APES Unit 1: Soil and Biodiversity Flashcards
Ecosystem
the number of different habitats available in a given area
Species
the number of different species in an ecosystem and the balance or evenness of the population sizes of all species in the ecosystem
Resilience
the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original conditions after a major disturbance
Richness
the total number of different species found in an ecosystem
Evenness
a measure of how all the individuals organisms in an ecosystem are balanced between
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
a measure of the soil’s ability to hold positively charged ions.
Abiotic
non-living organisms (sand, silt, clay)
Biotic
living organisms (humus, microorganisms)
Porosity
amount of pore space a soil has
What soil has the highest porosity?
clay
What soil has the lowest porosity?
sand
Permeability
how easily water drains through a soil
What soil has the highest permeability?
Sand
What soil has the lowest permeability?
sand
H2O holding capacity
how well water is retained or held by a soil
Provisioning
Goods/products directly provided to humans for sale/use by ecosystems or products that are made from natural resources that ecosystems provide
Provisioning example
fish, lumber, seeds, paper
Regulating
a benefit provided by the ecosystem processes that moderate natural conditions like climate and air quality
Regulating example
trees in a forest sequester CO2 through photosynthesis which reduces rate of Climate change
Supporting
Natural ecosystems support processes we do ourselves, making them less costly and easier for us
Supporting example
bees/insects pollinate crops, leading to more crop production and higher profits
Cultural
Revenue from recreational activities (hunting) and profits from scientific discoveries made in ecosystems (health)
Cultural example
beautiful landscapes draw tourists who pay to enter parks
Carbon Cycle
Includes photosynthesis, respiration exchange, sedimentation and burial, extraction, and combustion
What is the largest carbon sink?
sedimentary rock
Photosynthesis
the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.
Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that uses glucose to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), organisms take up the oxygen released from plants and produce carbon dioxide