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ESS SL > Untitled Deck > Flashcards

Untitled Deck Flashcards

1
Q

What are environmental pressures?

A

The factors (abiotic or biotic) in an ecosystem which put pressure on an organism’s survival and increase competition (whether inter-species or intra-species).

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2
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

A combination of the species diversity, genetic diversity and habitat diversity of an ecosystem.

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3
Q

What is variation?

A

The differences, either physical or genetic, between individuals of a species.

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4
Q

What is Simpson’s diversity index?

A

A measure of diversity between similar ecosystems.

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5
Q

What is species diversity?

A

The number of species (richness) and their relative proportions (evenness) in a community.

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6
Q

What is genetic diversity?

A

The range of genetic material present in a gene pool or population of a species.

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7
Q

What are random genetic mutations?

A

The small differences which may occur in an organism as a result of reproduction - these small changes may add up to create variation.

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8
Q

What are hotspots?

A

An area of high biodiversity (which is under threat from human activities).

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9
Q

What are endemic species?

A

The species which only occur in one specific area.

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10
Q

What is speciation?

A

The gradual change in populations of a species over time - often caused by geographical isolations, resulting in new species.

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11
Q

What is evolution?

A

The process by which a species may adapt to environmental pressures through natural selection of favourable variation - caused by random genetic mutations - over thousands of generations.

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12
Q

What is natural selection?

A

Survival of the fittest - only the best suited organisms will be able to compete (due to environmental pressures) and so survive long enough to reproduce - their favourable traits are then passed on to new generations.

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13
Q

What is geographical isolation?

A

The separation of populations of a single species - often leads to speciation if populations cannot interbreed for a very long time.

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14
Q

What are physical barriers?

A

E.g. a mountain, ocean or separation of lakes.

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15
Q

What are land bridges?

A

A connection between land masses - often as a result of lowering sea levels e.g. the Bering Straits.

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16
Q

What is continental drift?

A

The movement of the tectonic plates by around 1cm a year causing the change in shape and location of continents.

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17
Q

What is the lithosphere?

A

The Earth’s crust - the rocky part of Earth.

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18
Q

What is Gondwana?

A

The land mass made up of Africa, New Zealand, Australia and South America, India, Arabia and Antarctica millions of years ago - separated millions of years ago.

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19
Q

What is the background extinction rate?

A

The natural rate of extinction of species - around 1 species per million species per year.

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20
Q

What is extinction?

A

The complete loss of a species from Earth - no more individuals of that species exist.

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21
Q

What are mass extinctions?

A

An extinction rate far greater than background extinction rate.

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22
Q

What is the Holocene extinction event?

A

The 6th mass extinction occurring for the last 10,000 years, however, much faster in the last 100 years - generally agreed to be as a result of human activity.

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23
Q

What are weedy species?

A

The species (generally plant or animal) which are able to survive the environments we create e.g. urban rats, domesticated animals.

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24
Q

What is the Living Planet Report?

A

A report produced by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) creates on the state of the world’s ecosystems.

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25
Q

What is conservation?

A

The act of preserving nature - attempting to save habitats, species and biodiversity in general.

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26
Q

What proportion of living species are found in tropical rainforests?

A

2/3.

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27
Q

What are current extinction rates?

A

Approx. 100 species per million species per year.

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28
Q

What is ecosystem complexity?

A

Creates stability and resilience to change in an ecosystem - there are many pathways for energy flow.

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29
Q

What are limiting factors?

A

Environmental conditions that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem - when there are few of these, biodiversity is likely to be high (and vice versa).

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30
Q

What is inertia in an ecosystem?

A

The ability of an ecosystem to resist change (maintain equilibrium) when subjected to a disruptive force.

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31
Q

What are natural hazards?

A

Naturally occurring events which may have a negative impact on the environment e.g. eruption of Mount St Helens in 1980, the 2004 SEA earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

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32
Q

What is habitat loss?

A

The major cause of loss of biodiversity.

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33
Q

What is habitat fragmentation?

A

When a large area of habitat is broken into many smaller areas, often physically divided by roads, towns, factories, power lines etc - leads to the loss of biodiversity.

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34
Q

What is overexploitation?

A

The overuse of a resource to the point that it has a negative impact on the ecosystem e.g. deforestation.

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35
Q

What is the introduction of non-native species?

A

When a species which is not naturally occurring in an ecosystem is introduced and may out-compete the native species - this may lead to a loss of biodiversity e.g. rabbits, cane toads, red foxes, camels in Australia.

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36
Q

What are the lungs of the Earth?

A

Rainforests - they are called this because they are thought to produce around 40% of the oxygen that animals breathe.

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37
Q

What is a narrow geographical range?

A

A small area that a species inhabits - makes a species prone to extinction.

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38
Q

What is low genetic diversity?

A

Caused by small populations or declining diversity - makes a species prone to extinction as they may not be able to adapt to change.

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39
Q

What is low population density?

A

Some species need a large area to hunt - if there are only a few organisms over a large territory this may make them prone to extinction, especially if habitats become fragmented.

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40
Q

What is a large body in relation to extinction?

A

Due to the 10% rule, it is much more difficult for big organisms to find enough food - this makes them prone to extinction e.g. wolves, tigers.

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41
Q

What is low reproductive potential?

A

Reproducing slowly and/or infrequently - this makes a species prone to extinction as it may take a long time for a population to recover its numbers.

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42
Q

What is seasonal migration?

A

The movement between different areas at different seasons - this makes a species prone to extinction as they rely on more than one habitat - if one is destroyed, they will not survive.

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43
Q

What are poor dispersers?

A

A species which cannot move easily to new habitats - this makes them prone to extinction - for example, plants which rely on a slow dispersal of seeds, flightless birds of New Zealand.

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44
Q

What are specialised feeders?

A

A species which requires a specific food and cannot eat others e.g. giant pandas eat bamboo shoots, koalas eat eucalyptus leaves - this makes them prone to extinction if their food source becomes scarce.

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45
Q

What is minimum viable population size?

A

The lowest number of individuals of a species needed for a population to be able to recover - if a population is lower than this number, they may become extinct.

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46
Q

What is IUCN?

A

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources - often known as the World Conservation Union.

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47
Q

What is the IUCN Red List?

A

The conservation status of species based on: population size, degree of specialisation, distribution, reproductive potential, geographic distribution and fragmentation, habitat quality, trophic level and therefore, the probability of extinction.

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48
Q

What does extinct (EX) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - no reasonable doubt that the last of a species has died.

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49
Q

What does extinct in the wild (EW) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - a species is known only to survive in cultivation, captivity or outside of its past range.

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50
Q

What does critically endangered (CR) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - at extreme risk of extinction in the wild.

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51
Q

What does endangered (EN) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

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52
Q

What does vulnerable (VU) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

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53
Q

What does near threatened (NT) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - likely to qualify as vulnerable or endangered in the near future (but does not yet).

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54
Q

What does least concern (LC) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - widespread and abundant.

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55
Q

What does data deficient (DD) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - when there is insufficient data to determine a species’ status.

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56
Q

What does not evaluated (NE) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

IUCN Red List Status - when a species has not been evaluated against the criteria.

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57
Q

What does UN stand for?

A

United Nations.

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58
Q

What does UNEP stand for?

A

United Nations Environmental Program.

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59
Q

What does CITES stand for?

A

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

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60
Q

What does UNDP stand for?

A

United Nations Development Program.

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61
Q

What does WWF stand for?

A

Worldwide Fund for Nature.

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62
Q

What does WRI stand for?

A

World Resource Institute.

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63
Q

What is a species?

A

A group of organisms sharing common characteristics that interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

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64
Q

What is a population?

A

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time, and which are capable of interbreeding.

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65
Q

What is a habitat?

A

The environment in which a species normally lives.

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66
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non-living, physical factors that influence the organisms and ecosystem, e.g. temperature, sunlight, pH, salinity, pollutants.

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67
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

The living components of an ecosystem - organisms, their interactions or their waste - that directly or indirectly affect another organism.

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68
Q

What is a niche?

A

The particular set of abiotic and biotic conditions and resources to which an organism or population responds.

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69
Q

What is a fundamental niche?

A

The full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive and reproduce.

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70
Q

What is a realised niche?

