Chapter 6 Flashcards
habitat
physical environment individuals of particular species found
species
group of plants or animals have high degree of similarity and only interbreed among themselves
biosphere
sum total of all Earth’s ecosystems
ecosystem
all organisms in given area plus the physical environment in which they interact
The role a species plays in its community, including how it gets its energy and nutrients, which habitat requirements it has, and what other species and parts of ecosystem it interacts with.
niche
1-way passage of energy thru an ecosystem
energy flow
movement of life’s essential chemicals or nutrients thru ecosystem (biogeochemical cycles)
nutrient cycles
sum of all organic material - plant and animal matter - that make up ecosystem
biomass
1 of many distinctive types of ecosystems determined by climate, identified by predominant vegetation and organisms that have adapted to live there.
biome
critical resource - supply determines population size of given species in given biome.
limiting factor
the range, within upper & lower limits, of a limiting factor that allows species to reproduce & survive.
range of tolerance
living (organic) components of ecosystem: plants, animals, waste from…
biotic
nonliving components of ecosystem: rainfall, mineral composition of soil.
abiotic
abiotic & biotic component of environment serves as storage place for cycling nutrients
reservoir or sink
organism that converts solar energy to chemical energy via photosynthesis
producer
organism that obtains energy & nutrients by feeding on another organism
consumer
process - all organisms break down sugar - release energy, using oxygen and giving off CO2 as waste
cellular respiration
movement of carbon thru biotic & abiotic parts of ecosystem. via photosynthesis & cellular respiration, in & out of oceans and soils. Also released by human actions: fossil fuel burning
carbon cycle
nitrogen cycle
continuous series natural processes - nitrogen passes from air to soil to organisms - returns back to air or soil thru decomposition or denitrification
conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into biologically usable form, carried out by bacteria in soil or by lightening.
nitrogen fixation
series of natural processes - nutrient phosphorus moves from rock to soil or water, to living organisms, back to soil.
phosphorus cycle
