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bio 20 unit 1 > chapter 3 > Flashcards

chapter 3 Flashcards

cycling of matter

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

what is ecology?

A

the study of interactions between organisms

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2
Q

what is an abiotic factor?

A

non-living

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3
Q

what is a biotic factor?

A

living

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4
Q

what are ecotones? Examples?

A

the transition area between ecosystems. (Trees to wetlands: grassy)

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5
Q

what are the five parts of an ecological niche?

A
  1. organism’s role in the ecosystem
  2. habitat
  3. breeding area
  4. place in a food web
  5. when it’s most active
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6
Q

what do exotic species do to an ecosystem? why?

A

depletion of original species. predators aren’t prone to new food, causing them to grow in population.

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7
Q

what is a biome?

A

large geographical region with specific temperatures,precipitation, and adapted organisms

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8
Q

what are the four biomes in alberta?

A

taiga/boreal forest, muskeg, grassland, and deciduous forest.

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9
Q

what are the components of a taiga region?

A

north alberta/rocky mountains, changing weather, conifers (acidic soil), shaded forest floor, and canopy.

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10
Q

what is a canopy?

A

the upper layer of vegetation in a forest that receives sunlight.

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11
Q

what are the components of the muskeg biome?

A

northern alberta, permafrost, muskeg, and slow decomposition

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12
Q

what is permafrost?

A

permanently frozen soil

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13
Q

what is muskeg?

A

the soil above permafrost that is swampy/boggy in the summer

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14
Q

when is decomposition slowest?

A

when the temperature is low

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15
Q

what are the components of a grassland biome?

A

southern alberta, fertile soil, warm temp = rapid decay, and only one layer to support diversity

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16
Q

what are the components of a deciduous forest biome?

A

between grasslands and taiga, dominated by trees, rich soil, lots of undergrowth, and great diversity.

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17
Q

what is the ocean a major contributor to?

A

weather changes

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18
Q

what is the littoral zone?

A

area of a shore where sunlight hits the floor and causes plant growth/photosynthesis

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19
Q

what is the limnetic zone?

A

area of a pond where sunlight comes through, but does not touch the bottom

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20
Q

what is plankton? where is it found?

A

an autotrophic and heterotrophic organism in the limnetic zone.

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21
Q

what is the profundal zone?

A

the are of a body of water where no light comes through

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22
Q

what factors affect terrestrial ecosystems?

A

soil, a series of layers, further down the less organic the soil, litter layer, etc

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23
Q

what is the litter layer?

A

upper layer of soil made of decomposed leaves

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24
Q

what are the layers of soil?

A

topsoil, hummus, subsoil, and bedrock

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25
Q

what is the topsoil layer?

A

the layer composed of small rocks.

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26
Q

what is the hummus layer?

A

the decaying plant and animal matter layer.

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27
Q

what is the subsoil layer?

A

contains more rocks and less hummus than the topsoil

28
Q

what is the bedrock layer?

A

layer composed of rocks

29
Q

what is soil pH affected by?

A

rocks, plants, and precipitation

30
Q

what is groundwater?

A

water below the earth’s surface.

31
Q

what occurs in the fall and spring lakes/ponds?

A

turnover

32
Q

what is turnover?

A

the mixing of water from the winter to the spring

33
Q

what is epilimnion?

A

the upper level in a lake that warms up in the summer

34
Q

what is hypolimnion?

A

lower level of a lake that remains at a low temperature

35
Q

what is thermocline?

A

zone between the epilimnion and the hypolimnion. the temperature changes rapidly

36
Q

what is biotic potential?

A

the number of offspring that a species could produce is resources were unlimited

37
Q

what are the factors of biotic potential?

A
  1. birth potential
  2. capacity for survival
  3. breeding frequency
  4. length of reproductive life
38
Q

what is birth potential?

A

the maximum number of offspring per birth

39
Q

what is the capacity for survival?

A

the number of offspring that reach reproductive age

40
Q

what is the breeding frequency?

A

the number of times that a species reproduces each year

41
Q

what is the length of reproductive life?

A

the age of sexual maturity and the number of years a species can reproduce.

42
Q

what factors prevent biotic potential?

A

food, water, and room for the species

43
Q

what is carrying capacity?

A

the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be supported by an ecosystem

44
Q

why would a population be dense?

A

there is a large number of organisms in a small area

45
Q

what is transpiration?

A

the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems, and flowers

46
Q

what is leaching?

A

the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a liquid

47
Q

what is precipitation?

A

water that falls from the atmosphere to the earth’s surface

48
Q

what is surface runoff?

A

the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface

49
Q

what causes an increase in carbon?

A

burning fossil fuels, clearing forests, methane, etc

50
Q

what is the cellular respiration equation?

A

C6H12O6 + 6O2 —> 6CO2 + energy

51
Q

what is the photosynthesis equation?

A

solar energy + 6CO2 —> C6H12O6 + 6CO2

52
Q

what does photosynthesis do in the carbon cycle?

A

take carbon out of the atmosphere and create glucose and oxygen

53
Q

what does cellular respiration do for the carbon cycle?

A

it releases more CO2 and water vapor

54
Q

what is the greenhouse gas effect?

A

when gasses trap heat from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere causing global warming

55
Q

what is the most common greenhouse gas?

A

water vapor

56
Q

what is an example of a low albedo?

A

dirt, soil, dark things

57
Q

what is an example of a high albedo?

A

snow, light things

58
Q

what is nitrogen fixation?

A

the nitrogen is taken out of the air and converted to ammonia

59
Q

what is ammonification?

A

bacteria break down nitrogen to form ammonium

60
Q

what is nitrification?

A

nitrogen is oxidized into nitrite and nitrate

61
Q

what is denitrification?

A

nitrate turning into nitrogen gas (goes back into the atmosphere)

62
Q

what is the consequence of too much nitrogen?

A

overstimulation of the growth of aquatic plants and algae

63
Q

what is phosphorus used for?

A

the formation of bones and teeth

64
Q

what is a long-term cycle?

A

rocks

65
Q

what is a short-term cycle?

A

living things

66
Q

what is the consequence of too much phosphorus?

A

disordered mineral metabolism, vascular calcification, bone loss, and impaired kidney function

67
Q

what is weathering?

A

the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on earth’s surface, returning phosphorus into rocks

bio 20 unit 1 (10 decks)

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