A

The actual conditions and resources in which a species exists due to biotic interactions.

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71
Q

What are limiting factors?

A

Factors which slow down growth of a population as it reaches its carrying capacity.

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72
Q

What is carrying capacity?

A

The maximum number of a species or ‘load’ that can be sustainably supported by a given area.

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73
Q

What is population dynamics?

A

The study of the factors that cause changes to population sizes.

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74
Q

What is competition?

A

When two or more individual organisms try to exploit a resource that is in limited supply.

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75
Q

What is intraspecific competition?

A

Competition between members of the same species.

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76
Q

What is interspecific competition?

A

Competition between individuals of different species.

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77
Q

What is competitive exclusion?

A

When interspecific competition results in one species being driven out by the other.

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78
Q

What is predation?

A

When one animal eats another animal.

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79
Q

What is herbivory?

A

When an animal eats a plant.

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80
Q

What is parasitism?

A

A symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) lives in or on another (the host) feeding on or from it. One suffers, the other is harmed.

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81
Q

What is mutualism?

A

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

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82
Q

What are S and J population curves?

A

Generalised responses of populations to a particular set of conditions (biotic and abiotic factors).

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83
Q

What is a community?

A

A group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat.

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84
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

A community and the physical environment it interacts with.

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85
Q

What is respiration?

A

The conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water in all living organisms, releasing energy.

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86
Q

What is photosynthesis?

A

The process by which green plants make their own food from water and carbon dioxide using energy from sunlight.

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87
Q

What is a food chain?

A

The flow of energy from one organism to the next. It shows the feeding relationships between species in an ecosystem.

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88
Q

What is a trophic level?

A

The position that an organism occupies in a food chain, or in a group of organisms in a community that occupy the same position in food chains.

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89
Q

What are producers (autotrophs)?

A

An organism which produces its own food.

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90
Q

What are photoautotrophs?

A

Make their own food from carbon dioxide and water using energy from sunlight.

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91
Q

What are chemoautotrophs?

A

Make their own food from simple compounds such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide or methane, not requiring sunlight.

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92
Q

What are consumers (heterotrophs)?

A

Obtain their food by eating other organisms.

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93
Q

What is a food web?

A

A complex network of interrelated food chains.

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94
Q

What are ecological pyramids?

A

Quantitative models, usually measured for a given area and time. Includes pyramids of numbers, biomass and productivity.

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95
Q

What is productivity?

A

The conversion of energy into biomass over a given period of time. It is the rate of growth or biomass increase in plants and animals. It is measured per unit area per unit time.

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96
Q

What is biomass?

A

The living mass of an organism or organisms. Measured by obtaining the dry mass and usually calculated per unit area.

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97
Q

What is a biome?

A

A collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions.

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98
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

That part of the Earth inhabited by organisms. It extends from the upper atmosphere down to the deepest parts of the oceans which support life.

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99
Q

What is a quadrat?

A

A frame of specific size (depending on what is being studied) which may be divided into subsections.

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100
Q

What is a transect?

A

A sample path/line/strip along which you record the occurrence and/or distribution of plants and animals in a particular study area.

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101
Q

What is salinity?

A

The concentration of salts expressed in 0/00 (parts of salt per thousand parts of water).

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102
Q

What is turbidity?

A

The cloudiness of a body of fresh water.

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103
Q

What is species diversity?

A

A function of the number of species and their relative abundance.

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104
Q

What is species richness?

A

The number of species in a community and is a useful comparative measure.

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105
Q

What is Simpson’s diversity index?

A

A calculation for biodiversity.

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106
Q

What is the Lincoln index?

A

A way to measure the abundance of small motile organisms (catch 1 x catch 2) / marked in catch 2.

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107
Q

What is bioaccumulation?

A

Is the build-up of persistent or non-biodegradable pollutants within an organism or trophic level because they cannot be broken down.

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108
Q

What is biomagnification?

A

The increase in concentration of persistent or nonbiodegradable pollutants along a food chain.

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109
Q

What are methods for estimating the abundance of non-motile organisms?

A
  • quadrats for making actual counts,
  • measuring population density,
  • percentage cover
  • percentage frequency.
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110
Q

What are methods for estimating the biomass and energy of trophic levels?

