterfly caterpillars
⬢ Brown Argus caterpillars feed on different plants then the Blue butterfly and may avoid/escape the parasitoids in the Northern Area
- Causes of Amphibian Declines
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⬢ Habitat loss or fragmentation
⬢ Chemical pollution in the water
⬢ Uv irradiation at high altitudes
⬢ Trematode infestations
⬢ Fungal disease
o Salprolegnia
⬢ New climate/fungus syndrome
o Chytridiomycosis
- Our Dependent Species
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⬢ 12 plant and 8 animals species provide us with 90% of our food
⬢ All result from intensive selective breeding and genetic modification
⬢ None can exist under natural conditions
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Population
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⬢ A group of individuals of the same species inhabiting a given area
⬢ A genetic unit
⬢ Density and distribution in time and space
⬢ Demography: the study of populations
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Unitary vs. Modular
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• Unitary – Individuals
o Form, development, and longevity are predictable and predetermined
• Modular – colonies
o Colonies develop, often at different rates
o Examples: sponges, corals, trees, grasses
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Reproduction : The major drive of all organisms
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⬢ Sexual reproduction
o ½ genes from each mate
o Essential to find a good mate
⬢ Asexual reproduction
o 100% of genes from one parent
o No need for mates
o Ramets- genetically identical to parent
- Polygamy
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o 2 or mire mates per individual
o Non of which is mated to others
⬢ Polygny 1 M 2 or more F
⬢ Polyandry 1 F with 2 or more M
⬢ Promiscuity M and F copulate with one or many
No pairs made
- Monogamy
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o Pair bond between M and F
o Common in birds, less in mammals
o Cooperation by both parents to raise young
- Ramets
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⬢ New individuals genetically the same as parents or original individual clones
o asexual
- Population Change
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Increase
o More births than deaths
No change
o Births = Deaths
Decrease
o Deaths exceed births
o Extinction possible
- Exponential Growth
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Exponential Growth
• “boom-bust phenomenonâ€
• Density independent
• Geometric or exponential expansion
• No environmental or resource limits
• J shaped curve
- Logistic Growth
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Logistic Growth
⬢ Population growth declines with increasing density
⬢ Morality increases
⬢ Fecundity decreases
o Ability to reproduce
Logistic growth
⬢ Density dependent
⬢ Linear
⬢ Environment and resources become limiting
⬢ S shaped (sigmoidal) curve
⬢ Inflection point
⬢ Carrying capacity (k) involved
- Demography
-
Demography
⬢ The study of populations
⬢ Arrivals
o Immigration, births
⬢ Departures
o Emigrations, morality
- k strategists
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K Strategists
⬢ Longer lived
⬢ Delayed and repeated reproduction
⬢ Larger body size, slower development
⬢ Produce fewer seeds, eggs, or young
⬢ Animal parents care for young
⬢ Slower growth at lower numbers
⬢ Population at or near K (carrying capacity)
⬢ Lack of means of wide dispersal
⬢ Poor colonizers of new or empty habitats
- r Strategists
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⬢ Typically short lived
⬢ High reproductive rates
⬢ Rapid body development
⬢ Small body size
⬢ Many offspring low survival)
⬢ Minimal parental care
⬢ Temporary habitats ; low competition
⬢ Resources seldom limiting
⬢ Means of wide dispersal
⬢ Good colonizers
⬢ Respond rapidly to disturbance