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APES > The Biosphere (Biodiversity) > Flashcards

The Biosphere (Biodiversity) Flashcards

1
Q

Aerobic Respiration

A

A chemical reaction that occurs in all living cells and releases energy from glucose. Contrasts with anaerobic respiration, which occurs without oxygen and releases less energy than aerobic respiration, but does so at a much faster pace. In microorganisms, it is called fermentation

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2
Q

Ammonification

A

The process by which microorganisms present in soil, sediment, or water mineralize low molecular weight, dissolved, organic molecules presenting amine or amide groups (of general formula R-NH2) and produce ammonium (NH4+)

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3
Q

Assimilation

A

The absorption and digestion of food by a biological system or body (organism)

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4
Q

Autotroph

A

An organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide

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5
Q

Background extinction

A

Ongoing extinction of individual species because of environmental or ecological factors such as climate change, disease, loss of habitat, or competitive disadvantage in relation to other species

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6
Q

Benthos

A

Flora and fauna found on the bottom (or bottom sediments) of a sea, lake, or other body of water

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7
Q

Biodiversity

A

The diversity and differences and vast species of flora and fauna around the world, or a particular habitat or region

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8
Q

Biogeochemical cycle

A

The partitioning and cycling of chemical elements and compounds between the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem

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9
Q

Biological Diversity

A

Biodiversity can be described as the sum total of all plants and animals found in a particular area, being basically a measure of all variations found at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. It is mainly influenced by the environmental, geographical, climatic and topographical conditions of an area

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10
Q

Deciduous Plants

A

Plants that are falling off or shed seasonally or at a certain stage of development in the life cycle deciduous leaves deciduous scales

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11
Q

Carbon Sink

A

A forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

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12
Q

Climax Community

A

An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment

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13
Q

Coastal Wetland

A

An area of land that is permanently or seasonally inundated with fresh, brackish, or saline water and contains a range of plant species that are uniquely adapted to the degree of inundation, the type of water that is present, as well as the soil conditions

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14
Q

Commensalism

A

An association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm

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15
Q

Competitive Exclusion

A

The inevitable elimination from a habitat of one of two different species with identical needs for resources

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16
Q

Denitrification

A

The conversion of nitrate (NO3-) into quasi-inert gases N2 (dinitrogen) and N2O (nitrous oxide) by microbial oxidation of organic matte

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17
Q

Detritivore

A

An animal that feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus

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18
Q

Detritus feeder

A

Heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus. There are many kinds of invertebrates, vertebrates and plants that carry out coprophagy. By doing so, all these detritivores contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles

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19
Q

Diffusion

A

Net movement of anything generally from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration

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20
Q

Ecological Diversity

A

Variations in ecosystems within a geographical location and its overall impact on human existence and the environment. Ecosystem diversity addresses the combined characteristics of biotic properties and abiotic properties

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21
Q

Ecological Niche

A

The position of a species within an ecosystem, describing both the range of conditions necessary for persistence of the species, and its ecological role in the ecosystem

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22
Q

Endemism

A

Term used in biology to talk about the distribution of a taxon limited to a small geographic area and which can therefore be found naturally in this place

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23
Q

Endemic Species

A

Endemic species are those that live in a limited area, such as a mountain range, lake or island, among others

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24
Q

Energy Productivity

A

Energy productivity (EP) of an industry is measured by relating the energy consumption of an industry (input) to its output: EP = output / energy input

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25
Q

Fundamental Niche

A

The fundamental niche (NF) is defined as the set of conditions within which a species can live in the absence of competitors, and a realized niche (NR) is a NF hypothetically reduced by competitive interactions (and some other limiting factors)

26
Q

1st Law of Thermodynamics

A

Branch of physical science that deals with the relations between heat and other forms of energy (such as mechanical, electrical, or chemical energy), and, by extension, of the relationships between all forms of energy

27
Q

Generalist Species

A

Species that consists of a broad ecological niche

28
Q

Genetic Diversity

A

The range of different inherited traits within a species. In a species with high genetic diversity, there would be many individuals with a wide variety of different traits. Genetic diversity is critical for a population to adapt to changing environments

29
Q

Geographic Isolation

A

Physical separation of members of a population. populations may be physically separated when their original habitat becomes divided

30
Q

Gross Primary Productivity

A

Gross primary production (GPP) is the total amount of carbon dioxide “fixed” by land plants per unit time through the photosynthetic reduction of CO2 into organic compounds