A

Measurement of dry mass, controlled combustion and extrapolation from samples. Data from these methods can be used to construct ecological pyramids.

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111
Q

What is a dichotomous key?

A

Organisms in an ecosystem can be identified using a variety of tools that look at objective (non-subjective) characteristics of organisms. Such as presence of limbs, size, color, shape.

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112
Q

What is an S curve?

A

Logistic growth curve that reaches a maximum number of individuals called carrying capacity.

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113
Q

What is a J curve?

A

Exponential growth with no limiting factors.

114
Q

What is an abiotic factor?

A

A non-living, physical factor that may influence an organism or ecosystem; i.e. temperature, sunlight, pH, salinity, precipitation.

115
Q

What is Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)?

A

A measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down the organic material in a given volume of water through aerobic biological activity.

116
Q

What is biodegradable?

A

Capable of being broken down by natural biological processes; i.e. the activities of decomposer organisms.

117
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. It includes the concepts of species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity.

118
Q

What is biomass/standing crop?

A

The mass of organic material in organisms or ecosystems, usually per unit area. Sometimes the term ‘dry weight biomass’ is used where mass is measured after the removal of water.

119
Q

What is a biome?

A

A collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions; i.e. tundra, tropical rainforest, desert.

120
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

That part of the Earth inhabited by organisms, that is, the narrow zone (a few km thick) in which plants and animals exist.

121
Q

What is a biotic factor?

A

A living, biological factor that may influence an organism or ecosystem; i.e. predation, parasitism, disease, competition.

122
Q

What is a climax community?

A

A community of organisms that is more or less stable, and that is in equilibrium with natural environmental conditions such as climate; the end point of ecological succession.

123
Q

What is competition?

A

A common demand by 2 or more organisms upon limited supply of a resource; i.e. food, water, light, space, mates, nesting sites. It may be intraspecific or interspecific.

124
Q

What is correlation?

A

A measure of the association between 2 variables. If 2 variables tend to move up or down together, they are said to be positively correlated. If they tend to move in opposite directions, they are said to be negatively correlated.

125
Q

What is crude birth rate?

A

The number of births per thousand individuals in a population per year.

126
Q

What is crude death rate?

A

The number of deaths per thousand individuals in a population per year.

127
Q

What is demographic transition?

A

A general model describing the changing levels of fertility and mortality in a human population over time.

128
Q

What is diversity?

A

A generic term for heterogeneity. The scientific meaning of the diversity becomes clear from the context in which it is used; it may refer to heterogeneity of species.

129
Q

Crude Birth Rate

A

The number of births per thousand individuals in a population per year.

130
Q

Crude Death Rate

A

The number of deaths per thousand individuals in a population per year.

131
Q

Demographic Translation

A

A general model describing the changing levels of fertility and mortality in a human population over time.

132
Q

Diversity

A

A generic term for heterogeneity, which may refer to species, habitat, or genetic heterogeneity.

133
Q

Genetic Diversity

A

The range of genetic material present in a gene pool or population of a species.

134
Q

Habitat Diversity

A

The range of different habitats or ecological niches per unit area in an ecosystem.

135
Q

Diversity Index

A

A numerical measure of species diversity derived from the number of species and their proportional abundance.

136
Q

Species Diversity

A

The variety of species per unit area, including both the number of species and their relative abundance.

137
Q

Doubling Time

A

The number of years it would take a population to double its size at its current growth rate.

138
Q

Ecological Footprint

A

The area of land and water required to support a defined human population at a given standard of living.

139
Q

Ecosystem

A

A community of interdependent organisms and the physical environment they inhabit.

140
Q

Entropy

A

A measure of the amount of disorder, chaos, or randomness in a system.

141
Q

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

A

A method of detailed survey required before a major development, including a baseline study.

142
Q

Equilibrium

A

A state of balance among the components of a system.

143
Q

Eutrophication

A

The enrichment of a body of water with nitrates and phosphates, depleting oxygen content.

144
Q

Evolution

A

The cumulative, gradual change in the genetic characteristics of successive generations.

