Biology ch 3 study cards Flashcards

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1
Q

Biogeochemical cycle

A

Relating to or denoting the cycle in which chemical elements and simple substances are transferred between living systems and the environment.

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2
Q

Biomass

A

The total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.

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3
Q

Carbon cycle

A

The process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.

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4
Q

Carnivore

A

An organism that mostly eats meat, or the flesh of animals.

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5
Q

Consumer

A

An organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other plants and/or animals to get energy.

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6
Q

Decomposer

A

An organism, often a bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, making organic nutrients available to the ecosystem.

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7
Q

Denitrification

A

The microbial process of reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen, principally nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrogen (N2).

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8
Q

Detritivore

A

An organism (such as an earthworm or a fungus) that feeds on dead and decomposing organic matter.

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9
Q

Ecosystem

A

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

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10
Q

Herbivore

A

An organism that mostly feeds on plants.

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11
Q

Nitrogen cycle

A

The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.

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12
Q

Nitrogen fixation

A

The process by which nitrogen is taken from its molecular form (N2) in the atmosphere and converted into nitrogen compounds useful for other biochemical processes.

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13
Q

Omnivore

A

An organism that eats plants and animals.

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14
Q

Producer

A

An organism that creates its own food or energy.

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15
Q

Transpiration

A

The process by which plants give off water vapor through the stomata in their leaves.

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16
Q

Trophic level

A

Each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.

17
Q

Water cycle

A

The continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere.