Geo Task Definitions Flashcards
Define Biomass
A measure of the mass of all organisms at a particular trophic level
Define Food Chain
Series of organisms, each eating or decomposing the preceding one
Define Tropic Levels
The feeding level of an organism is its trophic level
Define Bioaccumulation
The gradual build up over time of a chemical in a living organism
Define Ecosystem
The dynamic complex of plant, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living environment as a functional unit
Define Dynamic Equilibrium
When an ecosystem is in perfect balance
Define Autotrophic Organisms
Self-sufficient manufacturers of food
Define Heterotrophic Organisms
Are consumers that cannot make their own food
Define Silting
Sediment going into rivers
Define Deposition
The laying down of sediment carried by wind, flowing water, the sea or ice
Define Resilience
The ability of an ecosystem to adapt to a changing environment and to restore function and structure following an episode of natural or human-induced stress
Define Elasticity
The rate of recovery of an ecosystem after a stress
Define Amplitude
Refers to the maximum level of strain before it becomes impossible for the ecosystem to recover.
Define Ecosystem Resilience
Refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to recover from disturbance or withstand ongoing pressures
Define Functional Redundancy
The greater the biodiversity of an ecosystem, the greater the likelihood that an organism can perform a different ecological role when the ecosystem is under pressure
Define Vulnerability
Is the ecosystem’s sensitivity to stresses that can upset the ecological dynamic equilibrium
Define Preservation
Refers to the protection of habitat (or of a species) in its existing form
Define Conservation
Involves the planned use of natural resources in an effort to minimise waste and environmental damage.
Define Utilisation
Involves the replacement of an ecosystem with a human-made environment that is capable of providing a sustainable yield
Define Exploitation
Occurs when an ecosystem’s resources are used irrespective of the ecological consequences
Define Atomsphere
A thin, gaseous veil surrounding the Earth, held to the planet by the force of gravity
Define Lithosphere
The solid, outer portion of the earth
Define Hydrosphere
Total amount of water on a planet. Includes water on the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air.
Define Biosphere
Encompasses all plant and animal life within all spheres
