APES Chapter 5

Question 1

Hypoxia

Answer 1

low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the bottom of waters

Question 2

System

Answer 2

a network of relationships amoung parts, elements, or components that interact with influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter or information

Question 3

Feedback

Answer 3

when a system’s output can serve as an input to the same system

Question 4

Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 4

an output that results form a system that acts as an input that moves the system in a different direction

Question 5

Positive Feedback Loop

Answer 5

an output that results from a system that acts as an input but drives it to the extreme

Question 6

Dynamic Equilibrium

Answer 6

when a system is stabilized by negative feedback and the processes move in oposing diections at equilivilent rates, their effects balance out

Question 7

Homeostasis

Answer 7

the tendency of a system to maintain constant or stable internal conditions

Question 8

Emergent Properties

Answer 8

characteristics not evident in the components alone

Question 9

Watershed

Answer 9

the entire area of land that a river drains

Question 10

Eutrophication

Answer 10

the process of nutrient enrichment, increased production of organic matter, and subsequent ecosystem degradation a water body

Question 11

Biosphere

Answer 11

all the planet’s organisms and abiotic portions of the environment

Question 12

Lithosphere

Answer 12

planets uppermost layers, rock and sediment

Question 13

Atmosphere

Answer 13

composed of air surrounding our planet

Question 14

Hydrosphere

Answer 14

encompasses all water (salt/fresh, liquid, ice, vapor)

Question 15

Ecosystem

Answer 15

all living and nonliving entities that occur and interact in a particular area at the same time

Question 16

Gross Primary Production

Answer 16

the assimilation of energy by autotrophs

Question 17

Net Primary Production

Answer 17

energy that is left over after respiration and that is used to generate biomass

Question 18

Productivity

Answer 18

the rate that production occurs

Question 19

Net Primary Productivity

Answer 19

the rate at which net primary production is produced

Question 20

Ecotones

Answer 20

areas called transitional zones where elements of each ecosystem mix

Question 21

Landscape Ecology

Answer 21

the study of how landscape affects the abundance, distribution and interaction of organisms

Question 22

Patches

Answer 22

landscape made up of spacial array

Question 23

Mosaic

Answer 23

when patches that are spread spatially over the landscape

Question 24

Metapopulation

Answer 24

populations that move along patches and mate with members of other patches

Question 25

Conservation Biologists

Answer 25

scientists who study the loss, protection, and restoration of biodiversity

Question 26

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Answer 26

tool used for research in landscape ecology

Question 27

Model

Answer 27

a simplified representation of a complex natural process, used to help us understand how the process occurs and makes predictions

Question 28

Ecological Modeling

Answer 28

the practice of constructing and testing models to explain and predict how ecological systems function

Question 29

Ecosystem Services

Answer 29

a servie an ecosystem provides that supports life and makes economic activity possible

Question 30

Nutrients

Answer 30

elements and compounds that organisms consume and require for survival

Question 31

Nutrient Cycles/ Biogeochemical Cycles

Answer 31

the cycle in which nutrients move through the ecosystem

Question 32

Pool/Reservoir

Answer 32

a location in which nutrients in a biogeochemical remain for a period of time before moving to another one

Question 33

Residence Time

Answer 33

the amount of time a nutrient is in one place

Question 34

Flux

Answer 34

the rate at which materials move between reservoirs

Question 35

Source

Answer 35

when a reservoir releases more materials than it accepts

Question 36

Sink

Answer 36

When a reservoir accepts more than it releases

Question 37

Water Cycle/Hydrologic Cycle

Answer 37

how water (in liquid, solid, or gas) flows through our environment

Question 38

Evaporation

Answer 38

the conversion of liquid to gaseous form

Question 39

Transpiration

Answer 39

the release of water vapr by plants through their leaves

Question 40

Preciptation

Answer 40

when water vapor condenses and falls as rain or snow

Question 41

Runoff

Answer 41

water from precipitation that flows into streams, rivers, lakes, etc.

Question 42

Aquifiers

Answer 42

underground reservoirs

Question 43

Groundwater

Answer 43

water found underground beneath layers of soil

Question 44

Water Table

Answer 44

the upper limit of ground water held in a n aquifer

Question 45

Carbon Cycle

Answer 45

the routes that carbon atoms take though the environment

Question 46

Nitrification

Answer 46

the process where ammonium ions are first converted into nitrite ions then to nitrate ions

Question 47

Nitrogen Fixation

Answer 47

the process where inert nitrogen combines with hydrogen to form ammonium

Question 48

Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria

Answer 48

bacteria that lives in a mutualistic relationship with many plants, giving them nutrients by converting nitrogen to a usable form

Question 49

Denitrifying Bacteria

Answer 49

bacteria that converts nitrates in soil/water to gaseous nitrogen

Question 50

Nitrogen Cycle

Answer 50

a major nutrient cycle consisting of the routes that nitrogen atoms take through the nested networks of environmental systems

Question 51

Haber-Bosch Process

Answer 51

combing nitrogen and hydrogen gases to synthesize ammonium

Question 52

Phosphorus Cycle

Answer 52

a major nutrient cycle consisting of the routes that phosphorus atoms take through the nested networks of environmental systems