Test #1 Flashcards
mutualism
2 different species benefit from each other.
commensalism
there is no true benefit or detriment from 2 species’ relationship. cattle and egrets
parasitism
one species is harmed, the other is helped. fleas and dogs
keystone species
removal causes dramatic changes in an ecosystem. otters
apex predator
predator at the top of the food chain. lion
decomposer
an organism that decomposes organic material. mushrooms
scavenger
feeds off of things that are already dead. vultures
energy pyramid
shows the biomass or bioproductivity at each trophic level in an ecosystem. forest ecosystem
invasive species
an introduced species that harms its environment. python
endangered species
a species that is at risk of extinction. panda
native species
found in a certain ecosystem due to natural processes. koala
nonnative species
organisms that do not occur naturally in an area, but are introduced as the result of human activities. zebra mussels
niche
the role a species plays in an ecosystem. garden spider hunts for food among plants
predation
the preying of one animal on others. polar bear preys on seal
competition
when two species both require a resource that is in limited supply. two male birds competing for mates in the same area
resource partioning
species alter their use of the niche to avoid competition by dividing resources among them. lizards living on forest floor and in trees
indicator species
species that gives information about an environment based on presence or absence. frogs
mimicry
an evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species. monarch and viceroy butterflies
externalities
an outcome from something that is not directly related to that activity. air pollution
reservoir
location where nutrients reside for various amounts of time. atomosphere
flux
movement of nutrients between reservoirs, changes over time and influenced by human activities
source
present for short periods of time within a reservoir. the atmosphere is a source of carbon
biogeochemical cycles
e movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth’s crust. the water cycle
sink
present for long periods of time within a reservoir. the lithosphere is a sink for carbon
instrumental value
Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth’s biodiversity based on its usefulness to us. fishing line
intrinsic value
Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth’s biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to us.
anthropocentrism
human centered view of our relationship with the environment. willingness of humans to cage and eat animals
biocentrism
see all living components to have the same value and decisions based on overall impact on living things. being anti deforestation
ecocentrism
Values entire species, communities, or ecosystems over the welfare of an individual . a botanical garden where threatened species are kept to prevent extinction
autotroph
produces own food. plants
heterotroph
other organisms are its food source. fish
producer
an organism that creates its own food or energy. also called autotroph
primary consumer
herbivores, eat plants and algae
secondary consumer
eat primary consumers. bears
ecological footprint
measures how fast we consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast nature can absorb our waste and generate resources.
food web
all the food chains in an ecosystem
food chain
a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.
biomass pyramid
the representation of total living biomass or organic matter present at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.
numbers pyramid
the graphic representation depicting the arrangement of number of individuals of different trophic levels in a food chain in an ecosystem.
tragedy of the commons
a situation in which individuals with access to a public resource act in their own interest and ultimately deplete the resource. littering
biotic fixation
nitrogen fixating bacteria becomes available to living organisms through soil or root nodules
N2 to NH4+1
nitrogen to ammonium, biotic fixation
NH4+1 to NO2-1 + NO3-1
ammonium to nitrite + nitrate, nitrification
NO3-1 to N2
nitrate to nitrogen, dentrification
difference between phosphorus cycle compared to carbon and nitrogen
does not cycle through the atmostphere
common forms of phosphorus cycle
PO4-3, phosphate
primary producers
bottom of food chain, plants
primary consumers
second in food chain, herbivores
secondary consumers
third in food chain, carnivores
tertiary consumers
fourth in food chain, carnivore eating carnivores
apex consumers
top of food chain, eats tertiary consumers
10% rule
only 10% of energy within a food chain moves on. Other 90% goes to basic life processes, growth, repair, heat
predator/prey relationship
The number of predators increases when there is more prey, the number of prey reduces when there are more predators.
ecological overshoot
when human demand exceeds the regenerative capacity of a natural ecosystem.
most abundant carbon molecules
CO2, C6H12O6, CaCO3. carbon dioxide, glucose, calcium carbonate
CO2
carbon dioxide
C6H12O6
glucose
CaCO3
calcium carbonate
N2
nitrogen
NH4+1
ammonium
NO2-1
nitrite
NO3-1
nitrate
PO4-3
phosphate