145
Q

Feedback

A

The return of part of the output from a system as input, affecting succeeding outputs.

146
Q

Negative Feedback

A

Feedback that dampens deviations from equilibrium, promoting stability.

147
Q

Positive Feedback

A

Feedback that amplifies change, leading to exponential deviation from equilibrium.

148
Q

Fertility

A

The potential for reproduction in a population, measured as fertility rate or total fertility.

149
Q

Gaia

A

A hypothesis comparing the Earth to a living organism with feedback mechanisms maintaining equilibrium.

150
Q

Global Warming

A

An increase in average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere.

151
Q

Gross National Production (GNP)

A

The current value of all goods and services produced in a country per year.

152
Q

Greenhouse Gases

A

Atmospheric gases that absorb infrared radiation, causing warmer world temperatures.

153
Q

Habitat

A

The environment in which a species normally lives.

154
Q

Halogenated Organic Gases

A

Potent greenhouse gases known to deplete the ozone layer, such as chlorofluorocarbons.

155
Q

Isolation

A

The process by which two populations become separated, potentially leading to new species.

156
Q

K- Strategist

A

Species that concentrate reproductive investment in a small number of offspring.

157
Q

Latitude

A

The angular distance from the equator, measured in degrees.

158
Q

Less Economically Developed Country (LEDC)

A

A country with low to moderate industrialization and GNP per capita.

159
Q

More Economically Developed Country (MEDC)

A

A highly industrialized country with high average GNP per capita.

160
Q

Model

A

A simplified description showing the structure or workings of an object or system.

161
Q

Mutualism

A

A relationship between species where all benefit and none suffer.

162
Q

Natural Capital

A

Natural resources that can produce a ‘natural income’ of goods and services.

163
Q

Non-Renewable Natural Capital

A

Natural resources that cannot be replenished within a relevant timescale.

164
Q

Replenishable Natural Capital

A

Non-living natural resources that depend on solar energy for replenishment.

165
Q

Rate of Natural Increase

A

The expression of human population growth rates: crude birth rate - crude death rate / 10.

166
Q

Niche

A

A species’ share of a habitat and the resources in it.

167
Q

Parasitism

A

A relationship where one species lives on another, gaining food from it.

168
Q

Plate Tectonics

A

The movement of major and minor plates of the Earth’s lithosphere.

169
Q

Pollution

A

The addition of substances or agents to an environment at a harmful rate.

170
Q

Non-Point Source Pollution

A

Pollutants released from numerous, widely dispersed origins.

171
Q

Point Source Pollution

A

Pollutants released from a single, identifiable site.

172
Q

Population

A

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area and capable of interbreeding.

173
Q

Gross Productivity (GP)

A

The total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time.

174
Q

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

A

The total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time fixed by photosynthesis.

175
Q

Gross Secondary Productivity (GSP)

A

The total gain by consumers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time.

176
Q

Net Productivity (NP)

A

The gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time after respiratory losses.

177
Q

Net Primary Productivity

A

The gain by producers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time after respiratory losses.

178
Q

Net Secondary Productivity

A

The gain by consumers in energy or biomass per unit time after respiratory losses.

179
Q

Primary Productivity

A

The gain by producers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time.

180
Q

Secondary Productivity

A

The biomass gained by heterotrophic organisms through feeding and absorption.

181
Q

R- Strategist

A

Species that spread reproductive investment among a large number of offspring.

182
Q

Smog

A

The term used for any haziness in the atmosphere caused by air pollutants.

183
Q

Society

A

An arbitrary group of individuals sharing common characteristics.

184
Q

Soil

A

A mixture of mineral particles and organic material that supports terrestrial plant growth.

185
Q

Soil Profile

A

A vertical section through soil revealing the soil layers.

186
Q

Speciation

A

The process through which new species form.

187
Q

Species

A

A group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

188
Q

Stable Equilibrium

A

The condition of a system returning to a previous equilibrium after disturbance.

189
Q

Steady-State Equilibrium

A

The condition of an open system with no long-term changes but short-term oscillations.

190
Q

Succession

A

The orderly process of change over time in a community.

191
Q

Sustainability

A

Use of global resources at a rate allowing natural regeneration and minimizing environmental damage.

