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AP Biology Vocabulary > Ch. 52 - An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere > Flashcards

Ch. 52 - An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere Flashcards

1
Q

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment

A

Ecology

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2
Q

The study of how an organism’s structure, physiology, and behavior meet the challenges posed by its environment

A

Organismal Ecology

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3
Q

A group of individuals of the same species living in an area

A

Population

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4
Q

Study of the factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time

A

Population Ecology

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5
Q

A group of populations of diffeent species in an area

A

Community

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6
Q

The study of how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community structure and organization

A

Community Ecology

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7
Q

The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact

A

Ecosystem

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8
Q

The study of energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment

A

Ecosystem Ecology

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9
Q

A mosaic of connected ecosystems

A

Landscape or Seascape

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10
Q

The study of the factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems

A

Landscape Ecology

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11
Q

The global ecosystem - the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes

A

Biosphere

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12
Q

The study of how the regional exchange of energy and materials influences the functioning and distribution of organisms across the biosphere

A

Global Ecology

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13
Q

The regions that lie between 23.5º north latitude and 23.5º south latitude

A

Tropics

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14
Q

The long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area

A

Climate or Macroclimate

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15
Q

Very fine, localized patterns in climatic conditions

A

Microclimate

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16
Q

Nonliving

A

Abiotic

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17
Q

Living

A

Biotic

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18
Q

A directional change to the global climate that lasts three decades or more

A

Climate Change

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19
Q

A plot of the annual mean temperature and precipitation in a particular region

A

Climograph

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20
Q

A major life zone characterized by vegetation type (or aquatically by physical environment)

A

Biome

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21
Q

The area of integration where neighboring biomes grade into one another

A

Ecotone

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22
Q

The uppermost trees or branches of the trees in a forest, forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage

A

Canopy

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23
Q

An event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community, removing organisms from it and altering resource availability

A

Disturbance

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24
Q

A forest with high rate of precipitation and high humidity, usually located near the equator

A

Tropical Rain Forest

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25
Q

A forest characterized by a pronounced dry season during part of the year

A

Tropical Dry Forest

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26
Q

A dry, barren area of land, especially one covered with sand, that is characteristically desolate, waterless, and without vegetation

A

Desert

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27
Q

A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees

A

Savanna

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28
Q

An ecological biome composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters

A

Chaparral

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29
Q

Areas of open grassland with very few trees, like savannas, but located in colder climate regions which receive less precipitation on average than savannas

A

Temperate Grasslands

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30
Q

A biome that occupies a vast area below the tundra, characterized by a longer and warmer growing season

A

Northern Coniferous Forest

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31
Q

A biome known for known for the turning of the colors of its deciduous leaves to brilliant reds, oranges, and golds in autumn

A

Temperate Broadleaf Forest

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32
Q

A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen

A

Tundra

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33
Q

The region of an aquatic biome where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis

A

Photic Zone

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34
Q

The region of an aquatic biome where little light penetrates

A

Aphotic Zone

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35
Q

The photic and aphotic zones of an aquatic biome

A

Pelagic Zone

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36
Q

The part of the ocean 2,000 m to 6,000 m below the surface

A

Abyssal Zone

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37
Q

The zone of an aquatic biome made up of sand and organic and inorganic sediments

A

Benthic Zone

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38
Q

The communities of organisms occupying the benthic zone

A

Benthos

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39
Q

Dead organic matter sinking down toward the benthic zone from the photic zone

A

Dentritus

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40
Q

In the ocean and in most lakes, a narrow layer of abrupt temperature change separating more uniformly warm upper layers from more uniformly cold deeper waters

A

Thermocline

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41
Q

A semiannual mixing of lakewaters as a result of changing temperature profiles, in which oxygenated water from the surface is sent down to the bottom of the lake bringing nutrient rich water from the bottom to the surface in the spring and autumn

A

Turnover

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42
Q

Standing bodies of water

A

Lakes (or, if smaller, ponds)

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43
Q

Nutrient-poor, but oxygen-rich standing bodies of water

A

Oligotrophic Lakes

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44
Q

Nutrient-rich, oxygen-depleted standing bodies of water

A

Eutrophic Lakes

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45
Q

The shallow, well-lit waters close to a lake’s shore

A

Littoral Zone

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46
Q

The area of a lake too deep for rooted aquatic plants

A

Limnetic Zone

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47
Q

A habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time and that supports plants adapted to water-saturated soil

48
Q

A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream

49
Q

A small, narrow river

50
Q

A transition area between river and sea

51
Q

An aquatic biome which is periodically submerged and exposed twice daily on most marine shores

A

Intertidal Zone

52
Q

A vast realm of open blue water, constantly mixed by wind driven oceanic currents

A

Oceanic Pelagic Zone

53
Q

Aquatic biome formed largely from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals

A

Coral Reef

54
Q

The seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal and oceanic pelagic zones

A

Marine Benthic Zone

55
Q

Surface waters of the ocean coast

A

Neritic Zone

56
Q

An opening in the sea floor out of which heated mineral-rich water flows

A

Hydrothermal Vent

57
Q

The movement of individuals or gametes away from their area of origin or from centers of high population density

58
Q

When organisms reach an area where they did not exist previously

A

Range Expansion

59
Q

Define the following term:

Ecology

A

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment

60
Q

Define the following term:

Organismal Ecology

A

The study of how an organism’s structure, physiology, and behavior meet the challenges posed by its environment

61
Q

Define the following term:

Population

A

A group of individuals of the same species living in an area

62
Q

Define the following term:

Population Ecology

A

Study of the factors that affect population size and how and why it changes through time

63
Q

Define the following term:

Community

A

A group of populations of diffeent species in an area

64
Q

Define the following term:

