ecology Flashcards
ecosystem
All the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment
biodiversity
The number of variety of life forms,including species,found within a specific region as well as all the number and variety of ecosystems within and beyond the region.
Carrying capacity
The maximum number of species that the ecosystem can support has been reached. (fish tank)
population
All the individuals of a species that occupy a particular geographic area at a certain time
Trophic level
The different levels in a food chain
decomposer
Decompose the dead plant and plants back into the environment (bacteria,fungi)
photosynthesis
A process the changes solar energy into chemical energy
Cellular respiration
A process that releases energy from organic molecules, especially carbohydrates, in the presence of oxygen
biome
areas defined by the specis and orginism that live there. (desert, tropical rainforest, taiga)
biosphere
The regions of earth where living organisms exist
mutualism
A symbiotic relationship between relationships in which both species benefit from the relationship.
symbiosis
The interaction between members of two different species living together.
Invasive species
A species that can take over the habitat of native species
Keystone species
A species that are so abundant that they have the biggest biomass of any community member.
Ecological niche
The way that an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem including all the necessary biotic and abiotic factors.
Ecological footprint
A measure of impact of an individual or a population on the environment in terms of energy consumption, land use,and waste production.
Greenhouse Effect
The warming of earth is a result of greenhouse gasses,which trap some of the energy that would otherwise leave the earth.
commensalism
Where one organism helps another organism but the one helping doesn’t get anything in return (help - neutral).
parasitism
when one organism gets help and the other gets harmed (predator - prey).
competition
Two or more organisms compete for the same resources.
producer
Producers are first trophic level and make their own food and do not depend on any other organism for nutrition.
Consumer
Consumers get their food and nutrition from other consumers or the producer.
Species
A group of organisms that have similar individuals and are able to exchange genes through breeding to produce offspring that are able to reproduce.
community
all populations that live in a certain place.
habitat
place where an organism lives
niche
organism’s role, or job, in its habitat
food chain
a chain of organisms in which each link feeds on the one ahead and is eaten by the one behind
food web
way of showing how food chains are related
conservation
wise use of natural resources
Sustainability
Capable of continuing to meet the needs to any population or ecosystem.
water cycle
the continuous movement of water within the earth and atmosphere
phosphorus cycle
the continuous movement of phosphorus within the earth and atmosphere
eutrophication
te process in which a water body becomes overly enriched with nutrients leading to the plentiful growth of simple plant life
desertification
the process by which vegetation in drylands and semi-arid lands such as grasslands on shrublands, decreases and eventually disappears.
global warming
the long term warming of the planets overall temperature.
non renewable energy
sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetime
overfishing
catching too many fish at once, so population become too depleted to recover
deforestation
the purposeful clearing of forest land
climate change
a long time change in the average weather patterns that become harmful
nitrogen cycle
the continuous movement of nitrogen within the earth and atmosphere
carbon cycle
the continuous movement of carbon within the earth and atmosphere
restoration
an act of restoring or the condition of being restore.
pollution
the introduction of harmful material into the environment
wetland
areas where water covers the soil
energy conservation
the decision and practice of using less energy
endangered species
a type of organism that is threatened by extinction
extinction
the complete disappearance of a species from earth
ozone depletion
the thinning of the ozone layer present in the upper atmosphere
acid rain
any form of precition with acidic compleants
ecological succession
process of the change of a species that makes up a ecolagical communitiy over time.
renewable energy
energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed
