4.1 and 4.2 Flashcards
ecology
study of relationships between living organisms and between organisms and their environments
population
group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time
ecosystem
community and its abiotic environment
community
group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area
habitat
environment in which a species normally lives
species
group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
why can hybrids not reproduce?
species are unique because they have the same number of chromosomes, so offspring can be produced from interbreeding of two species, but it will result in an infertile offspring with a trisomy
autotrophs
convert co2 into organic compounds
what are mixotrophs
plants and algae that use a combination of different modes of nutrition
consumer
heterotrophs that ingest other organisms to obtain organic molecules
scavengers
specialized carnivores that feed mostly on dead or decaying matter
detritivore
heterotroph that obtains nutrients by consuming non-living organic sources (e.g. detritus -dead, particulate organic matter - poop; and humus - decaying leaf litter mixed with soil)
sapotrophs
secrete digestive enzymes on organic matter and absorb products of digestion (think fungi)!!!!! referred to as decomposers - they are NOT consumers - breakdown organic nutrients to gain energy and in the process release nutrients back into inorganic molecules ensuring availability of nutrients to autotrophs
ecosystem
consists of both the community and the environment
nutrients
elements required by an organism for growth and metabolism
nutrient cycling
nutrient supply is limited and therefore ecosystems constantly recycle nutrients between organisms
mesocosms
biological systems that contain the abiotic and biotic features of an ecosystem but are restricted in size and/or under controlled conditions
photoautotrophs
rely on pigments such as chlorophyll totrap light energy which is converted into chemical energy in carbon compounds
what is light energy transferred to
chemical energy
what does a food chain show
how nutrients and energy are passed from producer to primary consumer then to secondary consumer (begins with plants and ends w animals) - flow of energy through trophic levels of a feeding relationship
food web
shows interconnections that exist among food chains - each organism may have several sources/ be a source of nutrion for several organisms
trophic level
position of an organism in a food chain
which trophic level is the producer
1
inefficiences of energy transfers
toxic waste organic molecules are excreted ; some organic molecules are not absorbed and egested (removal of undigested foods);some parts of an organism are uneaten; energy is lost as heat from respiration