Community Ecology

A

The study of how interactions between species, such as predation and competition, affect community atructure and organization

65
Q

Define the following term:

Ecosystem

A

The community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which those organisms interact

66
Q

Define the following term:

Ecosystem Ecology

A

The study of energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment

67
Q

Define the following term:

Landscape or Seascape

A

A mosaic of connected ecosystems

68
Q

Define the following term:

Landscape Ecology

A

The study of the factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems

69
Q

Define the following term:

Biosphere

A

The global ecosystem - the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes

70
Q

Define the following term:

Global Ecology

A

The study of how the regional exchange of energy and materials influences the functioning and distribution of organisms across the biosphere

71
Q

Define the following term:

Tropics

A

The regions that lie between 23.5º north latitude and 23.5º south latitude

72
Q

Define the following term:

Climate or Macroclimate

A

The long-term prevailing weather conditions in a given area

73
Q

Define the following term:

Microclimate

A

Very fine, localized patterns in climatic conditions

74
Q

Define the following term:

Abiotic

75
Q

Define the following term:

Biotic

76
Q

Define the following term:

Climate Change

A

A directional change to the global climate that lasts three decades or more

77
Q

Define the following term:

Climograph

A

A plot of the annual mean temperature and precipitation in a particular region

78
Q

Define the following term:

Biome

A

A major life zone characterized by vegetation type (or aquatically by physical environment)

79
Q

Define the following term:

Ecotone

A

The area of integration where neighboring biomes grade into one another

80
Q

Define the following term:

Canopy

A

The uppermost trees or branches of the trees in a forest, forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage

81
Q

Define the following term:

Disturbance

A

An event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community, removing organisms from it and altering resource availability

82
Q

Define the following term:

Tropical Rain Forest

A

A forest with high rate of precipitation and high humidity, usually located near the equator

83
Q

Define the following term:

Tropical Dry Forest

A

A forest characterized by a pronounced dry season during part of the year

84
Q

Define the following term:

Desert

A

A dry, barren area of land, especially one covered with sand, that is characteristically desolate, waterless, and without vegetation

85
Q

Define the following term:

Savanna

A

A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees

86
Q

Define the following term:

Chaparral

A

An ecological biome composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters

87
Q

Define the following term:

Temperate Grasslands

A

Areas of open grassland with very few trees, like savannas, but located in colder climate regions which receive less precipitation on average than savannas

88
Q

Define the following term:

Northern Coniferous Forest

A

A biome that occupies a vast area below the tundra, characterized by a longer and warmer growing season

89
Q

Define the following term:

Temperate Broadleaf Forest

A

A biome known for known for the turning of the colors of its deciduous leaves to brilliant reds, oranges, and golds in autumn

90
Q

Define the following term:

Tundra

A

A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen

91
Q

Define the following term:

Photic Zone

A

The region of an aquatic biome where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis

92
Q

Define the following term:

Aphotic Zone

A

The region of an aquatic biome where little light penetrates

93
Q

Define the following term:

Pelagic Zone

A

The photic and aphotic zones of an aquatic biome

94
Q

Define the following term:

Abyssal Zone

A

The part of the ocean 2,000 m to 6,000 m below the surface

95
Q

Define the following term:

Benthic Zone

A

The zone of an aquatic biome made up of sand and organic and inorganic sediments

96
Q

Define the following term:

Benthos

A

The communities of organisms occupying the benthic zone

97
Q

Define the following term:

Dentritus

A

Dead organic matter sinking down toward the benthic zone from the photic zone

98
Q

Define the following term:

Thermocline

A

In the ocean and in most lakes, a narrow layer of abrupt temperature change separating more uniformly warm upper layers from more uniformly cold deeper waters

99
Q

Define the following term:

Turnover

A

A semiannual mixing of lakewaters as a result of changing temperature profiles, in which oxygenated water from the surface is sent down to the bottom of the lake bringing nutrient rich water from the bottom to the surface in the spring and autumn

100
Q

Define the following term:

Lakes (or, if smaller, ponds)

A

Standing bodies of water

101
Q

Define the following term:

Oligotrophic Lakes

A

Nutrient-poor, but oxygen-rich standing bodies of water

102
Q

Define the following term:

Eutrophic Lakes

A

Nutrient-rich, oxygen-depleted standing bodies of water

103
Q

Define the following term:

Littoral Zone

A

The shallow, well-lit waters close to a lake’s shore

104
Q

Define the following term:

Limnetic Zone

A

The area of a lake too deep for rooted aquatic plants

105
Q

Define the following term:

Wetland

A

A habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time and that supports plants adapted to water-saturated soil

106
Q

Define the following term:

River

A

A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream

107
Q

Define the following term:

Stream

A

A small, narrow river

108
Q

Define the following term:

Estuary

A

A transition area between river and sea

109
Q

Define the following term:

Intertidal Zone

A

An aquatic biome which is periodically submerged and exposed twice daily on most marine shores

110
Q

Define the following term:

Oceanic Pelagic Zone

A

A vast realm of open blue water, constantly mixed by wind driven oceanic currents

111
Q

Define the following term:

Coral Reef

A

Aquatic biome formed largely from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals

112
Q

Define the following term:

Marine Benthic Zone

A

The seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal and oceanic pelagic zones

113
Q

Define the following term:

Neritic Zone

A

Surface waters of the ocean coast

114
Q

Define the following term:

Hydrothermal Vent

A

An opening in the sea floor out of which heated mineral-rich water flows

115
Q

Define the following term:

Dispersal

A

The movement of individuals or gametes away from their area of origin or from centers of high population density

116
Q

Define the following term:

Range Expansion

A

When organisms reach an area where they did not exist previously

AP Biology Vocabulary (7 decks)

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