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Intro to Biology: Ecology > Ecology, Food Webs, and Biogeochemical Cycles > Flashcards

Ecology, Food Webs, and Biogeochemical Cycles Flashcards

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1
Q

Ecology

A

Study of the interactions of organisms with one another and their surroundings

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2
Q

Global ecology

A

Study of all of earth’s ecosystems and the systems that support life

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3
Q

Scope of global ecology

A

biosphere and ecosphere

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4
Q

What is a biosphere or ecosphere

A

systems that support life

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5
Q

Landscape ecology

A

Study of patterns and interactions across ecosystems and the way those interactions affect the ecological process and the temporal and spatial patterns in a region

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6
Q

Scope of landscape ecology

A

ecosystems and biomes

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7
Q

Ecosystem ecology

A

Study of the living and nonliving components in an ecosystem, how they interact, and how energy and chemicals flow through the different parts of the environment

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8
Q

What is included in freshwater ecosystems

A

lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and groundwater

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9
Q

What is included in saltwater ecosystems

A

oceans, marshes, and estuaries

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10
Q

What is included in terrestrial ecosystems

A

land

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11
Q

What are the 3 categories of ecosystem ecology

A

freshwater, saltwater, and terrestrial

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12
Q

Community ecology

A

Study of the interactions and dynamics of populations or species in a region or ecosystem across many spatial and temporal scales

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13
Q

Scope of community ecology

A

an ecosystem or region and the interactions that shape the structure and dynamics within that system

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14
Q

Population Ecology

A

populations within a given ecosystem or community

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15
Q

Scope of population ecology

A

populations within an ecosystem or community

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16
Q

Organismal Ecology

A

Study of a single organism and the morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that allowed for survival in a specific environment

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17
Q

Scope of organismal ecology

A

one specific organism

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18
Q

Biotic

A

living

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19
Q

Abiotic

A

nonliving

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20
Q

Biosphere

A

Atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere

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21
Q

Food chain

A

a progression of organisms through which energy and nutrients are passed

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22
Q

Trophic level

A

a grouping of organisms that have the same relationships concerning energy and nutrients within the food chain

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23
Q

Primary producers

A

Photosynthetic, autotrophs

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24
Q

Primary consumers

A

Heterotrophic omnivores, eat primary producers

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25
Q

Secondary consumers

A

Eat primary consumers, omnivores and carnivores that don’t eat other carnivores

26
Q

Tertiary consumers

A

Eat secondary consumers, carnivores that eat other carnivores

27
Q

Decomposers

A

Break down dead or decaying organisms or other organic matter

28
Q

Law of conservation of matter

A

matter can’t be created or destroyed, but elements are always present

29
Q

Law of conservation of energy

A

energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but is converted from one energy to another

30
Q

Apex consumer

A

Top predator in a food chain or food web, not eaten by other predators

31
Q

Trophic levels

A

the step-by-step processes of a food chain/web in an ecosystem that energy moves in

32
Q

Ecological pyramids

A

show how much energy or matter exists within each trophic level

33
Q

Pyramid of energy

A

a model that shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level

34
Q

Biomass pyramid

A

a model that shows the amount of living material at each trophic level

35
Q

Sublimation

A

solid water changes into water vapor without becoming liquid first

36
Q

Denitrification

A

process where bacteria turn nitrates into nitrogen gas

37
Q

Primary productivity

A

the rate at which primary producers create organic material

38
Q

Eutrophication

A

when a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients

39
Q

True/False: Ecologists use the scientific method to study the different levels of ecology

A

True

40
Q

What happens to plants/animals that cannot adapt to severe changes in their environment

A

They can become extinct

41
Q

True/False: Organisms at all levels of the food chain do not require energy

A

False

42
Q

Which laws govern how materials flow and how energy is transferred on earth

A

The law of conservation of matter and the law of conservation of energy

43
Q

How are trophic levels displayed

A

Ecological pyramids

44
Q

Where are primary producers located on a food web/chain pyramid

A

At the base/bottom

45
Q

About how much energy is available within a trophic level when it is transferred to the next level through consumption

A

about 10%

46
Q

What do biomass pyramids show

A

virtual representation of the mass of a food chain

47
Q

What do numbers pyramids show

A

the number of organisms at each trophic level

48
Q

True/False: Nutrients move through the ecosystem by changing form

A

True

49
Q

What role do decomposers play in the biogeochemical cycle

A

break down complex macromolecules into bioavailable molecules

50
Q

What processes does the water cycle depend on

A

evaporation/sublimation, condensation/precipitation, subsurface water flow, surface runoff/snowmelt, and streamflow

51
Q

Describe the water cycle

A

The sun warms the surface of oceans, rivers, and streams, → water vapor condenses in clouds → precipitation

52
Q

How do autotrophs use carbon

A

make glucose through photosynthesis, with water and oxygen as byproducts

53
Q

How do hetertrophs obtain carbon

A

by consuming autotrophs

54
Q

True/False: Nitrogen gas is abundant in the atmosphere, in a form most organisms can use

A

False

55
Q

What is ammonification

A

the process where nitrogen-fixing bacteria combine nitrogen gas with hydrogen to make ammonia

56
Q

What is the process of nitrification

A

Bacteria in the soil turns ammonia into nitrites and nitrates

57
Q

What is denitrification

A

nitrates turn into nitrogen gas after animals consume nitrogen in gplants

58
Q

What happens when nutrients are limited and can’t supply the needs of primary producers

A

Primary productivity stops

59
Q

What is the most common limiting nutrient in saltwater environments

A

Nitrogen

60
Q

What is the most common limiting nutrient in freshwater environments

A

Phosphorus

Intro to Biology: Ecology (1 decks)

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