Science - Bio Flashcards
sustain
to allow something to continue for a long period of time.
What is the greatest threat to sustaining life forms on earth?
human impact
ecosystem
all the organisms in an area that interact with each other and their environment of energy and matter.
detritus
waste from plants and animals, including their dead remains.
decomposers
organisms that feed on detritus and releasing nutrients to the soil.
trophic level
energy level
autotroph
self producer of energy
heterotroph
a consumer of energy.
Why are pyramids used to represent three things in Biology?
The base is wide and it narrows towards the top, showing a decrease.
Pyramid of Numbers
the number of organisms at each level of the food chain. (decreases as you go up)
Pyramid of Energy
the amount of energy at each level. (decreases as you go up)
What is the 10% Law of Energy Transfer
Only about10% of food energy is converted to new tissue and is transferred to the next consumer.
Pyramid of Biomass
The total mass of a population of an organism in an area. (decreases as you go up).
population
a group of the same species in a particular area, at a certain time.
carrying capacity
the largest population of a species that an environment can support.
Limiting factors that determine the carrying capacity?
predators, climate, disease, water, pollution, competition, parasites.
productivity
the average amounts of new plant biomass produced each year in a given area.
climate
determines the amount of plant growth:
warmth (temp), rainfall, and soil
monoculture
growing a single crop in a large are of land.
biological magnification
an increase in the amount of harmful chemical as you go up the levels in the food chain.