Exam 1

A process by which a hypothesis is tested by altering a factor that is hypothesized to be an underlying cause of the phenomenon.

The factor that we want to vary in an experiment. Independent variable

A manipulation that includes all aspects of an experiment except the factor of interest.

The object to which we apply an experimental manipulation.

Being able to produce a similar outcome multiple times.

Individuals with intermediate traits have a higher fitness than the extremes.

Every experimental unit has an equal chance of being assigned a particular manipulation.

Simplified ecological system that attempt to replicate the essential features of an ecological system in a laboratory or field setting.

Randomization makes sure to give each specimen an equal chance of being manipulated to avoid disparity among specimens.
Replication assures that any correlations are not coincidences and have sufficient evidence to back up the results.

Both fitness extremes are favored and the intermediate is not.

When natural experimentation is difficult to conduct due to a lack of necessary resources or a problematic environment.

Natural experiment relies on natural variation in the environment to test a hypothesis.

A representation of a system with a set of equations that corresponds to the hypothesized relationships among each of the systems components.

A natural experiment would be more favorable when the hypothesis relies on the natural variation of an environment. When results cannot be obtained via artificial means.

Questions that have various relationships that can be found within an environment and then represented in said model. Questions that rely on a trend that takes place over the course of several years exceeding the time available.

Deforestation, Commercial fishing, Invasive species/pet trade

Recycling and conservation efforts that helped species out of the brink of extinction.

Ecologist study and understand the environmental problem to then devise a plan of action and raise awareness around this problem.

Absorbed by surface, Absorbed by clouds, reflected from surface, Reflected by atmosphere and clouds.

Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Ozone

Solar equator

The polar poles

The fraction of solar energy reflected by an object.

The deflection of an objects path due to the rotation of Earth.

The warmer air currents release moisture into the air

The latitude recieving the most direct rays of sun.

The Earth is tilted and this causes some parts of Earth to have more direct exposure to the sun than others.

The circulations of air between the surface of Earth and the atmosphere. Caused by uneven heating of the Earth's surface, air rises in warmer areas and sinks in colder areas.

The 2 circulation cells of air between the equator and 30 N and 30 S latitudes. Caused by the heating of tropical air by the sun.

The process of reducing heat through a change in air pressure caused by volume expansion.

The maximum amount of water vapor that air can hold at a specific temperature and pressure.

The area where the 2 Hadley cells converge and cause large amounts of precipitation.

The atmospheric currents that move air between 60 and 90 latitudes are called polar cells.

An atmospheric circulation cell within the Earth's atmosphere is found between 30° and 60° latitude in both hemispheres. Caused by the rising warm air from Hadley cells and sinking cold air from polar cells.

A region having little rainfall because it is sheltered from prevailing rain-bearing winds by a range of hills.

Oceans and lakes the sources of most atmospheric water vapor covers 81 percent of the southern hemisphere but only 61 percent of the northern hemisphere.

A random chance event that causes a change in allele frequencies.

An extreme type of genetic drift that causes massive reduction in population size.

Annual temperature and precipitation

When a small part of a larger population starts a new colony resulting in a loss of genetic variation.

The ability to survive to reproductive age, find a mate, produce offspring.

When improving one phenotype of an organism comes at the expense of another phenotype. A larger animal may be slower than a smaller one.

The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental conditions.

Becoming accustomed to a new climate or conditions.

The schedule of an organisms growth, development, reproduction, and survival.

The number of offspring an organism produces per reproductive event.

Lifespan

Females will continue to grow after reproduction.

When resources are devoted to a bodily function or structure they cannot be alloted into another.

The organism has a lifespan greater than a year.

After females reproduce they cannot grow anymore

When organisms reproduce only once during their life.

The process of growing old.

Organism lives for a year

A type of asexual reproduction in plants that creates new plants without seeds or spores. Involves using stems, leaves or roots.

Development of an embryo from an unfertillized egg.

Half of genes are actually passed on.

The hypothesis that sexual reproduction allows hosts to evolve at a rate that can counter the rapid evolution of parasites.

Individuals that possess male and female reproductive funtions at the same time

Individuals that possess male or female reproductive function and then switch to possess the other function.

Plants that have separate male and female flowers on the same individual

When organisms reproduce multiple times during their life.

Plants that contain either only male flowers or only female flowers on a single individual.