Ecology Flashcards
Biotic factors
Living features of an ecosystem
Abiotic factors
Non-living features of an ecosystem.
Producers
Organisms that produce organic molecules using sunlight energy
Consumers
Eat other organisms
Decomposers
Organisms that break down dead or undigested organic material
Trophic level
A stage in a food chain occupied by a particular group of organisms
Gross productivity
The energy available to organisms that is absorbed by them
Net productivity
The amount of energy that is available to the next trophic level in a food chain. Gross productivity - respiratory loss
Respiratory loss
The amount of energy lost to the environment when organisms use energy produced from respiration the movement of body heat
Nitrogen cycle
How nitrogen is converted into a usable form and then passed on between different living organisms and environment.
Nitrogen fixation
When nitrogen gas (atmosphere) is converted to ammonia by Rhizobium
Ecosystem
All the organisms living in a particular area and all the non-living conditions family. Dynamic system – always changing.
Ammonification
When nitrogen compounds from dead organisms are turned into ammonium compounds by decomposers
Nitrification
When ammonium compounds in soil changed into nitrogen compounds. Nitrifying bacteria Nitrosomonas (ammonium-nitrites), Nitrobacter (nitrites-nitrates)
Denitrification
Nitrates in soil converted to nitrogen gas, by denitrifying bacteria, anaerobic conditions
Succession
Process by which an ecosystem changes over time.
Primary succession
Newlyformed or expose land. Starts with pioneer species
Secondary succession
Land that’s been cleared of all plants. Pioneer species usually larger
Climax community
The largest and most complex community of plants and animals and ecosystem can support. The climax community of a particular climate is called a climatic climax
Plagioclimax
The climax community produced when succession is artificially stopped by human activities
Interspecific competition
When organisms of different species compete with each other.
Intraspecific competition
When organisms of the same species compete with each other
Carrying capacity
Maximum stable population size
Abundance
The number of individuals of one species in a particular area
Distribution
Where particular species is within the area you’re investigating
Conservation
The protection and management of ecosystems so that the natural resources and can be used without running out
Preservation
The protection of ecosystems, so they are kept in exactly the same.
Sustainable
Enough resources are taken to meet the needs of people today without reducing the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs.
