CH3 The Biosphere Flashcards
ecology
The scientific study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environments.
biosphere
The areas on, in or around Earth where you find living organisms.
species
A group of organisms so similar to one another that they are able to breed and produce fertile offspring.
population
Groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.
community
Assemblages of different populations and live together in a defined area.
ecosystem
A collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place along with their non-living or physical environment.
biome
A group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.
biotic
Referring to live organisms in an ecosystem.
abiotic
Referring to non-living elements in an ecosystem.
photosynthesis
The process that some types of autotrophs use which uses sunlight, water and carbon dioxide molecules to create carbohydrates.
Chemosynthesis
The process that some types of autotrophs use wherein they use certain chemicals and heat energy to create carbohydrates.
atmosphere
Part of the biosphere that is made up of gasses.
hydrosphere
Part of the biosphere that is made up of water.
geosphere
Part of the biosphere that is made up of rock.
weather
Day-to-day, short term changes in temperature, precipitation, clouds and wind.
climate
Patterns and averages over many years of temperature, precipitation, clouds and wind.
greenhouse effect
Certain gasses around Earth can trap heat near the surface.
anthome
A human-altered biome.
trophic level
A step in the food chain where energy is passed from one organism to the next.
ecological pyramid
A diagram that shows the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each trophic level.
biomass
The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level.
zooplankton
These are small, free floating animals in the oceans.
phytoplankton
These are small, free floating algae in the oceans.
