Chapter 3: Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

biosphere

A

region of Earth where life resides, combination of all ecosystems

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2
Q

producer/autotroph

A

organism that uses energy of sun to produce usable forms of energy

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3
Q

photosynthesis

A

process by which producers use solar energy to convert to carbon dioxide and water into glucose

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4
Q

cellular respiration

A

process by which cells unlock energy of chemical compounds

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5
Q

aerobic respiration

A

process which cells convert glucose/water/oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

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6
Q

anaerobic respiration

A

process by which cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen

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7
Q

consumer/heterotroph

A

organism that needs to get energy from consuming other organisms

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8
Q

herbivore/primary consumers

A

consumer that eats producers

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9
Q

carnivore

A

consumer that eats other consumers

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9
Q

secondary consumer

A

carnivore that eats primary consumers

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9
Q

food chain

A

sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers

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9
Q

food web

A

complex model of how energy moves between trophic levels

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10
Q

trophic levels

A

successive levels of organisms consuming one another

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10
Q

tertiary consumers

A

carnivore that eats secondary consumers

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11
Q

scavenger

A

organism that consumes dead animals

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12
Q

detritivore

A

organism that breaks down dead tissue and waste into smaller particles

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13
Q

decomposer

A

fungi/bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements that can be recycled back to the ecosystem

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14
Q

GPP

A

total amount of solar energy producers can capture with photosynthesis over a certain time

15
Q

NPP

A

energy captured by producers minus energy producers respire

16
Q

biomass

A

total mass of all living matter in an area

17
Q

standing crop

A

amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time

18
Q

ecological efficiency

A

proportion of consumer energy that is passed from one trophic level to another

19
Q

trophic pyramid

A

representation of distribution of biomass, numbers, energy among trophic levels

20
Q

biogeochemical cycle

A

movements of matter within and between ecosystems

21
hydrologic cycle
movement of water through biosphere
22
transpiration
release of water from leaves during photosynthesis
23
evapotranspiration
combined amount of evaporation and transpiration
24
runoff
water that moves across land surface and into streams/rivers
25
carbon cycle
movement of carbon around the biosphere
26
macronutrient
one of 6 key elements that organisms need it large amounts nitrogen phosphorus potassium calcium magnesium sulfur
27
limiting nutrient
nutrient needed for growth but less available than other nutrients
28
nitrogen cycle
movement of nitrogen around the biosphere
29
nitrogen fixation
when some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules into ammonia
30
nitrification
conversion of ammonia into nitrate, nitrite
31
assimilation
producers incorporating elements into their tissues
32
mineralization
when fungal and bacterial decomposers break down dead organic matter to waste products, convert to inorganic compounds
33
ammonification
fungal and bacterial decomposers break down organic nitrogen, convert to inorganic ammonium
34
denitrification
conversion of nitrate into gases nitrous oxide then nitrogen gas
35
leaching
transportation of dissolved molecules through soil via groundwater
36
phosphorus cycle
movement of phosphorus through biosphere
37
algal bloom
rapid increase in algal population
38
sulfur cycle
movement of sulfur through the biosphere
39
eutrophication
when a body of water becomes progressively enriched with nutrients and minerals
40