Biology Definitions Grade 9 Flashcards
Atmosphere
The layer of gasses above the earth’s surface
Lithosphere
The Earth’s solid outer layer
Hydrosphere
All the water found on earth, solid, liquid or gas (ice, oceans, clouds)
Ecosystem
An area that has a network of interactions between abiotic and biotic factors
Biotic Factor
A living thing in an ecosystem
Abiotic Factor
A non-living thing in an ecosystem
Photosynthesis
The chemical process of turning sunlight into plant energy.
Word Equation: Sunlight, Water, CO2 —>Sugar and O2
Chemical Equation: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O —> 6 O2 + 1 C6H12O6
Producer
An organism that produces its own energy using the sun
Biosphere
Part of the planet, water, land, air and where life exists. Biomes combine to form the biosphere
Consumer
An organism that feeds on other organisms to get its energy
Trophic Level
Used to describe the level of an organism in an ecosystem depending on how much energy it gets
Food Web
A diagram of the feeding relationships of an ecosystem
Biochemical Cycle
The movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment
Sustainable Ecosystem
An ecosystem that demonstrates the ability to live, hunt, interact and reproduce indefinitely
Succesion
The changes in a community and abiotic factors after a disturbance. (Ex. New plants and trees growing where they couldn’t after a forest fire)
Primary Succession
Is the act of life colonizing a barren and uninhabited areas on rock and soil.
Secondary Succession
Is the act of life recolonizing a once life filled area that has been disrupted by a natural disaster.
Limiting Factor
A factor that restricts the size of a population
Carrying Capacity
The maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can handle
Competition
Two or more organisms competing for food
Predation
When one organism consumes another for food
Mutualism
Two organisms benefiting from each other
Parasitism
When one organism lives on or in and feeds on a host organism
Commensalism
One organism benefits while the other is neither benefited nor is harmed
Symbiosis
Two organisms living in close association, Parasitism, Mutualism, and Commensalism are all examples or Symbiosis
Biodiversity
The variety of plant and animal life in an ecosystem
Biome
A large geographical location defined by its climate with a specific set of biotic and abiotic features
Dominant Species
The most abundant species in an ecosystem, its removal can cause decrease in biodiversity, it is always a producer. (Ex. Canadian Sugar Maple)
Keystone Species
Greatly affect population numbers and health of an ecosystem, not abundant, plants or animals. (Ex. Sea otters keeping sea urchins in check.)
Ecosystem Engineers
A species that cause such dramatic changes to landscapes that it creates a new ecosystem. (Ex. Beavers)
