Chapter 13: Principals of Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
The study of the interactions among living things, and between living things and their surroundings
Community
Group of different species that live together in one area
Ex: frogs, turtles, plants, and fish
Ecosystem
All living organisms (biotic) plus nonliving (abiotic)
Ex: frogs, turtles, plants, fish, rocks, mud, and water
Biome
A major regional or global community of organisms;
characterized by climate and plant communities
Ex: temperate deciduous forest (wetlands)
Biotic
Living things
- Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria
Abiotic
Nonliving things
- Moisture, temperature, wind, sunlight, soil
Biodiversity
The assortment/variety of living things in an ecosystem
Keystone species
A species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem
Producer
Make their own food
- Get energy from nonliving resources (sunlight, carbon, chemicals, etc.)
Autotroph
Another word for producer
Consumer
- Get their energy from eating other living resources (plants, animals, decaying
material)
Heterotroph
Another word form Consumer
Chemosynthesis
Chemicals are used to make food
Biomass
Measure of the total dry mass of organisms in a given area
Energy Pyramid
Diagram that compares energy used by producers, primary consumers, and other tropic levels
- Other models can show the biomass or distribution of organisms
Hydrologic Cycle
The continuous circulation of water in the Earth-Atmosphere system.
- The motion of the water from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.
Biogeochemical Cycle
Any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of living matter are circulated
- The consideration of the biological, geological, and chemical aspects of each cycle. rotting leaves.
Nitrogen Fixation
The process by which nitrogen is taken from its molecular form (N2) in the atmosphere and converted into nitrogen compounds useful for other biochemical processes
What are the main levels of organization?
Organism (ex: frog)
Population (ex: group of frogs in one pond)
Community (ex: frogs, turtles, plants, and fish)
Ecosystem (ex: frogs, turtles, plants, fish, rocks, mud, and water)
Biome (ex: temperate deciduous forest (wetlands))
Biosphere (ex: the planet)
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?
Biotic factors are living things
Abiotic factors are nonliving things
What is the difference between producers and consumers?
Producers make get their own food from nonliving resources
Consumers get their food from living resources
What is the difference between a food web and a food chain?
Food chain is a sequence that links species by their feeding relationships
Food web is a model that shows shows complex network of feeding relationships and the flow of energy within an ecosystem
What are the main type of consumers?
Herbivores (eat plants)
Carnivores (eat meat only)
Omnivores (eat both plants and meat)
Detritivores (eat dead matter)
Decomposers (breakdown organic matter into simple compounds)
How does energy travel through an ecosystem?
Energy is transferred between organisms in food webs from producers to consumers