31
Q

Indicator Species

A

An animal or plant species that can be used to infer conditions in a particular habitat

32
Q

Infiltration

A

The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. It is commonly used in both hydrology and soil sciences. The infiltration capacity is defined as the maximum rate of infiltration

33
Q

Interspecific Competition

A

A form of competition in which individuals of different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem

34
Q

Intraspecific Competition

A

Competition between members of the same species

35
Q

Keystone Species

A

Species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically

36
Q

Mutualism

A

Symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved

37
Q

Net Primary Productivity

A

The amount of carbon retained in an ecosystem (increase in biomass); it is equal to the difference between the amount of carbon produced through photosynthesis (GPP) and the amount of energy that is used for respiration (R), called NPP

38
Q

Niche

A

The match of a species to a specific environmental condition. It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors and how it in turn alters those same factors

39
Q

Nitrogen fixation

A

The chemical processes by which atmospheric nitrogen is assimilated into organic compounds, especially by certain microorganisms as part of the nitrogen cycle

40
Q

Nitrification

A

The oxidation by bacteria of ammonium salts to nitrites and the further oxidation of nitrites to nitrates

41
Q

Parasitism

A

Relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

42
Q

Pioneer Species

A

First species to populate an area during primary succession

43
Q

Primary Pollutant

A

Pollutant that is put directly into the atmosphere by human or natural activity

44
Q

Primary Productivity

A

Rate at which energy is converted to organic substances by photosynthetic producers (photoautotrophs), which obtain energy and nutrients by harnessing sunlight, and chemosynthetic producers (chemoautotrophs), which obtain chemical energy through oxidation

45
Q

Primary Succession

A

Beginning step of ecological succession after an extreme disturbance, which usually occurs in an environment devoid of vegetation and other organisms. These environments are typically lacking in soil, as disturbances like lava flow or retreating glaciers shred the environment of nutrients

46
Q

Range of Tolerance

A

Range of conditions within which an organism is potentially able to survive. For example, all organisms have a maximum and minimum level of temperature, atmospheric pressure, oxygen concentration etc. within which they can survive

47
Q

Realized Niche

A

Phrase relating to ecology, defined by the actual space that an organism inhabits and the resources it can access as a result of limiting pressures from other species

48
Q

Reproductive Isolation

A

Inability of a species to breed successfully with related species due to geographical, behavioral, physiological, or genetic barriers or differences

49
Q

Resource Partitioning

A

The division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition in an ecological niche. In any environment, organisms compete for limited resources, so organisms and different species have to find ways to coexist with one another

50
Q

Riprarian Zone

A

An area located next to a waterway or water body, such as a stream or lake, and has unique soil and plants, and is strongly influenced by the presence of water. Riparian areas are important transition areas that connect water to the land and provide many benefits

51
Q

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

A

Hot things always cool down unless you do something to stop them. It expresses a fundamental and simple truth about the universe: that disorder, characterized as a quantity known as entropy, always increases

52
Q

Secondary Succession

A

Opposed to primary succession, secondary succession is a process started by an event that reduces an already established lifespan

53
Q

Specialist Species

A

Species with a narrow ecological niche. They may be able to live in only one type of habitat, tolerate only a narrow range of climatic and other environmental conditions, or use only one type or a few types of food

54
Q

Speciation

A

The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution

55
Q

Species evenness

A

A description of the distribution of abundance across the species in a community. Species evenness is highest when all species in a sample have the same abundance. Evenness approaches zero as relative abundances vary

56
Q

Species Diversity

A

The number and relative abundance of species found in a given biological organization (population, ecosystem, Earth). Species are the basic units of biological classification and hence, this is the measure most commonly associated with the term “biodiversity”

57
Q

Species Richness

A

The number of different species represented in an ecological community, landscape or region. Species richness is simply a count of species, and it does not take into account the abundances of the species or their relative abundance distributions

58
Q

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

A

A toxic gas responsible for the smell of burnt matches. It is released naturally by volcanic activity and is produced as a by-product of copper extraction and the burning of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels

59
Q

Sulfuric Acid

A

Formed in the atmosphere from sulfur dioxide. As microscopic suspended droplets, it is a component of acid deposition. Has the formula H2SO4

60
Q

Controlled Burns

A

Known as hazard reduction burning, backfire, swailing, or a burn-off- is a fire set intentionally for purposes of forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement

61
Q

Maximum Sustainable Yield

A

Maximum amount of any resource that can be produced without limiting the population

APES (3 decks)

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