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Biology 20 > Units 1-3: Energy and Matter Exchange in the Biosphere > Flashcards

Units 1-3: Energy and Matter Exchange in the Biosphere Flashcards

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1
Q

Dynamic Equilibrium

A

Describes any system with constant change in which the components can adjust to the changes without disturbing the entire system.

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2
Q

Biosphere

A

Made of the lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and the atmosphere (air).

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3
Q

Biotic/Abiotic

A

Biotic: Living
Abiotic: Non-living

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4
Q

Population/Community/Ecosystem

A

Population: Group of the same species of animal.
Community: Group of populations living in the same region.
Ecosystem: The functional unit of the biosphere with both biotic and abiotic elements.

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5
Q

Biodiversity

A

The number of species in an ecosystem.

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6
Q

Food chain

A

A step-by-step sequence linking organisms that feed on each other. Starting with producers, and continuing with consumers. This also includes decomposers animals that feed on detritus).

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7
Q

Endangered/Extirpated/Threatened/Special Concern

A

Endangered: Close to extinction in all parts of the country or in a significantly large location.
Extirpated: No longer exists in one part of the country, but can be found in others.
Threatened: Species that are likely to become endangered due to solvable circumstances.
Special Concern: Species at risk because of declining numbers.

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8
Q

Indicator Species

A

A species sensitive to small changes in environmental conditions.

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9
Q

Herbivore/Carnivore/Omnivore

A

Herbivore: Plant eaters.
Carnivore: Meat-eaters.
Omnivore: Eat both.

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10
Q

Detritus

A

Waste from other animals.

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11
Q

Habitat

A

A place or type of environment with conditions suitable for the survival of an organism or population of organisms.

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12
Q

Ultra-Violet Radiation

A

Electromagnetic radiation from the sun that can cause burning of the skin and cellular mutations.

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13
Q

Ozone

A

O3, an inorganic molecule. A layer of ozone found in the stratosphere helps to screen out ultraviolet radiation.

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14
Q

Trophic Layer

A

A category of living things defined by how it gains its energy.

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15
Q

Autotroph

A

Living things that can make their own food from basic nutrient, sunlight, or other non-living energy sources.

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16
Q

Heterotroph

A

An organism that is incapable of making its own food, and therefore must feed on other organisms to gain energy.

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17
Q

Primary Consumer

A

An organism that relies directly on autotrophs for its source of energy.

Second trophic level.

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18
Q

Secondary Consumer

A

An organism that relies on primary consumers for its source of energy.

Third trophic level.

19
Q

Tertiary Consumer

A

Fourth trophic level. Carnivore eating another carnivore.

20
Q

Photosynthesis

A

The process by which green plants use solar energy, carbon dioxide, and water to produce carbohydrates.

carbon dioxide + water + energy &raquo_space; glucose + oxygen

21
Q

Cellular Respiration

A

The process by which glucose is broken down into energy.

glucose + oxygen&raquo_space; carbon dioxide + water + energy

22
Q

Chemosynthesis

A

The process by which non-photosynthetic organisms convert inorganic chemicals to organic compounds without solar energy.

23
Q

Chemoautotrophs

A

An organism that can synthesize organic compounds from inorganic chemicals without using solar energy.

24
Q

Thermodynamics

A

A scientific study of energy transformations, described by laws.

25
Q

Second Law Of Thermodynamics

A

During energy transfers, some energy is converted into an unusable form, mostly thermal energy, which cannot be passed on.

26
Q

Ecological Pyramid

A

A representation of energy flow in food chains and webs.

27
Q

Biomass

A

The total dry mass (after the water has been removed) of all the living material in an ecosystem; a measure of stored energy content.

28
Q

Monoculture

A

Cultivation of a single species.

29
Q

Polar Molecule

A

A molecule that has a positive and a negative end.

30
Q

Hydrogen Bond

A

The type of bond that is formed between the positive end of one water molecule and the negative end of another water molecule.

31
Q

Hydrological Cycle

A

The movement of water through the environment from the atmosphere to Earth and back.

condensation; precipitation; evaporation; transpiration; runoff

32
Q

Transpiration

A

The loss of water through plant leaves.

33
Q

Percolation

A

The movement of a liquid through a porous material, such as soil particles. Downward pull of water.

34
Q

Water table

A

The top level of the region below the ground that is saturated with water.

35
Q

Leaching

A

The removal of soluble minerals by percolation.

36
Q

Carbon Cycle

A

The cycel of matterin which carbon atoms move from an inorganic form to an organic form and then back to an inorganic from.

37
Q

Combustion

A

The chemical reaction that occurs when a substance eacts very quickly with oxygen to release energy.

38
Q

Peat

A

Slowly decomposing plant matter produced in low-oxygen environmnets such as bogs.

39
Q

Albedo

A

A term used to describe the extent to which a surface can reflect light that strikes it.

Albedo of 0.08 = 8% of light is reflected.

40
Q

Stromatolite

A

A banded limestone structure containing fossilized bacteria.

41
Q

Nitrogen Cycle

A

A cycle of matter in which nitrogen atoms move from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere, to inorganic forms in the osil, to organic forms in living things, and then back to inorganic forms in the soil and atmosphere.

42
Q

Nitrogen Fixation

A

Two processes in which atmospheric or dissolved nitrogen is converted into nitrate ions.

43
Q

Denitrification

A

The process in which nitrates are converted to nitrites and then to nitrogen gas.

44
Q

Phosphorus Cycle

A

The cycling of phosphorus between the biotic and abiotic components of the environemnet. Biological and geochemical cycle.

Biology 20 (9 decks)

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