7-9 Flashcards
Define ecotone
A transition area between ecosystems
Define ecological niche
An organisms role in an ecosystem, consisting of its place in the food web, it’s habitats it’s breeding area, and the time of day it is most active
Ecotones usually have more ____________ than the ______________ themselves
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
Define biome
A large geographical region with a specific range of temperature and precipitation
Define the taiga biome
Also known as the boreal forest, it is dominated by conifers, found in every province in canada, and 80% of Canada’s forest are taiga
Define permanent frost
Permanently frozen soil, found under the conditions of a short growing season, cold temperatures, and low precipitation
Define muskeg
Soil above the permafrost that is swampy or boggy during the summer
Define grassland biomes
Found in central and southern Alberta,
Define deciduous forest ecosystem
Central Alberta, more sunlight and warmer, rich fertile soil, diversity of animals
Define aquatic ecosystems
Found in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans
Define littoral zone
The area from the shore of a lake or pond to the point where no more plants grow in the lake bottom, the most productive part of lake.
Define limnetic zone
The area of a lake or pond in which there is open water and sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur
Define plankton
Autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms found in the limnetic zone of a lake or pond
Define profundal zone
The region of a lake beneath the limnetic zone, in which there is insufficient light for photosynthesis to occur
What are Albertas two major biomes?
Taiga and grassland
Define litter
The upper layer of soil, composed mainly of partially decomposed leaves or grasses
Define topsoil
The soil beneath the litter, composed of small particles of rock mixed with humus
Define humus
Decaying plant and animal matter
Define subsoil
The soil layer beneath the topsoil, usually containing more rock particles and less organic matter than the topsoil
Define bedrock
The layer beneath the soil, composed of rock
Define groundwater
Water in the soil or rock below the earths surface
Define epilimniom
The upper level of a lake, warms up in summer
Define hypelimnion
The lower level of a lake, remains at a cooler temperature year round
Define thermocline
The zone between the epilimnion and hypolimnion in which temperature changes rapidly
___________ water holds ______ dissolved oxygen than __________ water, the solubility of oxygen in water ___________ as the water temperature ___________.
Warmer Less Colder Increases Decreases
As water cools it becomes ______ dense, however below 4 degrees Celsius it becomes ______ dense
More
Less
Define biotic potential
The maximum number of offspring that a species could produce with unlimited resources
Define carrying capacity
The maximum number of individuals of a species that can be supported by an ecosystem
What is the law of the minimum?
States that the nutrient in the least supply is the one that limits growth, mid 1800’s, Justus von Liebig
What is the law of tolerance??
States that an organism can survive within a particular range of an abiotic factor, 1913, Victor Shelford
What is the density independent factor
A factor in an ecosystem that affects member of a population regardless of the populations density, such as fires, floods, drought, or change in climate or temperature
What is a density dependent factor
A factor in an ecosystem that affects members of a population because of the populations density, such as food supply, water quality, sunlight, disease, and territory
Define slash and burn
The complete clearing of a forest by falling and burning the trees
Define clear cutting
The removal of all trees in an area
Define selective cutting
The harvesting of only certain trees from an area
Define prescribed burn
A controlled fire set intentionally in a designated area
Define oligotrophic
Having low nutrient levels, lakes are typically cold and deep, very clear water
Define eutrophic
Having high nutrient levels, lakes are typically warm and shallow, often murky, many organisms
What are the five categories of water pollution??
Organic solid waste Disease causing organisms Inorganic solids and dissolved minerals Thermal energy Organic compounds
Define organic solid waste
Includes sewage and waste from food processing. As this matter is decomposed by bacteria the oxygen in the water is used up
Define disease causing organisms
Come from sewage and animal wastes that enter aquatic ecosystems with runoff. These organisms can trigger an outbreak of a waterborne disease such as typhoid
Define inorganic solids and dissolved minerals
Includes waste from mining, fertilizers, and salts from road runoff in winter
Define thermal energy waste
Comes from electricity generating plants and other industries. Heating the water in aquatic ecosystems decreases the solubility of oxygen in the water
Define organic command waste
Includes oil from roads, pesticides, and detergents. Road oil is toxic to fish and waterfowl. Pesticides are toxic to various organisms, and accumulate through the food chain. Phosphates promote algae growth, resulting in lack of oxygen during decomposition
What are the three main indicators of water quality?
Bacteria count
Concentration of dissolved oxygen
Biological oxygen demand
Define coliform bacteria
A type of bacteria that occurs naturally in the intestines of humans and other animals, and indicates presence of fecal contamination in water
Define biological oxygen demand
The amount of dissolved oxygen needed by decomposes to break down the organic matter in a water. Sample as 20 degrees Celsius over five days
Define watershed
The land that drains toward a lake or other body of water
