Chapter Three Flashcards
What is Detritus?
Detritus is waste
What are food chains?
Food chains pass energy along a series of steps.
What are food webs?
Food webs are interlocking food chains and transfer energy through tropic levels.
What are the components of food chains and what do they eat?
Herbivores- feeds on plants Carnivores- flesh eaters Omnivores- consumes plants and animals Decomposers- release nutrients in dead organic matter back to the earth Scavengers- eat dead organisms
What are the trophic levels?
1st- producers
2nd- herbivores/ primary consumer
3rd- carnivores/ omnivores/ decomposers/ secondary consumer
4th- tertiary/ top carnivore
What is the pyramid of numbers?
This pyramid illustrates a decrease in available energy/ food in each successive trophic levels
What is the inverted pyramid of numbers?
In some ecosystems a smaller number of large organisms at a lower trophic levels
What is a pyramid of biomass?
In most ecosystems there is less biomass at higher trophic levels than at lower levels.
What is a pyramid of energy?
In all ecosystems there is less energy at higher trophic levels than at lower levels.
What is the law of 10%?
Only 10% of the energy is passed on each time.
What is bioaccumulation?
The occurrence of chemicals in much higher concentrations in organisms than in the non-living environment.
Why are CHC’s such a big problem?
They are soluble in fats. They affect the calcium carbonate in eggshells. Top carnivores usually have massive amounts.
What are the main six elements on earth?
Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen Phosphorus Sulphur
What are biogeochemical cycles?
It is the recycling of matter. This includes pollution.
Characteristics of water.
Polar molecule Universal solvent High boiling point Adhesive and cohesive properties High heat capacity Essential for humans
What is the hydrological cycle? What does it cycle? What are the parts of the water cycle?
The hydrological cycle transport and recycle hydrogen, oxygen, and water through the biosphere.
Precipitation- liquid state of water.
Condensation- vapour changes to liquid and becomes clouds.
Transpiration- plants release water from its leaves.
Evaporation- liquid changes to water vapour.
Runoff- water runs of the land, to a body of water.
What is the carbon cycle and how does it cycle through the biosphere?
The carbon cycle is the movement of carbon through the biosphere. It is moved in the means of CO2 and calcium carbonate in rocks.
What are stromatolites?
Sedimentary created by dead bacteria. Black banding suggests the increase of oxygen.
How is nitrogen cycled through the biosphere?
Nitrogen is cycled through eating plants and animals. Legume roots will turn nitrogen into the useable form in their nodules.
What is nitrogen fixation?
The changing of nitrogen into the useable form using multiple steps.
Bacteria use it.
What is nitrification?
A direct way of changing nitrogen into its useable form.
Lightening
How is phosphorus cycled through the biosphere?
The weathering of rocks allows for phosphorus to get cycled. It will also leach into water sources.
How do humans impact the carbon cycle?
Logging
Factories
Breathing
Planting trees/ gardens.
What is the useable form of nitrogen?
NO3 or nitrate
How do humans impact the nitrogen cycle?
Pollution.
Cellular respiration
How do humans effect the phosphorus cycle?
Detergents
Pollution
What is the importance of phosphorus?
Important for plant growth
Part of DNA molecules
What does excess algae cause?
It causes algae blooms and a lack of oxygen in water systems
What is denitrification?
Bacteria converting nitrite or nitrate back into nitrogen gas.
