IV.

GUIDE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Outline and discuss the ecological significance of each of the climatic factor
investigated in this exercise.

CLIMATIC FACTORS ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The cardinal temperature varies from

species to species, and in the same individual
from part to part. In affecting the structure
physiology, growth and distribution of plants
and animals, temperature plays an important
role. The effects of temperature on plants and
animals are briefly listed below:

(a) Effect on cell and Protoplasm:

In the extremely low temperature, the
protoplasm may be frozen to ice. On the
other hand, in the extremely high
temperature, the protein may coagulate.

(b) Effect on Metabolism:

In the presence on different enzymes,
various metabolic activities in the living
organisms are carried out. With a slight
increase in temperature, the metabolic
activities may increase. However, the
metabolic rate may decrease when there is
higher increase in temperature. Finally, there
Temperature
will be no such activities when enzymes
become defunct.

(c) Effect on Respiration:

The rate of respiration usually doubles as
per the Van’t Hoff’s law with increase in
temperature by 10 °C in case of
poikilothermic animals.

(d) Effect on Development:

The development of plants and
poikilothermic animals is influenced by
temperature. The development of eggs and
larvae is higher in the hot climates compared
to cold climates in case of poikilothermic
animals.
(e) Effect on Growth:
When the temperature is slightly
increased, the poikilothermic invertebrates
indicate an increase in temperature the
seedlings of several plants exhibit the
elongation of the hypocotyl.
 (f) Effect on Transpiration in
Plants:
Transpiration is the process of loss of
water from the aerial surface of plants. The
rate of transpiration increases with increase
in atmospheric temperature and vice versa.

(g) Effect on Reproduction:

Maturation of gonad and gametogenesis
need specific temperature which varies from
species to species. The animals have
different breeding periods and the maturation
of gonads occur at different times. All these
are due to the effect of temperature.

(h) Effect on Sex-ratio:

The Sex-ratio in the poikilothermic animal
population is determined by temperature.
There is considerable increase in the number
of male individuals in the cope pad macro
Cyclops (an arthropod) with the increase in
the temperature.

(i) Effect on Morphology:

As per Jordan’s Rule, the fishes living in
low temperature water regions tend to have
more number of vestibule than their
counterparts living in the high temperature
water regions.
As per the principle of Bergman’s rule,
the homoeothermic animals of colder
climates are longer in size than their
counterparts found in the hot regions of the
globe. As per the Allen’s Rule, the tail, snout
and legs are comparatively smaller in the
mammals of cold climates than those in the
hot climatic regions.

(j) Effect of Colouration:

As per the principle of Gloggei’s Rule,
the body colour of animals is influenced by
temperature. In the hot and humid climates
the birds and mammals have darker
pigmentation than their counterparts in the
dry and cold climate.

Atmospheric moisture in the form of

invisible vapour is known as humidity.
Relative Humidity Humidity is greatly influenced by intensity of
solar radiation, temperature, altitude, wind,
water status of soil etc. Low temperature
causes higher relative humidity by decreasing
 the capacity of air for moisture. Processes as
transpiration, absorption of water etc. are
influenced by atmospheric humidity.
Humidity, thus, plays an important part in the
life of plants and animals.

The relative humidity affects the opening

and closing of the stomata which regulates
loss of water from the plant through
transpiration as well as photosynthesis. A
substantial understanding of this climatic
factor is likewise important in plant
propagation.

Newly collected plant cuttings and

bareroot seedlings are protected against
desiccation by enclosing them in a sealed
plastic bag. The propagation chamber and
plastic tent are also commonly used in
propagating stem and leaf cuttings to ensure
a condition with high relative humidity.

It is a vital environmental factor. It

affects plants, and other organisms. It
modifies the water relation and light
conditions of a particular region. Wind brings
about a number of physical, anatomical and
physiological changes of plants. Such
changes are breakage and uprooting of
plants, deformation, erosion and deposition,,
salt spray etc.

The wind accelerates transpiration,

removes solid moisture and at high velocities
causes soil erosion. Erosion is the removal of
Wind Speed Direction the surface soil, rich in organic matter and
fine mineral particles.

Excessive transpiration leads to

desiccation and death of apical meristems.
Thus, the plants tend to become dwarf,
profusely branched and usually have small
leaves. The sand particles blown with the
wind deposit on leaf surface and reduce
photo-synthesis, cause rise in temperature
and lead to rapid desiccation.
 On the exposed mountain tops, plants
frequently live in danger of being uprooted
and blown away by strong winds. In these
situations, the vegetation is largely composed
of species with a prostrate habit of growth
and a tenacious underground root or rhizome
system.

The main source of soil water is

precipitation. The rainfall pro¬vides water to
plants and animals. Rainfall occurs due to
inter¬change of water between earth’s
surface and the atmosphere. This is known
as the hydrologic cycle. In this cycle two
important things are precipitation and evapo-
transpiration.

Annual rainfall determines the types of

vegetation in any re¬gion. We find evergreen
forests in tropical regions due to heavy
rainfall throughout the year. Grasslands are
found in such regions where there is heavy
rainfall during summer and low rainfall
dur¬ing winter.

