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IB ESS > Topics 1 & 2 > Flashcards

Topics 1 & 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Abiotic

A

Non-living things in an environment

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2
Q

Biomagnification

A

When concentration of a substance increases with each subsequent trophic level

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3
Q

Biome

A

A collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions

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4
Q

Biotic

A

Animals, plants, all living things in an environment

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5
Q

Carnivores

A

Animals that consume other animals

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6
Q

Cellular Respiration

A

The process that organisms use to release chemical bond energy from food.

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7
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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8
Q

Closed System

A

A system where energy and not matter is exchanged

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9
Q

Community

A

An assemblage of populations occupying the same geographic areas at the same time

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10
Q

Consumers

A

Second trophic level and above; consume the energy of the producers and lower level consumers

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11
Q

Decomposers

A

Organisms that break down dead or decaying organic matter

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12
Q

Density-Dependant Factor

A

Those limiting factors that become more severe as the size of the population increases.

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13
Q

Density-Independent Factor

A

Those limiting factors that are not affected by population size.

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14
Q

Diversity

A

The degree of variation of life in an ecosystem

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15
Q

Ecosystem

A

A community of living organisms in conjunction with nonliving components

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16
Q

Environmental Gradient

A

A gradual change in abiotic factors through space or time

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17
Q

Environmental Impact Statement

A

The process of evaluating the likely environmental impact of a proposed project or development

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18
Q

Equilibrium

A

A state of balance.

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19
Q

First Law of Thermodynamics

A

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created or destroyed; it only changes forms.

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20
Q

Flow

A

Energy that goes from one thing to another; indicated with arrows

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21
Q

Gaia

A

The whole earth; all ecosystems; “Mother Earth”

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22
Q

Genetic Diversity

A

The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species

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23
Q

Gross Productivity

A

The total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time, which could be through photosynthesis in primary producers or absorption in consumers.

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24
Q

Habitat

A

The natural home or environment of an organism

25
Q

Habitat Diversity

A

The range of habitats present in a region

26
Q

Herbivores

A

Animals that consume only plants

27
Q

Isolated System

A

A system where neither energy or matter are energy are exchanged

28
Q

K-Strategist

A

Species that usually concentrate their reproductive investment in a small number of offspring, thus increasing their survival rate and adapting them for living in long-term climax communities.

29
Q

Limiting Factor

A

The primary condition of the environment that determines the population size for an organism.

30
Q

Lincoln Index

A

A statistical measure of population to account for population not yet measured

31
Q

Negative Feedback

A

Feedback that maintains the equilibrium of an ecosystem.

32
Q

Net Productivity

A

The gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time remaining after allowing for respiratory losses (R). Other metabolic losses may take place, but these may be ignored when calculating and defining net productivity.

33
Q

Niche

A

The place or function of an organism within its ecosystem

34
Q

Open System

A

A system wherein matter and energy are exchanged

35
Q

Photosynthesis

A

The process by which plants manufacture food. Light energy is used to convert carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen.

36
Q

Population

A

The number of individuals of a species in a certain geographic area

37
Q

Positive Feedback

A

Feedback that continues accelerating change in an ecosystem.

38
Q

Primary Productivity

A

The gain by producers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time. Could refer to either gross or net primary productivity.

39
Q

Primary Succession

A

Succession in an environment devoid of vegetation and lacking soil e.g. a lava flow

40
Q

Producers

A

First trophic level; anything that photosynthesizes

41
Q

Pyramid of Biomass

A

A pyramid that indicates the biomass per area of an environment at each trophic level

42
Q

Pyramid of Numbers

A

A pyramid that indicates the number per an area of individuals at each trophic level

43
Q

Pyramid of Productivity

A

A pyramid that indicates the energy produced per area per time at each trophic level

44
Q

R-Strategist

A

Species that tend to spread their reproductive investment among a large number of offspring so that they are well adapted to colonize new habitats rapidly and make opportunistic use of short-lived resources.

45
Q

Second Law of Thermodynamics

A

The second law of thermodynamics states that energy moves from from more organized to less organized forms and becomes less useful.

46
Q

Secondary Productivity

A

The biomass gained by heterotrophic organisms, through feeding and absorption, measured in units of mass or energy per unit area per unit time.

47
Q

Secondary Succession

A

Succession in an environment with some vegetation and soil

48
Q

Simpson’s Diversity Index

A

A measure of biodiversity that accounts for the number of species and the abundance of each species

49
Q

Species

A

The largest possible group of organisms capable of interbreeding

50
Q

Species Diversity

A

The number of different species present in an ecosystem

51
Q

Static Equilibrium

A

A state of balance because of no change.

52
Q

Steady State Equilibrium

A

A state of balance with constantly fluctuating change (i.e. population of rabbits)

53
Q

Storage

A

Energy is kept in one place in an ecosystem; indicated with boxes

54
Q

Succession

A

The observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time

55
Q

Top Carnivores

A

The animal at the highest possible trophic level

56
Q

Transfer

A

A transfer of energy from one organism to the other.

57
Q

Transformation

A

A change in the form of energy (i.e. from light to chemical, chemical to heat)

58
Q

Trophic Level

A

Producer, Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Tertiary Consumer, etc.

IB ESS (4 decks)

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