Ch 3 Key Terms Flashcards
acid rain
caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids, kills phytoplankton and fish
aerobic respiration
O2 and Sugars are used to produce ATP
anaerobic respiration
no O2 (creates lactic acid/muscles or alcohol/fermentation)
aquifer
storage of groundwater
atmosphere
the air on earth
autotrophs
producers, (self-feeders), make the nutrients they need from compounds and energy obtained from their environment.
biomass
chemical energy is stored and transferred throughout the levels of organisms
biosphere
living organisms on earth
carbon cycle
the various processes in carbon is transferred through organisms and the atmosphere
carnivores
meat eating organisms
Chemosynthesis
the synthesis of organic compounds by bacteria or other living organisms using energy derived from reactions involving inorganic chemicals, typically in the absence of sunlight.
Consumers
organisms that consume other organisms to receive energy
decomposers
microorganisms that release nutrients when they die
detritivores
organisms that feed on dead bodies
eutrophication
the enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, or both
evaporation
the process by which water is turned into vapor
food chain
shows the interactions between predators and prey
food web
shows the lasting result of the interaction in the food chain on the ecosystem
geosphere
rock, soil, and sediment
greenhouse effect
the Earth’s way to keep heat insulated and maintain a livable climate.
gross primary productivity (GPP)
the rate where an ecosystem’s producers convert solar energy into chemical energy
groundwater
a supply of freshwater that originates from the ground
Herbivores
organisms who consume solely plans to obtain nutrients
heterotrophs
organisms that have to take in nutrients from other sources
hydrologic (water) cycle
the process in which water moves through the earth
hydrosphere
the layer of water on earth
natural greenhouse effect
Earth’s protection from too much heat being lost
net primary productivity (NPP)
the GPP minus the rate at which they use stored energy for anaerobic respiration
nitrogen cycle
the process by which Nitrogen passes through the the earth
nutrient (biogeochemical) cycles
any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of living matter are circulated.
omnivores
organisms that eat plants and meat
organism
an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
Photosynthesis
plants use carbon dioxide and water to produce energy in forms of sugars
phosphorus cycle
the process in which phosphorus is circulated throughout the planet
precipitation
water that falls from the atmosphere when the clouds condense
primary consumers
an animal that feeds on plants
producers
autotrophs, (self-feeders), make the nutrients they need from compounds and energy obtained from their environment.
pyramid of energy flow
model that shows the flow of energy from one trophic, or feeding, level to the next in an ecosystem.
secondary consumers
an animal that feeds on primary consumers
soil
Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life.
stratosphere
above the troposphere, where planes fly, temperatures increase with altitude because of increasing amounts of ozone. The ozone layer within the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays of sunlight
sulfur cycle
the process in which sulfur is circulated throughout the planet
surface runoff
the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil.
tertiary consumers
animals that eat secondary consumers
Transpiration
a plant releases water vapor on its stomata
trophic level
each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem
troposphere
the lowest layer where all weather occurs. The base of this layer is warmer than its top because the air is heated by the surface of the Earth, which absorbs the Sun’s energy
weathering
breakdown of any material over time
