Ecosystems Flashcards
biosphere
anywhere with life
ecosystem
interactions between biotic and abiotic factors
community
group of species living in a habitat
population
group of one species living in a habitat
why are communities important?
all living factors interact with non living factors of the environment, forming units of ecosystems
stable community
all environmental factors are constant
factors affecting a population
new pathogens + predators, food, competition
final stage of the trophic level
tertiary consumer dies, decays via decomposers, biomass returns to soil leaving mineral ions available for other plants to absorb + build own biomass
carbon cycle
dead organism’s tissue of carbon is recycles of future generations
decay
decomposers break down of complex substances in plant/ animal biomass into simpler substances for enzyme activity
detrivore
organism eating some part of dead material, increasing surface area for decomposer, digest and release waste
decomposer
chemically break down dead material, returning ammonia to soil
best conditions for decomposition
optimum temperature, dampness (liquid is a medium allowing enzyme movement), O2 (aerobic respiration)
trophic levels
feeding levels in a food chain
why is only 10% of energy transferred between feeding levels?
temperature regulation, not all eaten, movement, excretion, digestion
