Jeienej Flashcards
Define producer
Organisms that produce food for themselves and other organisms
Define consumer
An organism that can’t make its own food, so it eats other organisms to survive
Define limiting factors
A factor that limits the growth, distribution, or amount of population in an ecosystem
Define nutrient
A chemical that is essential to living things and is cycled through ecosystems
Define assimilation
The princess of absorption of vitamins, minerals, and other chemicals from food as part of the nutrient of an organism
Define eutrophication
A process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase
Define nutrient cycle
A system where energy and matter are transferred between living organisms and non-living parts of the environment
Define abiotic
The nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Define biotic
The living parts of an ecosystem
Define lithosphere
The “land” sphere, containing things like rocks and dirt
Define biosphere
All the parts of earth where life exists
Define atmosphere
The “air” sphere, a mixture of gasses that surround the earth
Define hydrosphere
The total amount of water in the planet
Define nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is a process that implies the transformation of the relatively non-reactive atmospheric N2 into its more reactive compounds (nitrates, nitrites, or ammonia).
Define eutrophication
A process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase, leading to an increase in the population of primarily producers.
Define tropic levels
A category of organisms that is defined by how the organisms gain their energy
Define efficiency
The ratio of useful energy output to total energy input, expressed as a percentage
Define photosynthesis
A process that changes solar energy into chemical energy
Define cellular respiration
A process that releases energy from organic molecules especially carbohydrates, in the presence of oxygen
List three examples of spheres interacting
- Grizzly bears hunting for salmon
- Clouds forming in the sky
- Water causing erosion
Why is sphere interaction important for sustainability
Sphere interaction can recycle matter into different forms and spheres interacting is what keeps them healthy
List 2 materials in a carbon sink
Oil, coal, natural gas
How do humans use materials in the carbon cycle
We take them and we turn them into energy and we naturally eat them
List three examples of combustion in your everyday life
Fuelling your car, using an oven, turning on your lights
How does human use of carbon sinks affect, C02 in the atmosphere
It increases the C02 in the atmosphere and C02 stores heat which causes global warming
List 2 ways carbon enters the atmosphere
Respiration & combustion
State 2 ways nitrogen is fixed for terrestrial use
Lighting & nitrogen fixation
State how humans put nitrogen into terrestrial ecosystems vs. aquatic ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems: Nitrogen based fertilisers & fossil fuels
Aquatic ecosystems:
The nitrogen from soil may leak into steams of water and sewage may have excess nitrogen in it
State a negative impact of excess nitrogen in the environment
Eutrophication
Energy that isn’t directly being used for growth can go into what
Heat or feces
What’s the word equation for photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + water –light–> glucose + oxygen
What’s the word equation for cellular respiration
Glucose + oxygen —-> carbon dioxide + water + energy
