LAB #3: OUR BACKYARD ECOSYSTEM Flashcards
What is Ecology?
the study of the distribution & abundance of living organisms & how they interact with living & non-living factors in their environment.
What does Biotic mean?
living
What does Abiotic mean?
non-living (soil/rocks)
What is a population?
Members of the same species lving in the same geographic location using the same resources.
What is a community?
Members of multiple populations living in the same geographic location.
What is an Ecosystem?
It is all of the communities of plants, animals, & other organisms, & the physical environment in which they interact.
What are the 2 main ecosystems of Peabody Park?
(1) Field, (2) Oak-Hickory Forrest
Understory of Peabody Park
made up of pine/oak trees, understory covers ivy, dandelion, grass, moss, and liverworth
What 2 processes occur in an ecosystem?
(1) Energy flows, (2) Chemical cycle
Ultimate source of energy for an ecosystem?
the sun, it has light energy
What can be done with light energy?
it can be captured directly by plants and used for the production of sugars in a process called photosynthesis.
What happens to organisms that have died?
bacteria and fungi in the soil break down the remains, releasing heat energy.
What do producers do?
they capture solar energy from the sun for the production of sugars.
What are producers?
producers are usually green algae in streams and rooted plants on land
What do consumers do?
consumers obtain the chemical energy stored in the plants by eating them.
What are examples of consumers?
microscopic water protozoa and some of the animals, Daphnia (snail/worms)
What are decomposers?
other consumers which obtain chemical energy by eating animal remains, releasing heat energy into the atmosphere.
What are examples of decomposers?
some bacteria, most fungi (worms/ snails)
Trophic levels are based on what?
how the organisms obtain chemical energy for itself.
What are the Trophic levels? (terrestrial food chain)
Primary Producers (plants) Primary Consumers (herbivores/insects) Secondary Consumers (carnivores/mice) Tertiary Consumers (carnivore/snakes) Quaternary Consumers (carnivore/hawk)
When do chemical cycles occur?
as chemicals found in living things move into living things again (ex. carbon cycle)
Explain the carbon cycle?
Carbon is found in atmosphere in forms of CO2. All life-forms need carbon, but only plants directly tap into the carbon source of atmospheric CO2, which they use to create sugars AKA perform photosynthesis. CO2 released by cellular respiration.
Carbon Cycle Diagram:
plants/primary consumers cellular respiration/burning CO2 in atmosphere photosynthesis process repeats
Why is soil important in an ecosystem?
because it can be a source of chemicals for chemical cycles
What is the most common ingredient in fertilizer?
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
What do nitrates in soil do?
nitrates absorbed by plants through their roots, can be used to make proteins and nucleic acids, resulting in plant growth.
How do animals & decomposers obtain their Nitrogen?
through food chains
What is denitrifying bacteria?
it is special soil that converts nitrates back to atmospheric Nitrogen completing the cycle.
Why is Phosphorus an important chemical for plant growth?
Phosphorus in rocks, which when weathered by rain, becomes part of soil in forms of phosphates, which is absorbed by plant roots.
How do animals and decomposers get phosphorus?
through food chains
What is the optimum pH for soil?
for soil productivity
6.0 - 6.5
What is anoxic?
has no Oxygen
What is turbidity?
clearness of the water.
