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Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs.
Fri.
Week of Sept. 8
Outdoor lab dress for weather
Week of Sept. 15
Active outdoor lab dress for weather
Week of Sept. 22
Indoor lab bring caculator
Week of Sept. 29
Oct. 3 Exam 1
Wet outdoor lab wear closed-toed shoes
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Structure of course
Environmental variability Organisms Ecosystems Pop
ulations Species interactions Communities
Applied Ecological Issues
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Outline
Types of variation Variability on a global
scale - climate Smaller scale
variation Consequences of variation in climate
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Temporal variation - changes through
time Spatial variation - changes through space
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Scale the dimension in time or space
over which variation is perceived.
Scale of variation importance is a function of
the organism
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Scale of measurement affects perception of
variability
Too coarse
Too fine
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Temporal and spatial variation are often
correlated
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Ecological scales of variation
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Outline
Types of variation Variability on a global
scale - causes of variation in climate -
example of unpredictable variability Smaller
scale variation Consequences of variation in
climate
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Why is it colder at the poles than in the
tropics? A. over the course of a year, the
tropics receive more hours of sunlight B.
sunlight is more intense on average at the
equator C. the poles are farther from the sun
than the tropics
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What is it warmer in the summer than in the
winter at high latitudes? A. the summer has more
hours of sunlight B. the sun rises higher in the
sky C. both A and B
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Why is the seasonal range in temperature greater
in the northern latitudes than in the southern
latitudes?
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What is the main cause of winds? A. the rotation
of the earth around the sun B. the rotation of
the earth on its axis C. the differential
heating and cooling of different geographical
locations on earth
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Rotation deflects Hadley cells to drive wind
patterns
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Polar desert
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Hadley cells explain some patterns of
precipitation
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Winds and position of land masses drive ocean
currents
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Outline
Types of variation Variability on a global
scale - causes of variation in climate -
example of unpredictable variability Smaller
scale variation Consequences of variation in
climate
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Example of an unpredictable pattern of climate
variability - El Niño Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) events
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ENSO index difference between
barometric pressure in Tahiti (island in Pacific
Ocean) and Western Australia Measures
oscillation in pressure over Pacific Ocean
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Ecological effects of ENSO events Examples 1.
Australia - El Niño brings drought and
increased mortality of red kangaroos 2.
Islands off of Peru - La Niña brings drought and
increased mortality of ground finches El Nino
brings rain, more food, and more finches
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3. Zimbabwe - El Niño drought lower corn yield
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Outline
Types of variation Variability on a global
scale Smaller scale variation - Example
elevation Consequences of variation in climate
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• Suppose the earth were exactly like it is today,
  except that oceans covered the entire surface.
  Then,
• the average temperature at the Equator would be
  less than the average temperature at the north
  pole.
• b. the difference between the average temperature
  at the north pole and the average temperature at
  the Equator would be less than now.
• c. wind speeds throughout the world would be
  greater than they are now.
• d. temperature and wind speeds would be the same
  are they are now.

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Outline
Types of variation Variability on a global
scale - climate Smaller scale variation in
climate Consequences of variation in climate -
the biome concept
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Outline
The biome concept - terrestrial -
aquatic Survey of the biomes Variability in
Connecticut
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Biomes - categories of biological communities
based on dominant plant forms - primarily
used for terrestrial systems
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Biomes of the world
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Why are there distinct biomes?
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Sugar Maple range map
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Terrestrial biomes - defined by
temperature and precipitation
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Aquatic systems - defined by physical factors
such as depth, temperature, water flow
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Outline
The biome concept Survey of the
biomes Variability in Connecticut
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Terrestrial biomes of the world
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Biome Climate Vegetation The dominant
types Animals A few of the charismatic
ones Net Productivity rate of plant biomass
production Diversity of plant and animal
species
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Biome Tundra Climate Short, cool summers
Long, very cold winters Permanently
frozen soil (permafrost) Vegetation No trees
Very short vegetation Animals
Caribou, lemmings, artic fox Net Productivity
Low Diversity Low