Ecology & Environment (Ch 30) Flashcards
What is ecology
Studies the relationship and interactions between organisms and its environment
2 categories of environment
- Biotic (living things that affect organism; animals, plants, fungi, bacteria)
- Abiotic (non living; water, temp, light, soil)
What is organism
Individual living unit
what is population
Groups of organisms of same species
What is communities
interactions groups of populations of different species
What is ecosystem
all interacting organisms in a given area + their interactions w/ abiotic surroundings
What is biosphere
sum total of living things on Earth and areas they inhabit
What is species
group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
6 characteristics of ecosystems
- biotic (living) and abiotic parts (non-living)
- Energy flows through ecosystems (food chain)
- Matter is recycled in ecosystems (carbon, cycle, nitrogen cycle)
- Every organism occupies an ecological niche
- Ecosystems are dynamic (change over time)
- Ecosystems maintain homeostasis
Habitat and niche differences
Habitat = natural home
Niche (role) = reflects organisms use of resources and functional role in community
3 types of energy relationships
- Producers
- Consumers
- Decomposers
Producers meaning and examples
- organisms creating own energy through photosynthesis
- Uses photosynthesis
- Produces contain green plants + photosynthetic algae and Cyanobacteria (photosynthetic organisms)
Photosynthesis
energy from sun is converted into energy stored within chemical bonds
What are consumers and examples
require energy from other organisms
Ex: animals- eat plant directly, indirectly, consuming another consumer
Insect, birds, other animals
Decomposers and its examples
organism uses dead organisms for energy
Ex: bacteria + fungi
Convert organic matter into simple inorganic molecules that can be used by producers in photosynthesis
What is food chain and trophic levels
Food chain = sequence of feeding
Trophic levels = step in the flow of energy through ecosystem
4 levels of trophic levels
1st = producers
2nd = herbivores
3rd = carnivore = feed on herbivores
4th = carnivore = feed on primary carnivores
1st level = producers
photosynthetic and receiver energy from sun
2nd level = herbivore
Eat plants
4 steps of carbon cycle
- carbon is produced as CO2 by organisms carrying out cellular respiration
- Carbon is taken up as CO2 by plants carrying out photosynthesis
- Carbon flows through the food chain as consumers eat
- Decomposers break down decaying matter + return carbon to soil nutrients
4 steps of nitrogen cycle
- nitrogen is taken in from atmosphere by nitrogen fixing bacteria (make it in a form plants can use)
- Nitrogen from soil is incorporated into plants as they grow + flows through the food chain as consumers eat
- Decomposers break down decaying material + return nitrogen to soil nutrients
- Some nitrogen returns to the atmosphere when converted by bacteria
4 ways to explain energy flow
=passage of energy within ecosystem
=Energy is lost passing through each trophic level (90%)
=Loss of energy happens as heat
Thus, there are fewer consumers than producers
5 types of organism interactions
Predation
Parasitism
Commensalism
Mutualism
Competition
What is predation
Predator vs. Prey relationship
Predator benefits, prey is killed
Spiders, hawks, owls lions
