science - oceans Flashcards
define habitat
a special place in a community where plants or animals live
define ecosystem
a community of living and non-living things that work together
define producer
organisms that create their own food using energy from sunlight
define consumer
an organism that needs to eat other organisms in order to survive
list types of ecosystems
forest
tundra
dessert
jungle
ocean
freshwater
Alphine
grassland
what is a food chain
A basic network showing how energy and nutrients flow linearly through an energy pyramid
what is a food web
- shows how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem
- it is all the food chains in an ecosystem
what is an omnivore
An omnivore is an animal or organism that eats both plant and animal-based foods. Examples include humans, bears, and pigs
what is a herbivore
A herbivore is an animal that primarily eats plants, such as grasses, leaves, and fruits. Examples include cows, deer, and rabbits
what is a carnivore
A carnivore is an animal that primarily eats other animals. Examples include lions, wolves, and eagles.
define interdependence
organisms that depend on each other for survival
define biomagnification
toxin build up that affects the top of the food chain
define bioaccumulation
toxin build up that affects the organism
what is an adaptation
inherited characteristics which enable organisms to survive/reproduce more effectively
what are the 3 adaptations
structural
behavioral
physiological
define structural adaptation
unique features of the body that help the animal survive in its environment like wings and tails as well as scales and fur
define physiological
unique process inside of the animal’s body that help it to survive in its environment like chemical and metabolism changes
define behavioral
unique actions taken that help the animal to survive in its environment like how they move or how they communicate with each other
what makes a predator - features
unique features like
- sharp teeth
- eyes forward facing
- claws
- venom
- usually carnivorous
what makes prey - features
unique features like
- self defense
- escape mechanisms
- large numbers
- avoid detection
- warning signals
- wider eye span
- sleep very little
what is ocaen acidification
When the ocean becomes more acidic due to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. increased absorption of carbon dioxide lowers ph levels harming marine life and ecosystems - like coral and shellfish
what is the greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a natural process which is the gasses surrounding the earth in the atmosphere like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat from the sun to warm the earth. The earth needs to maintain a perfect temperature for living things to survive. However, due to the increase of human activities like burning fossil fuels increased amounts of gasses contribute to global warming.