192
Q

System

A

An assemblage of parts and their relationships constituting an entity.

193
Q

Closed System

A

A system exchanging energy, but not matter, with its surroundings.

194
Q

Isolated System

A

A system that exchanges neither matter nor energy with its surroundings.

195
Q

Open System

A

A system exchanging both matter and energy with its surroundings.

196
Q

Trophic Level

A

The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

197
Q

Bioaccumulation

A

The build-up of persistent pollutants within an organism.

198
Q

Biomagnification

A

The increase in concentration of pollutants along a food chain.

199
Q

Pyramid of Numbers

A

Records the number of individuals at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

200
Q

Pyramid of Biomass

A

Represents the biological mass of the standing stock at each trophic level.

201
Q

Pyramid of Productivity

A

Shows the flow of energy through each trophic level over time.

202
Q

Photosynthesis Reaction

A

Carbon dioxide + water ——-> glucose + oxygen.

203
Q

Photosynthesis Inputs

A

Sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.

204
Q

Photosynthesis Outputs

A

Glucose and oxygen released into the atmosphere.

205
Q

Transformations in Photosynthesis

A

Energy changes from light to stored chemical energy.

206
Q

Respiration Reaction

A

Glucose + oxygen ——> carbon dioxide + water.

207
Q

Respiration Inputs

A

Organic matter (glucose) and oxygen.

208
Q

Respiration Outputs

A

Release of energy for work and heat.

209
Q

Transformations in Respiration

A

Energy transformation from stored chemical energy to kinetic energy and heat.

210
Q

Producers

A

Organisms that convert abiotic components into living matter.

211
Q

Consumers

A

Organisms that eat other organisms to obtain energy and matter.

212
Q

Decomposers

A

Organisms that obtain nutrients from the breakdown of dead organic matter.

213
Q

S-Population Growth Curve

A

A graph showing initial rapid growth followed by a slowdown as carrying capacity is reached.

214
Q

Lag Phase

A

The first stage of an S-shaped population growth curve with low birth rates.

215
Q

Exponential Growth Phase

A

The second stage of an S-shaped population growth curve with rapid population growth.

216
Q

Transitional Phase

A

The third stage of an S-shaped population growth curve where growth slows down.

217
Q

Stationary Phase

A

The fourth stage of an S-shaped population growth curve where population stabilizes.

218
Q

Intraspecific Competition

A

Competition within a species.

219
Q

Interspecific Competition

A

Competition between species that occurs when niches overlap.

220
Q

Law of Tolerance

A

States that organisms have a range of tolerances for abiotic factors.

221
Q

Fundamental Niche

A

The full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive.

222
Q

Realized Niche

A

The actual conditions and resources in which a species exists.

223
Q

Particle Size

A

Determines drainage and water-holding capacity of soil.

224
Q

Soil Moisture

A

Measured by weighing samples before and after drying.

225
Q

Salinity

A

Measured using electrical conductivity or density of water.

226
Q

Turbidity

A

Cloudiness of water affecting sunlight penetration.

227
Q

First Law of Thermodynamics

A

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form.

228
Q

Second Law of Thermodynamics

A

Energy goes from a concentrated form to dispersed forms.

229
Q

Tipping Points

A

Critical thresholds where small changes can have drastic effects.

230
Q

Positive Feedback Loop

A

An increase in temperature leads to more greenhouse emissions, further increasing temperature.

231
Q

Negative Feedback Loop

A

An old tree falling in a rainforest can lead to changes in the ecosystem.

232
Q

What are tipping points?

A

A critical threshold when a small change can have potentially drastic effects.

233
Q

What is a positive feedback loop?

A

An increase in temperature from increased greenhouse emissions and fossil fuels melts ice and glaciers, decreasing the Earth’s albedo, which increases temperature further.

234
Q

What is a negative feedback loop?

A

When an old tree in a rainforest falls, it allows more light for younger trees to grow, potentially taking over the old tree.

235
Q

What is point source pollution?

A

Discrete sources of contamination that can be represented by single points on a map, e.g., Chernobyl and Fukushima.

236
Q

What is non-point source pollution?

A

More dispersed sources from which pollutants originate and enter the natural environment, e.g., cars or industries.

