Chapter 5 Flashcards
what is a feed back loop
when a systems output also serve as its input
what is a negative feedback loop
when a system moving in one direction acts as input that moves system in another direction
what is a positive feeback loop
when the system is pushed to an exxtreme
what is dynamic equilibrium
when processes move in opposing directions at equivalent rates so that their effects balance out
what is homeostasis
tendency of a system to maintain stability
what are emergent properties
characteristics that arent evident in the components alone
what is runoff
precipitation that flows over land and enters waterways
what is an airshed
geographic area that produces air pollutants likely to end up in a waterway
what is eutrophication
the process of nutrient overenrichment, algae bloos, increased production of organic matter, and subsequent ecosystem degradation
what is the lithosphere
rock and sediment below our feet , planets uppermost mantle and crust
what is the atmosphere
composed of the air surrounding out planet
what is the hydrosphere
encompasses all of the water either underground or in the air
what is the biosphere
consists of all planets living organisms and the abiotic portions of the environment
what is an estuary
body of water where rives flow into the ocean, mixing salt and freshwater
what is primary production
when autotrophs convert solar energy into chemical bonds and sugars
what is gross primary production
total amount of chemical energy produced by autotrophs
what is net primary production
energy that remains after respiration and that is used to generate biomass
what is secondary production
when heterotrophs use biomass from plants to produce hair, skin, muscle, bone
what is productivity
the rate at which conversion occurs
what is net primary productivity
when plants convert solar energy to biomass rapidly
what are nutrients
elements and comounds that organisms require to survive
what are macronutirents
nutrients that are typically requiered in large amounts
what are micronutrients
nutrients needed in small amounts
what are ecotones
areas where ecosystems meet may consist of transitional zones
what is landscape ecology
scientists study how landscape structure affects the abundance, distribution, and interaction of organisms
what are patches
areas that are for a particular organisms
what is a mosaic
when patches of landscapes are arranged like a mosaic
what is a metapopulation
when members from other patches move along or mate with members of other patches
what is a conservation biologist
scientists who stuyd the loss, protection, and resotration of biodiversity
what is GIS
computer software that takes multiple types of of data and combines them layer by layer on a common set of geographic coordinates
what is ecological modeling
practice of constructing and testing models that aim to explain and predict how ecological systems function
what is a biogeochemical cycle
pathway in which nutrients move through ecosystems
what is a flux
the rate at which materials move between reservoirs
what is a sink
when a reservois accepts more material than it releases
what is a source
when a reservoir releases more material than it accepts
what is evaporation
when liquid is converted to gas
what is transpiration
the release of water by plants through their leaves
what is precipitation
water that returns from the atmosphere
what is groundwater
when water soaks down through the soil and rock
what is an aquifer
sponge like regions of rock and soil that are underground reservoirs of water
what is a water table
the upper limit of groundwater held in an aquifer
what is the carbon cycle
describes the route that carbon atoms take through the environment
