Ecology B/C

[Zioly]

I'll go since Goofy hasn't gone in 5 days.

Another simple one.

Define Gause's competitive exclusion principle.

answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time

Good job. Your go.

[gavinnupp]

Good job. Your go.

Under what conditions does deciduous forest occur?

[Zioly]

Good job. Your go.

Under what conditions does deciduous forest occur?

Answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

A forest is considered deciduous when the majority of the vegetation (primarily trees) loses their leaves seasonally (usually autumn), through a process called abscission. Abscission is caused by a physiological process deciduous trees undergo when responding to a loss in gross photosynthetic production, usually from a seasonal climate change.

[gavinnupp]

Accurate, but under what precipitation/temperature/latitude/soil?

[Zioly]

Accurate, but under what precipitation/temperature/latitude/soil?

Well, there are multiple scenarios in which deciduous forests may occur! I'll list them both.

Answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

[b]Temperate Deciduous Forest:[/b]

-Found between 30* and 55* latitude.
-Most found between 40* and 50*.
-In Asia, temperate forests originally covered much of Japan, eastern China, Korea, and eastern Siberia.
-In western Europe, temperate deciduous forests extended from souther Scandinavia to northwester Iberia and from the British Isles through eastern Europe.
-North American temperate deciduous forests are found from the Atlantic sea coast to the Great Plain.
-In the Southern Hemisphere, temperate deciduous foretss are found in souther Chile, New Zealand, and southern Australia.

-Temperatures are not extreme, usually 0* to 30* C. Slight "hill" in the summer months. Moderate variation.
-Precipitation averages anywhere from 650mm to 3,000 mm.
-Growing season is moist and of 4 months long. Winters last from 3 to 4 months.

-Soils are usually fertile
-Usually neutral or slightly acidic.
-Rich in both organic and inorganic matter.
-Nutrient movement within deciduous forests is more dynamic than coniferous

[b]Tropical Dry Forest[/b]

-Found between 10* and 25* latitude
-In Africa, tropical dry forests are found to the north and south of the central African rain forests.
-In the Americas, tropical dry forests are the natural vegetation of extensive areas south and north of the Amazon rain forest.
-They also extend up the west coast of Central America and into North America along the west coast of Mexico.
-In Asia, they are mainly found in India and the Indochina peninsula
-Australian tropical dry forests form a band across the northeast

-Drastic season precipitation variation. 7 month of drought, with 5 months of heavy rainfall.
-Precipitation varies heavily between different forests, but typically, there is a large spike in the months of Nov. through April.
-Temperatures are consistent, with them usually being between 20* and 30* C.

-The soils are very aged and slightly acidic.
-They are slightly rich in nutrients.
-They are highly vulnerable to erosion, with the torrents of seasonal rain.

Therefore, if a temperate forest is deciduous, then the trees are as described previously and react to the dipping temperatures, while if a tropical dry forest is deciduous, the trees react more to the season droughts.

[gavinnupp]

Well, there are multiple scenarios in which deciduous forests may occur! I'll list them both.

Answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

[b]Temperate Deciduous Forest:[/b]

-Found between 30* and 55* latitude.
-Most found between 40* and 50*.
-In Asia, temperate forests originally covered much of Japan, eastern China, Korea, and eastern Siberia.
-In western Europe, temperate deciduous forests extended from souther Scandinavia to northwester Iberia and from the British Isles through eastern Europe.
-North American temperate deciduous forests are found from the Atlantic sea coast to the Great Plain.
-In the Southern Hemisphere, temperate deciduous foretss are found in souther Chile, New Zealand, and southern Australia.

-Temperatures are not extreme, usually 0* to 30* C. Slight "hill" in the summer months. Moderate variation.
-Precipitation averages anywhere from 650mm to 3,000 mm.
-Growing season is moist and of 4 months long. Winters last from 3 to 4 months.

-Soils are usually fertile
-Usually neutral or slightly acidic.
-Rich in both organic and inorganic matter.
-Nutrient movement within deciduous forests is more dynamic than coniferous

[b]Tropical Dry Forest[/b]

-Found between 10* and 25* latitude
-In Africa, tropical dry forests are found to the north and south of the central African rain forests.
-In the Americas, tropical dry forests are the natural vegetation of extensive areas south and north of the Amazon rain forest.
-They also extend up the west coast of Central America and into North America along the west coast of Mexico.
-In Asia, they are mainly found in India and the Indochina peninsula
-Australian tropical dry forests form a band across the northeast

-Drastic season precipitation variation. 7 month of drought, with 5 months of heavy rainfall.
-Precipitation varies heavily between different forests, but typically, there is a large spike in the months of Nov. through April.
-Temperatures are consistent, with them usually being between 20* and 30* C.

-The soils are very aged and slightly acidic.
-They are slightly rich in nutrients.
-They are highly vulnerable to erosion, with the torrents of seasonal rain.

Therefore, if a temperate forest is deciduous, then the trees are as described previously and react to the dipping temperatures, while if a tropical dry forest is deciduous, the trees react more to the season droughts.

Good Job. your turn.

[Zioly]

Define, give an example of, and explain the relationship of the following terms:

Torpor

Hibernation

Estivation

[chscioly]

Answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

Torpor is decreased activity in an animal, with a lowered body temperature and metabolism. Daily torpor is seen in many marsupials, rodents, and bats. However, long, seasonal periods of torpor can be considered hibernation, if it is during winter, or estivation, if it is during summer, in response to dry conditions and high temperatures. Many species of squirrel hibernate and many land snails estivate.

[Zioly]

Answer (Click to Show Hidden Text)

Torpor is decreased activity in an animal, with a lowered body temperature and metabolism. Daily torpor is seen in many marsupials, rodents, and bats. However, long, seasonal periods of torpor can be considered hibernation, if it is during winter, or estivation, if it is during summer, in response to dry conditions and high temperatures. Many species of squirrel hibernate and many land snails estivate.

All correct, save a few minor inaccuracies. Estivation or hibernation is not in response to dry conditions or "high" temperatures; rather, it's an instinct meant to conserve energy in times expected to entail little food or extreme temperatures.

Besides that, all good. Your go.

[chscioly]

If a population has an annual growth rate of 5%, what is the doubling time?