Textbook Question
Name the five main levels of study in ecology from smallest to largest.
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Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 49, Problem 2
Where do rain shadows exist?
a. The part of a mountain that receives prevailing winds and heavy rain
b. The region beyond a mountain range that receives dry air
c. The region along the equator where precipitation is abundant
d. The region near 30°N and 30°S latitude that receives dry air
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of a rain shadow: A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountainous area. Mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a 'shadow' of dryness behind them.
Identify the process: When moist air rises over a mountain, it cools and loses moisture as precipitation on the windward side. As the air descends on the leeward side, it warms and dries, creating a rain shadow.
Analyze the options: Option a describes the windward side of a mountain, which is not a rain shadow. Option c describes the equatorial region, which is not related to rain shadows. Option d describes regions at 30°N and 30°S, which are typically dry but not due to rain shadows.
Focus on option b: The region beyond a mountain range that receives dry air is the leeward side, where rain shadows exist due to the drying effect of descending air.
Conclude that option b is the correct description of where rain shadows exist, as it accurately describes the leeward side of a mountain range.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Rain Shadow Effect
The rain shadow effect occurs when moist air ascends a mountain range, cools, and releases precipitation on the windward side. As the air descends on the leeward side, it becomes dry, creating a rain shadow region. This phenomenon explains why areas beyond mountain ranges often receive less rainfall.
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Coriolis Effect Curves Prevailing Winds
Prevailing Winds
Prevailing winds are consistent wind patterns that occur due to the Earth's rotation and atmospheric circulation. These winds play a crucial role in weather patterns, including the distribution of moisture and the formation of rain shadows, as they carry moist air towards mountain ranges.
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Geographical Influence on Climate
Geographical features like mountains significantly influence local climate by altering wind and precipitation patterns. Mountains can block moist air, leading to dry conditions on their leeward side, known as the rain shadow area, affecting the climate and ecosystem of the region.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
What is the main type of vegetation in a tropical wet forest?
a. shrubs and bunchgrasses
b. herbs, grasses, and vines
c. broad-leaved deciduous trees
d. broad-leaved evergreen trees
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Textbook Question
What is one expected consequence of global climate change?
a. Average rainfall will increase.
b. Average rainfall will decrease.
c. Variability in rainfall will increase.
d. We cannot make predictions about future rainfall.
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Textbook Question
Which of these statements about aquatic biomes is true? Select True or False for each statement.
T/F The ocean is so vast that it is not influenced by human impacts.
T/F Water depth, water flow, salinity, and nutrient availability are important abiotic factors in aquatic biomes.
T/F Once nutrients sink to the bottom of lakes, they are no longer available to organisms.
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