Unformatted text preview:

11/1/2010 1 Geography 1001: Climate & Vegetation Dr. Holly Barnard • Logistics – Writing assignment Due Nov. 30 in lecture - hardcopy – Field trip II this week – weather looks good, but come prepared. – Midterm III – Tuesday, Nov. 16th Photo-synthesis and Respiration The Local Plant Carbon Cycle Autotrophic Respiration of CO2 Heterotrophic Respiration of CO2 Root mortality & exudation Litterfall Photosynthesis11/1/2010 2 Global Carbon and Oxygen Cycles Figure 19.10 Limiting Factors • Def.: One physical or chemical abiotic component that most inhibit biotic operation, through either its lack or excess • Examples – Temps (low at high elevations) – H2O (lack in deserts & excess in bogs) – Changes in topography – Changes in climate Limiting factors – Temperature and Precipitation Figure 19.8 http://msucares.com/crops/fertilizer/index.html11/1/2010 3 Limiting Factors & Microenvironment Limiting Factors & Microenvironment Life Zones Figure 19.10 Can you picture this Life Zone concepts across Latitude? Life Zones & Plant Life Forms11/1/2010 4 Physiognomy Raunkiaer life forms (based on perennating bud) Phanerophytes • Perennating buds on aerial shoots • e.g. trees • Tropical rainforest are dominated overwhelmingly (96%) by phanerophytes Chamaephytes • Buds from the ground to about 25 cm up • e.g. small shrubs • Typical of alpine / tundra areas11/1/2010 5 Hemicryptophytes • Buds at ground surface • e.g. herbs - forbs Therophytes • Seeds or spores • e.g. herbs - annual grasses • 73% of the plants in deserts are annuals Geophytes • Underground structures (bulbs, rhizomes) • e.g. herbs - lilies Biotic Ecosystem Operations (Function) • Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers – autotrophs and heterotrophs • Examples of Food Chains and (Complex) Food Webs (Difference b/w both?) • Efficiency in a Food Web • Concentration of Pollution in Food Chains11/1/2010 6 Energy, Nutrient, and Food Pathways Figure 19.13 Food Chains Figure 19.14 Food Webs Figure 19.15 Temperate Forest Food Web Figure 19.1611/1/2010 7 Biomass Consumption and Efficiency Figure 19.17 Population Distribution in Two Ecosystems (in 0.25 acres/.1 ha) Figure 19.18 Energy and Nutrient Flows Figure 19.19 • Biological Evolution Delivers Biodiversity • Ecosystem Stability and Diversity • Ecological Succession • Terrestrial Succession • Aquatic Succession Ecosystems, Evolution, and Succession11/1/2010 8 Ecosystems and Succession I • Ecosystem Stability • Ecosystem Diversity or Biodiversity Equilibrium, Stability & Diversity • Stability – Inertia stability and resilience – Disturbances • A discrete & stochastic event that disrupt (any) part(s) or (any) component(s) of a biotic community. • Chronic disturbances – A large changes in ecosystem processes in response to a continuous & directional variation in the environment. Stochastic & Chronic Disturbances Biodiversity • Definitions • Distribution • Function • Threats11/1/2010 9 Definition of biodiversity • Species diversity • Ecosystem diversity • Genetic diversity • BioDiversity = richness*abundance*genes*habitat diversity Distribution – Vascular plant biodiversity Distribution – Flowering plant biodiversity Function of biodiversity Stability and productivity11/1/2010 10 Equilibrium, Stability & Diversity • High species diversity reduces – the risk of large changes in ecosystem processes in response to directional or stochastic disturbances in the environment. – the probability of large changes in ecosystem processes in response to invasions of pathogens and other species. Economic benefits • Food / agricultural crops • Clean water & clean air • Biotourism • Textiles • Current & Future Medicine / biotechnology Function of biodiversity Future potential Top Threats to Biodiversity • Habitat loss • Introduced and invasive species • Over hunting • Climate


View Full Document

CU-Boulder GEOG 1001 - Lecture Notes

Download Lecture Notes
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Lecture Notes and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Lecture Notes 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?