Caroline Pucko Biology 1108 Exam 2 Powerpoint Questions and Notes NEW QUESTION Liebig s Law of the Minimum ANSWER Individuals Individuals will grow only up to the point it runs out of a vital resource even if there are surpluses in other categories Populations Populations will grow only up to the point that they run out of a vital resource NEW QUESTION Limiting Resources ANSWER 10 years after the eruption of MSH and the alteration of Spirit lake returning Wood ducks had lost most of their nesting sites There were only enough sites along the bank for 40 nests NEW QUESTION Carrying Capacity K ANSWER The max size of a population that an ecosystem can sustain Based ONLY on resources available in an ecosystem Not affected by predators or competitors How many X would be supported if it were the only species NEW QUESTION If there is a kelp forest that has enough urchins to sustain a population of 60 sea otters 1 What is the K of otters 2 What is K if orcas eat 15 of the sea otters 3 What is N of otters if orcas eat 15 of the sea otters 4 What is K if 1 3 of the sea urchins die of wasting disease ANSWER NEW QUESTION Carrying Capacity K ANSWER The size of a population that an ecosystem can sustain How many can this ecosystem support over the long run Difficult to measure usually estimated Based ONLY on resources available Not affected by predators or competitors Can K change Yes if Carrying capacity K can change due to factors like improved resources or environmental changes If conditions get better K can increase if they worsen K can decrease Can populations ever exceed their K Yes but Populations can temporarily go over their carrying capacity if resources are abundant but this usually leads to resource depletion and a population decline later on So while it can happen it s not sustainable NEW QUESTION K estimate should be the ANSWER average over some time period not the max eye balled is ok NEW QUESTION Climate Change vs Weather ANSWER Weather A severe thunderstorm or hurricane Climate An upward trend in the 30 year average of the frequency and intensity of hurricanes Weather A late spring freeze event Climate The average date of the last freeze in the spring continues to get earlier NEW QUESTION What are 2 traits associated with conifers ANSWER high shade tolerance high persistence Low maximum growth rate High longevity NEW QUESTION Def of Climate ANSWER Long term averages 30 years NEW QUESTION Climate vs Weather ANSWER Thunderstorm Weather Ave of intense precipitation events yr Climate NEW QUESTION Climate Change vs Weather ANSWER Weather A severe thunderstorm or hurricane Climate An upward trend in the 30 year average of the frequency and intensity of hurricanes Weather A late spring freeze event Climate The average date of the last freeze in the spring continues to get earlier NEW QUESTION Incoming Energy can be ANSWER Absorbed atmosphere land or water causing warming Reflected bounced back into space without causing warming Radiated out into space passively escapes NEW QUESTION Climate has been changing on the planet since the beginning way before there were humans ANSWER Changes in INCOMING energy solar radiation Changes in the amount of energy REFLECTED volcanic eruptions ice ages Changes in amount of energy ABSORBED changes in GHGs NEW QUESTION Milankovitch Cycles ANSWER Natural and VERY long term fluctuations in sun intensity Changes in the Earth s orbit that changes the Earth s temp 100 000 yr cycle Responsible for Ice Ages NEW QUESTION What if we change how much energy is REFLECTED into space ANSWER Increase cooler Decrease warmer NEW QUESTION Albedo ANSWER reflectivity of a surface NEW QUESTION Things with high albedo ANSWER light colored reflects more light energy NEW QUESTION Things with low albedo ANSWER dark colored absorbs more light energy NEW QUESTION What are 2 earth surfaces with very LOW albedo 2 with HIGH albedo ANSWER Low Albedo Forests Dark tree canopies absorb most sunlight reflecting very little Oceans Water absorbs a significant amount of solar energy especially when the sun is high in the sky High Albedo Snow and Ice These surfaces reflect most of the sunlight that hits them Deserts Many sandy surfaces can reflect a high percentage of sunlight though this can vary with the color of the sand NEW QUESTION Small increases in Greenhouse Gases GHGs can ANSWER increase temp NEW QUESTION 1 What is the most prevalent gas in the atmosphere At what 2 What of the atmosphere is made of Greenhouse Gases GHG s ANSWER Most Prevalent Gas The most prevalent gas in the atmosphere is nitrogen making up about 78 of the atmosphere Greenhouse Gases GHGs Greenhouse gases collectively make up a small percentage of the atmosphere approximately 0 1 This includes gases like carbon dioxide methane and water vapor which play a crucial role in regulating Earth s temperature It doesn t take much to change such a small NEW QUESTION Top 5 Greenhouse Gases GHGs ANSWER Carbon Dioxide Nitrous Oxide Methane Fluorinated Gases Water Vapor not anthropogenic NEW QUESTION Not all greenhouse gasses are created equal ANSWER Global Warming Potential 1 lb CO2 1 GWP 1lb CH4 21lbs CO2 If a cow released 3 lbs of methane how many pounds of CO2 emissions is that equivalent to NEW QUESTION Global Warming Potential GWP of Different Gases ANSWER Determined by 2 things How well it absorbs light energy and reemits IR heat Residence Time how long it remains in the atmosphere Carbon Dioxide 1 GWP Nitrous Oxide 300 GWP Methane 20 GWP Fluorinated Gases Average 5000 GWP KNOW THESE VALUES NEW QUESTION Increasing the gas mileage of cars reduces GHG emissions Since 2000 increasing mileage standards have reduced NOx emissions by over 90 This keeps 2 kg of NOx out of the atmosphere for every 1000 miles driven That s the equivalent of keeping kg of CO2 out of the atmosphere ANSWER NEW QUESTION Climate Impact ANSWER CO2 64 N2O 6 CH4 19 F Gases 11 NEW QUESTION Pools Where carbon is stored 6 main pools Rocks Fossil Fuels Soils Atmosphere Biosphere Anything alive Ocean Surface and Deep Ocean often considered separately ANSWER NEW QUESTION Processes Flux How carbon moves between pools ANSWER Photosynthesis Respiration Soil Respiration Combustion Vulcanism Decomposition Diffusion Sedimentation See if you can identify the processes that move carbon between pools NEW QUESTION Here are three sources of atmospheric CO2 based on the carbon cycle ANSWER Fossil Fuel Combustion The burning of coal oil and natural gas for energy