CE Unit: Climate & Ecosystems Flashcards
CD1.3
Sustainability
The ability to meet the needs of the present generation without comprocmising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
CD1.4
Ecological Footprint
A measure of an individual’s or population’s impact on the environment.
CD1.6
Human Impact
The impact on the environment from human lifestyle, scientific discoveries, and technological developments.
CD3.1
System
A set of interrelated components.
CD3.1
Ecosystem
The living and non-living components of a community and their interrelationships.
CD3.1
Abiotic
NON-LIVING component of an ecosystem
CD3.1
Biotic
LIVING component of an ecosystem.
CD3.1
Organism
A living thing or recently living.
CD3.1
Individual
One single, living, member of a population.
CD3.1
Population
All the members of a species living together at the same time.
CD3.1
Community
All of the living things (organisms) in an area.
CD3.1
Biome
A large area with characteristic climate, vegetation & animal life. Reminder: Climate determines vegetation and vegetation dtermines animal life!
CD3.1
Biosphere
The region around Earth where life exists.
CD3.2
Biodiversity
A measure of the number and variety of species in an ecosystem.
CD3.2
Biotic Potential
The maximum # of offspring that a species could produce if resources were unlimited.
CD3.2
Carrying Capacity
The maximum # of individuals of a species that an ecosystem can support based on the available resources.
CD3.2
Natality
BIRTH rate in a population.
CD3.2
Mortality
DEATH rate in a population.
CD3.2
Immigration
The movement of individuals INTO a population.
CD3.2
Emigration
The movement of individuals LEAVING a population.
CD3.2
Closed System
One in which individuals can NOT enter or leave.
CD3.2
Open System
One in which individuals CAN enter or leave.
CD3.2
Limiting Factors
Factors that regulate the size of populations.
CD3.2
Density-Dependent Limiting Factors
Limiting factors that come into effect when population density rises.
CD3.2
Density-Independent Limiting Factors
Limiting factors that do NOT depend on population density to come into affect.
CD3.4
Autotroph
A producer.
CD3.4
Heterotroph
A consumer.
CD3.4
Producer
A type of organism that can make its own food (glucose sugar via photosynthesis).
CD3.4
Consumer
A type of organism tha CAN’T make its own food.
CD3.4
Trophic Level
The level (within food chains/webs & energy pyramids) that identifies its position in the energy flow of an ecosystem.
CD3.4
Food Chain
Shows the movement of energy through a system by indicating the path of food from a producer to final consumer.
CD3.4
Food Web
A pictorial representation of the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem and consists of interlocking food chains.
CD3.4
Food Chain and Food Web Arrows Represent…
the direction energy is flowing; a.k.a. where the energy is going or who is receiving the energy
CD3.4
Biomass
A measure of the mass of dry matter contained in a group of living things; a.k.a. The remaining mass after dehydrating water out of organisms
CD3.4
Pyramid of Energy
A graphical model that shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level of an ecosystem.
CD3.4
Pyramid of Numbers
A graphical model that shows the number of organisms that exist at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
CD3.4
Pyramid of Biomass
A graphical model that shows the dry mass of organisms that exists at each level of an ecosystem. Remember: Aquatic ecosystems have inverted Biomass Pyramids whereas Terrestrial ecosystems have regular Biomass Pyramids!
CD4.1
Nutrient
Any substance needed by an organism for proper growth, repair, and function such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, water, phosphorous, sulphur, hydrogen.
CD4.1
Biogeochemical or Nutrient Cycle
The path of a nutrient through a ecosystem.
CD4.1
Bioaccumulation
The introduction or increase in concentration of a pollutant from the environment in the first organism in a food chain.
CD4.1
Biomagnification
The tendency for pollutants to become concentrated in successive trophic levels.
CD4.1
Cellular Respiration
Process where organisms take oxygen and releases energy stored in glucose fuel producing carbon dioxide and water.
CD4.1
Photosynthesis
Process where plants take carbon dioxide and water to produce energy stored in glucose sugar and oxygen.
CD4.1
Nitrogen Fixing
The process of plants converting atmospheric nitrogen gas (unusable) into nitrate ions (NO3-) or ammonia (NH3) which are stable, usable compounds for other organisms.
CD4.1
Nitrification
Converting nitrogen gas (N2) into nitrate ions (NO3<span>_</span>)or ammonia (NH3).
CD4.1
Denitrification
Converting nitrate ions (NO3-) or ammonia (NH3) into nitrogen gas (N2).