Biogeography Flashcards
Biogeography
The study of the distribution of plants and animals (biota) across space and time, combining both ecological and historical perspectives
Ecology
The study of interactions between organisms and their environment, foundational for understanding species distributions in biogeography
Ecosystems
Functional systems of interacting organisms and their physical environment, where energy and nutrients cycle through producers, consumers, and decomposers
Biome
A large geographic biotic unit characterized by a specific climate, vegetation type, and animal life (e.g., tundra, rainforest)
Formation Class
A vegetation classification system grouping plant communities by structure, like forest, grassland, or desert
Habitat
The specific environment where an organism lives, including biotic and abiotic factors
Macrohabitat
Large-scale habitat influencing broader ecological zones (e.g., a whole forest)
Microhabitat
Smaller, localized environments within a macrohabitat (e.g., under a log or leaf)
Niche
The role an organism plays in its ecosystem, including its habitat, interactions, and energy use
Biodiversity
The variety of life in all its forms, from genes and species to ecosystems; essential in biogeography for understanding patterns of life
Principle of Limiting Factors
The idea that the factor in shortest supply controls population growth and distribution
Open Forest Structure
A forest type where trees are spaced apart, allowing more sunlight to reach the ground (e.g., savannas)
Closed Forest Structure
Dense tree canopy blocks most light, leading to limited undergrowth (e.g., tropical rainforests)
Plant Community
A group of plant species living together and interacting in the same environment
Ecotone
A transitional zone between two biomes or ecosystems where species from both communities mix
Plant Succession
The natural, sequential development of plant communities over time in a given area
Pioneer Community
The first plant species to colonize a barren or disturbed area during succession
Climax Community
The stable, final stage in ecological succession with a balanced and self-perpetuating ecosystem
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants convert solar energy, CO2, and water into carbohydrates and oxygen
Transpiration
The release of water vapor from plant leaves into the atmosphere, important in the water cycle
Respiration
The process by which organisms convert carbohydrates and oxygen into energy, CO2, and water
Stomata
Tiny openings on plant leaves where gas exchange (CO2 in, O2 and water vapor out) occurs
Capillary Lag
The delay in water movement through fine soil pores due to surface tension, influencing soil moisture availability
Net Biomass Productivity
The amount of energy or biomass produced by plants after subtracting what is used in respiration
Trophic Levels
Levels in a food chain or web that describe the position an organism occupies (e.g., producer, consumer)
Food Chain
A linear sequence showing who eats whom in an ecosystem
Primary Producer
Organisms (typically plants and algae) that produce energy-rich compounds through photosynthesis
Consumers
Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other organisms (includes herbivores, carnivores, omnivores)
Decomposers
Organisms (like fungi and bacteria) that break down dead material and recycle nutrients
First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed; critical to understanding energy flow in ecosystems
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Energy transformations are inefficient–some energy is lost as heat in every transfer; explains energy loss in food chains
Food Web
A complex network of feeding interactions in an ecosystem, showing how organisms are interconnected