In our country there are differences in the

quantity of annual rainfall. Also, the
distribution of rainfall in different seasons of
Precipitation
the year is different. Therefore, we find that
vegetation types in different parts of the
country are much different from each other.
We also notice different types of animals and
birds in different geographical regions due to
changes in vegetation and in turn, vegetation
causes changes in the types of forests,
animals and birds.

Different regions of the earth receive,

different quantity of rain¬fall depending upon
the geographical features and the availability
of moisture laden winds. The quantity,
duration and intensity of rainfall regulate plant
life.

Only a part of the rain water is used by

the plants, the rest is lost in many ways like
evaporation and run-off. Thus, there is a
difference between the actual rainfall and the
effective rainfall.
2. Which of these factors exhibit ecological interactions? How do such observed
interplay among factors affect the abundance, distribution, and over all ecology of the
organism?

As we have performed these activity I have observed and learned that all of the
climatic factors that we discussed exhibit ecological interactions that can play substantial
roles influencing abundance, distribution and over all ecology of the organism. All these
factors have more potentially tremendous ecological impacts. For example, apple trees need
a certain number of days below freezing each year to set fruit. If the local climate changes so
that, even if it were on average colder, there were not a certain minimum number of days
below freezing no fruit would be produced in that area. Wind direction is critical, for example,
the winds blowing west from north Africa carry ancient lake sediment from the now dry
Sahara. This dust is rich in nutrients and is one of the main sources of new nutrients for the
South American Amazon jungle.

3. Relative humidity is defined as the vapor pressure of water in the air expressed as a
percentage of the saturation pressure at that temperature. What does that mean? How
does a slingshot psychrometer measure relative humidity?

This means that Relative humidity (RH) is the ratio of the partial pressure of water
vapor to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water at a given temperature. Relative humidity
depends on temperature and the pressure of the system of interest. It requires less water
vapor to attain high relative humidity at low temperatures; more water vapour is required to
attain high relative humidity in warm or hot air. Relative humidity can be measured by an
instrument called a hygrometer. The simplest hygrometer - a slingpsychrometer - consists of
two thermometers mounted together with a handle attached on a chain. One thermometer is
ordinary. The other has a cloth wick over its bulb and is called a wet-bulb thermometer.
Depending on the design of the psychrometer, the wet bulb either swings around or
remains stationary. As the water evaporates, it cools the wet bulb. By measuring the cooling
of the wet bulb, the scientist can tell how much water evaporates. This, in turn, tells her how
humid the air is. Moist air allows only a little water evaporate, and the wet bulb barely
changes temperature. Dry air absorbs a lot more moisture, cooling the wet bulb quite a bit

4. What factors affect the light intensity value in a given habitat?

Vegetation is a great factor about this. Desserts have no vegetation so the sunlight
goes direct. In the forests the soil is protected by the cover of vegetation that block direct sun
rays. Also the position in earth where the specific are is located since certain locations are
harder to reach by the sun than other areas as the Caribbean or Polynesia. Temperature

5. How does the capacity of air to hold water vapor change with temperature? For a
given mass of air, how does this affect relative humidity? Organisms lose water faster
in an atmosphere with low or high relative humidity?

Water vapor capacity increases with temperature increase. There are three parcels
of air, each in separate containers. Only relative values of moisture and temperatureare
shown. At low temperatures, the air will hold only two parts of water vapor. When
 temperature increases, the relative humidity decreases. Dew points measure relative
humidity, so if the dew point and the air temperature are the exact same, then the relative
humidity is 100%. The farther the temp is away from the dew point, the lower the humidity. In
the summer time if the air temperature is 90, and the dew point is 30, you have extrememly
low humidity and if the dew point is 70, you have moderately high humidity. And as far as the
organisms go, i would imagine if they lose water faster with low relative humidity because
you don't have any moisture. Organisms usually lose water faster in an atmosphere with low
relative humidity than in anatmosphere with high relative humidity.

6. What is the correlation between precipitation rate and the level of atmospheric
pressure?

As atmospheric pressure decreases, precipitation intensity increases. Hurricanes are

by far the best example. If a low pressure area intensifies, convergence of winds takes place
on a large scale leading to strong convection currents. Due to these ascending airs,
condensation takes place resulting in the formation of convective clouds and more rain.
Hence, low pressure increases the precipitation rate in most of the cases.

7. Cite specific examples on how wind velocity affects animal activity and plant
transpiration.

Small animals would be blown away

Wind can cool animals
Wind can carry animals- birds, insects, etc.

Plants would lose more water with higher wind velocities

8. What are climatograph? Give the two types of climatographs popular among
ecologists?

A climograph is a graphical representation of basic climatic parameters, that is

monthly average temperature and precipitation, at a certain location. It is used for a quick-
view of the climate of a location. There are two types of climatograph: Complex
Cimatographs and Simple Cimatographs.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

1. ABELLANOSA AL, PAVA HM. 1987. Introduction to Crop Science. CMU, Musuan, Bukidnon: Publications Office. p. 23-64.

2. DEVLIN R. 1975. Plant Physiology. New York, NY: D. Van Nostrand Company. 600 p.

3. EAGLEMAN JR. 1985. Meteorology, The Atmosphere in Action. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Co. 394 p.

4. EDMOND JB, SENN TL, AMDREWS FS, HALFACRE RG. 1978. Fundamentals of Horticulture. 4th ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc. p. 87-13