GE ELEC Reviewer Flashcards
Study of interactions among organisms and their environment
ECOLOGY
The field of science that studies the interactions of the physical, chemical, and biological components of
the environment and also the relationships and effects of these components with the organisms in the
environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
coined the term Ecology
Ernst Haeckel
Environmental Principles
- Natures knows best.
- All forms of life are important.
- Everything is connected to everything else.
- Everything changes.
- Everything must go somewhere.
- Ours is a finite earth.
- Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation.
LEVELS OF ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
INDIVIDUALS
POPULATION
COMMUNITY
ECOSYSTEM
BIOME
BIOSPHERE
capable of interbreeding
INDIVIDUALS
group of species in a given area
POPULATION
assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area
COMMUNITY
collection of all the organisms that lives together in a particular place as well as their
physical environment
ECOSYSTEM
group of ecosystems that have the climate
BIOME
layer of earth where life is possible
BIOSPHERE
Collection of all the organisms that lives together in a particular place as well as their
physical environment
ECOSYSTEM
BIOTIC COMPONENTS (living components)
Autotrophs
Heterotrophs
Decomposers
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS (Non-living components)
Atmospheric gases
Light
Temperature
Water
Wind Minerals
Soil
Any environmental factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, or
distribution of an organism in an environment.
LIMITING FACTORS
Biotic Limiting Factors
Food
Mate
Competition for resources
Aiotic Limiting Factors
Space
Temperature
Amount of sunlight
Interrelationship of a species with all the biotic and abiotic factors affecting it.
(Considered the “job” or “role” that a species performs within nature)
ECOLOGICAL NICHE
The theoretical role an organism can reach within the environment
FUNDAMENTAL NICHE
The actual role an organisms can achieve due to limiting factor s in the environment.
REAL IZED NICHE
TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM
Taiga
Tundra
Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Grassland
Desert
MARINE
FRESHWATER
Marine
Freshwater
1. Lentic
2. Lotic
AQUATIC
Tall conifers
Long wintera
Cold climate forest
TAIGA
Permafrost layer
Limited plants grow
TUNDRA
Tall, densely growing, broadleaved evergreen trees,
high annual rainfall
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
Deciduous trees
Has 4 distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
Dominance of grasses, herbs and small flowering plants
GRASSLAND
Extreme weather conditions
DESERT
Salt water
MARINE
FRESHWATER
Lentic
Lotic
still freshwater
Lentic
rapid flowing freshwater
Lotic
The position an organism in the sequence of energy transfer
TROPICAL LEVEL
vultures, eagle, lions and tigers
APEX PREDETORS
Linear illustration that shows the transfer of energy from one organism to another.
FOOD CHAIN
Green Plants
1ST TROPIC LEVEL (PRODUCERS)
Herbivores
2ND TROPIC LEVEL (PRIMARY CONSUMERS)
Carnivores
3RD TROPIC LEVEL (SECONDARY CONSUMERS)
Secondary carnivores
4TH TROPIC LEVEL (TERTLARY CONSUMERS)
Pattern of food chain that interlocks and forms a network
FOOD WEB
Graphical representation of the relationship between different organisms in an ecosystem.
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
Pyramids of Energy
Pyramids of Numbers
Pyramids of Biomass
- A graphical representation, showing the flow of energy at each trophic level in an
ecosystem.
PYRAMID OF ENERGY
- Graphical representation that shows the number of organisms at each trophic
level.
PYRAMID OF NUMBERS
Graphical representation of biomass present in a unit area of various trophic
level.
PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
- total mass of all living or organic matter found in any organism.
BIOMASS
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Water cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Carbon-oxygen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
EVAPORATION
CONDENSATION
PRECIPITATION
SURFACE RUN-OFF
WATER CYCLE
Water turns to water vapor
EVAPORATION
Accumulation of water vapor
CONDENSATION
Falling products of condensation in the atmosphere
PRECIPITATION
Brings water back to the bodies of water
SURFACE RUN-OFF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
RESPIRATION
DECOMPOSITION
COMBUSTION
CARBON-OXYGEN CYCLE
Process by which plants make their own food
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
inhaling of oxygen and the exhaling of carbon dioxide
RESPIRATION
Process of decaying
DECOMPOSITION
Process of burning
COMBUSTION
NITROGEN FIXATION
NITRIFICATION
ASSIMILATION
AMMONIFICATION
DENITRIFICATION
NITROGEN CYCLE
- Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia
NITROGEN FIXATION
Conversion of ammonia to nitrite / nitrate
NITRIFICATION
- Process by which nitrogen (nitrates) is absorbed by plants
ASSIMILATION
Conversion of organic nitrogen into ammonia
AMMONIFICATION
Plants absorb inorganic phosphate in the soil.
DENITRIFICATION
Assemblage of different populations.
COMMUNITY
Size of community
SCALE
The way of organisms are distributed in relation to one another
SPATIAL STRUCTURE
Number of individuals per species, Species Relative Abundance evenness of
distribution individuals among species in a community.
SPECIES ABUNDANCE
Timing of appearance of organisms.
TEMPORAL STRUCTURE
Number of species in a community.
SPECIES RICHNESS
Use to define the different number of species in an area and its abundance.
SPECIES DIVERSITY
Position that an organism occupies in a food chain.
TROPHIC STRUCTURE
The interaction between organisms in similar or overlapping niches.
ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP
One organism is benefitted while the other is unaffected Commensal –
benefits Host – unaffected
COMMENSALISM
Two organisms benefit from each other
MUTUALISM-
One organism is benefitted while the other is harmed Parasite – benefits Host –
harmed
PARASITISM
One organism is killed by the other to serve as food
PREDATION
One organism is harmed while the other is unaffected (Allelopathy)
AMENSALISM
Relationship that imparts negative effects on both parties
COMPETITION
same
Intraspecific
different
Interspecific
