Introduction to Ecology Flashcards
Abiotic factors
non-living factors of the ecosystem
Aquatic biomes
both freshwater and marine biomes exist, with great diversity in temperature, sunlight penetration, and nutrients. Examples would be oceans, estuaries, lakes, and pools.
Autotrophs
or producers; organisms which make their food from inorganic energy sources
Biomes
areas where there’s a consistent environment which is home to a distinct population of living creatures.
Biosphere
the surface of the earth along with the area in the atmosphere and area in the earth’s crust where life exists
Biotic factors
living factors of the ecosystem
Carbon cycle
how the elements carbon and oxygen are recycled through people, animals, and plants
Carnivores
meat eaters
Carrying capacity
the maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can sustain
Chemoautotrophs
organisms which obtain energy from chemical substances.
Commensalism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Community
A group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other
Coniferous forests
Biomes characterized by long cold winters, without permafrost, where coniferous evergreen trees thrive
Conifers
A gymnosperm, or naked seed plant, that produces cones
Consumers
Heterotrophs, which consume their food from organic sources, typically by eating other organisms
Deciduous forests
biomes characterized by four different seasons, and home to broad-leaved deciduous trees
Deserts
hot, dry biomes that receive very little rain
Decomposers
organisms which consume dead matter by secreting enzymes that break it into simpler matter which becomes part of our soil.
Detritivores
organisms which feed on dead matter by breaking it into smaller components, speeding up the decay process.
Ecosystems
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment; a subdivision of a biome.
Exponential growth pattern
an increasing growth pattern that could occur if a population had limitless resources.
Food web
An energy chain which presents a more complex understanding of how energy flows through an ecosystem, allowing us to see how food chains are connected and interwoven.
Grasslands
biomes which are temperate regions that experience different seasons, but not enough rain to support trees; however, are able to support grasses
Herbivores
plant eaters
Heterotrophs
or consumers: organisms which depend on other organisms for their food
Intrinsic rate of increase
the population growth rate
Logistic growth pattern
a realistic growth pattern when a population is stable
Mutualism
A relationship between two species in which both species benefit
Nitrogen cycle
how nitrogen compounds are transferred from bacteria, converted to ammonia, transferred to soil, and then to humans and animals
Omnivores
creatures which are both plant and meat eaters
Parasitism
A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed
Phylum coniferophyte
conifers
Populations
Groups of organisms of the same species, which exist within ecosystems
Producers
Autotrophs, which make their food from inorganic energy sources.
Symbiosis
organisms in close relationships
Trophic level
Each step in a food chain or food web; each layer of an ecological pyramid represents a different type of organism and how they feed
Tropical rainforests
biomes which are hot, humid areas that receive an abundance of rain and support a diverse range of living things
Tundra
biomes which are characterized by long winters with cold temperatures, short summers, and frozen land called permafrost
Water cycle
how water moves from the bodies of water on the earth, through the atmosphere, and back to the earth again.
