Unit 1 Flashcards
-takes up carbon in the form of CO2 from the atmosphere or water and uses the carbon to create glucose
- CO2 + H2O -> C6H12O6 + O2
photosynthesis
- uses glucose and returns carbon to the environment in the form of CO2
- C6H12O6 + O2 -> CO2 + H20 + ATP
cellular respiration
-don’t eat b/c they make their own food
-most important organism & most abundant
- transform energy from solar to chemical
- produce food
- ex. plants, algae, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria
producer
-organisms that consume other organisms to obtain their energy
consumer
-consumers that hunt & seek out other organisms to eat
predator
- organisms hunted & eaten by predators
prey
precipitation that cannot infiltrate into soil/the ground
runoff
biotic
living things
abiotic
non-living things
-process that converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere (N2) into ammonia (NH3) or nitrate (NO3-) which are useful to producers
- N2 -> NH3 -> NH4+ done by bacteria, lighting and combustion
nitrogen fixation
-nitrifying bacteria convert ammonium (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then nitrate (NO3-)
- NH4+ -> NO2- -> NO3- -> done by bacteria
nitrification
-anaerobic denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate into gaseous nitrous oxide (N2O) and finally nitrogen gas
-NO3- -> N2O -> N2 done by bacteria
denitrification
-ammonia, ammonium, nitrite or nitrate are taken up by producers and the nitrogen is incorporated into the tissues
-consumers take up nitrogen by eating the producers
- NO3- is uptaken by plants through roots then to animals
assimilation
-phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers leaches into bodies of water and causes algal bloom and hypoxic water creating dead zones and a eutrophic body of water
- decrease in oxygen
eutrophication
water released from plants into the atmosphere through stoma
transpiration
rain, snow, ice, hail that falls from clouds to earth’s surface
precipitation
heat changes liquid water to water vapor
evaporation
temperature decreases and changes the water vapor to liquid water
condensation
when precipitation seeps into the ground/soil
infiltration/percolation/seepage
the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration
evapotranspiration
the sum total of an organism’s use of abiotic & biotic resources in the environment
niche
source
what adds to the cycle
sink
what is removed from the cycle
-2 species that increase the chances of survival and reproduction for each other
- (+,+)
mutualism
-one species benefits and the other species neither benefits or is harmed
- (+,0)
commensalism
-one organism lives on or in another organism (host)
-usually doesn’t cause death to the host
- (+,-)
parasitism
different species that live in close contact with each other
symbiosis
2 species divide a resource based on differences in their behavior or morphology
resource partitioning
a geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land
terrestrial biome
an aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow
aquatic biome
an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil
permafrost
a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation.
temperate rainforest
a biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m (39 inches) of precipitation annually
temperate seasonal forest
a biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers
temperate grassland/cold desert
- a warm and wet biome found between 20°N and 20°S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation
- most biodiversity of all biomes
tropical rainforest
a biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons
savanna
floating algae
phytoplankton
animals that live in the water on oceans, lakes & ponds
zooplankton
the average weather hat occurs in a given region over a long period of time
climate
a large natural/artificial lake used as a source of water supply
reservior
the removal of rock from its landscape
erosion
measures the distance north/south of the equator
latitude
the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrogen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium
ammonification
the movement of carbon around the biosphere
carbon cycle
the movement of nitrogen around the biosphere
nitrogen cycle
- the movement of phosphorus around the biosphere
- NOT in the atmosphere/gas
phosphorus cycle
- rock that forms when sediments such as muds, sands, or gravels are compressed by overlying sediments
-forms over longer periods of time
-fossil records found here
sedimentary rock
- rocks that settle to the bottom of waters
- ex. sand, silt, clay
sediment
a fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago
fossil fuels
aquatic environments with high levels of dissolved salt
marine ecosystems
a cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation
tundra
competition that occurs between individuals of different species
interspecific competition
- competition that occurs between individuals of the same species
- makes species stronger and better adapted to its environment
intraspecific competition
any body of water above ground, including streams, rivers & lakes
surface water
What two aquatic biomes are the most productive?
marshes and swamps (wetlands)
What is a major reservoir of carbon?
ocean
What is a major reservoir of nitrogen?
atmosphere
What is a major reservoir of phosphorus?
sediments
What is a major reservoir of water?
ice caps and groundwater
total amount of solar energy captured by producers through photosynthesis over time
gross primary productivity
amount of energy lost through respiration by producers subtracted from the gross primary productivity of an ecosystem
net primary productivity
forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons
boreal forest
biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters
shrubland
biome prevailing at approximately 30°N and 30°S, with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation
desert
flowing fresh water that may originate from underground springs or as runoff from rain or melting snow
streams and rivers
contain standing water, at least some of which is too deep to support emergent vegetation
lakes and ponds
- aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation
- the most productive biomes on Earth
freshwater wetland
- a marsh containing nonwoody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates
- one of the most productive biomes in the world
salt marsh
- a swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contains salt tolerant trees with roots submerged in water
- mangrove trees are salt tolerant and help protect the coastlines from erosion and storm damage
mangrove swamp
the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide
intertidal zone
the most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline
coral reef
deep ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom
open ocean
the total mass of all living matter in a specific area
biomass
tiny pores on the underside of leaves that connect the inside of the leaf to the environment
stoma
surround the stoma and regulate when it is opened and closed
guard cell
Aerobic respiration
uses oxygen
Anaerobic Respiration
does not use oxygen
- the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another.
- Usually low, about 10%.
Ecological Efficiency
what increases runoff?
deforestation and paving over land