237
Q

What is a primary pollutant?

A

Active emissions such as gas released from burning coal.

238
Q

What is secondary pollution?

A

Arising from primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical change, such as car exhausts.

239
Q

What are acute effects of pollution?

A

Effects occurring after a short period of time, like asthma attacks.

240
Q

What are chronic effects of pollution?

A

Effects occurring after low-level long-term exposure, e.g., air pollution.

241
Q

What are persistent pollutants?

A

Pollutants that cannot be broken down by living organisms and thus pass along a food chain.

242
Q

What are environmental pressures?

A

Factors in an ecosystem that put pressure on an organism’s survival and increase competition.

243
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

A combination of species diversity, genetic diversity, and habitat diversity of an ecosystem.

244
Q

What are hotspots?

A

Areas of high biodiversity that are under threat from human activities.

245
Q

What are endemic species?

A

Species that only occur in one specific area.

246
Q

What is speciation?

A

The gradual change in populations of a species over time, often caused by geographical isolations.

247
Q

What is evolution?

A

The process by which a species adapts to environmental pressures through natural selection of favorable variation.

248
Q

What is natural selection?

A

Survival of the fittest; only the best-suited organisms survive long enough to reproduce.

249
Q

What is geographical isolation?

A

The separation of populations of a single species, often leading to speciation.

250
Q

What are physical barriers?

A

Natural features such as mountains or oceans that separate populations.

251
Q

What is continental drift?

A

The movement of tectonic plates causing changes in the shape and location of continents.

252
Q

What is the lithosphere?

A

The Earth’s crust; the rocky part of Earth.

253
Q

What is Gondwana?

A

The land mass made up of several continents millions of years ago.

254
Q

What is the background extinction rate?

A

The natural rate of extinction of species, approximately 1 species per million species per year.

255
Q

What is extinction?

A

The complete loss of a species from Earth.

256
Q

What are mass extinctions?

A

Extinction rates far greater than the background extinction rate.

257
Q

What is conservation?

A

The act of preserving nature and attempting to save habitats, species, and biodiversity.

258
Q

What are current extinction rates?

A

Approximately 100 species per million species per year.

259
Q

What is ecosystem complexity?

A

Creates stability and resilience to change in an ecosystem.

260
Q

What are limiting factors?

A

Environmental conditions that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of organisms.

261
Q

What is habitat fragmentation?

A

When a large area of habitat is broken into smaller areas, often leading to loss of biodiversity.

262
Q

What is overconsumption?

A

The overuse of a resource to the point that it negatively impacts the ecosystem.

263
Q

What are invasive species?

A

Species that are not naturally occurring in an ecosystem and may out-compete native species.

264
Q

What are the lungs of the Earth?

A

Rainforests, thought to produce around 40% of the oxygen that animals breathe.

265
Q

What is a narrow geographical range?

A

A small area that a species inhabits, making it prone to extinction.

266
Q

What is low genetic diversity?

A

Caused by small populations, making a species prone to extinction.

267
Q

What is low population density?

A

When species need a large area to hunt, making them prone to extinction if habitats become fragmented.

268
Q

What is low reproductive potential?

A

Reproducing slowly and/or infrequently, making a species prone to extinction.

269
Q

What is minimum viable population size?

A

The lowest number of individuals needed for a population to recover.

270
Q

What is IUCN?

A

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

271
Q

What is the IUCN Red List?

A

The conservation status of species based on various factors including population size and habitat quality.

272
Q

What does extinct (EX) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

No reasonable doubt that the last of a species has died.

273
Q

What does extinct in the wild (EW) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

A species is known only to survive in cultivation, captivity, or outside of its past range.

274
Q

What does critically endangered (CR) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

At extreme risk of extinction in the wild.

275
Q

What does endangered (EN) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

276
Q

What does vulnerable (VU) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

277
Q

What does near threatened (NT) mean in the IUCN Red List?

A

Likely to qualify as vulnerable or endangered in the near future.

278
Q

What is UNEP?

A

United Nations Environmental Program.

279
Q

What is CITES?

A

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

280
Q

What is WWF?

A

Worldwide Fund for Nature, an NGO.

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