Earth and Environmental Science: Unit 9

Ecosystem

an area where living and nonliving things interact.

Water Quality

the quality of water, typically concerning

Dissolved Oxygen

the amount of oxygen dissolved in water

pH

the measure of how acidic or basic a substance is.

Turbidity

the amount of suspended solids in water, like sand.

Trophic Level

the level in which organisms are separated based on their primary source of food.

Ecology

the study of ecosystems and their interactions

Hierarchy

a ranking

Biotic

living things

Abiotic

nonliving things

Autotrophs

organisms that make their own food, usually through photosynthesis

Heterotrophs

organisms that must eat to obtain energy

Decomposers

organisms that feed off of dead organic matter. They typically are responsible for recycling nutrients.

Fungi

organisms that decompose organic matter

Climate

the overall conditions of an area.

Organismal Ecology

the study of individual organisms and how they came to be

Population Ecology

the study of populations and the interactions within

Community Ecology

the study of communities and how the individual populations interact

Ecosystem Ecology

the study of ecosystems and how they support life

Global Ecology

the study of how all of the planet’s functions support life

Mutualism

a beneficial relationship where both parties benefit from it

Competition

when 2 organisms compete over a resource

Predation

where one organism hunts another organism for food

Herbivory

where organisms typically eat only plants.

Species Distribution

The pattern in which different species are spread out across various habitats or geographic locations.

Dispersion

refers to the way in which individuals of a species are distributed in space, including patterns such as clumped, uniform, or random.

Density

The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume in a given habitat.

Uniform

distribution where individuals are evenly spaced in an area, often due to territorial behavior or competition for resources.

Random

distribution where individuals are spaced unpredictably, often occurring in the absence of strong social interactions or resource limitations.

Clump

distribution where individuals are grouped together, often due to resource availability or social behavior.

Immigration

the process of individuals moving into a new country or region to settle, often for economic, social, or political reasons.

Emigration

the act of leaving one's resident country to settle in another.

Growth

the increase in population or number of people moving into a place.

Carrying Capacity

the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading.

Exponential

growth that occurs when resources are unlimited, leading to an increase at a consistent rate over time.

Limiting Factor

any condition that restricts the size of a population such as food, water, space, or competition for resources.

Proximate Cause

An immediate, specific factor that triggers a response or behavior in an organism, distinct from ultimate causes.

Ultimate Cause

the fundamental reason behind a phenomenon or event, often related to evolutionary biology.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Nitrates

compounds containing nitrogen used by plants

Phosphates

Chemical compounds containing phosphorus, essential for plant growth and energy transfer.

Carbon Cycle

The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment. It involves the absorption of carbon dioxide by plants during photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration and decay.

Nitrogen Cycle

The natural process by which nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms, including stages such as fixation, nitrification, and denitrification.

Phosphorus Cycle

The series of processes through which phosphorus moves through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, playing a crucial role in biological systems.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Biodiversity

The variety of life and species within a given ecosystem, encompassing different plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Habitat Loss

The decline in or destruction of natural habitats, often due to human activities, leading to reduced biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Fragmentation

the process by which larger habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches, negatively impacting species and ecosystems.

Genetic Diversity

The range of genetic variation within species, crucial for adaptation and resilience of populations in changing environments.

Species Diversity

the variety of different species within a given area or ecosystem, influencing ecological stability and resilience.

Ecosystem Diversity

The variety of ecosystems in a given area, encompassing differences in habitats, species, and ecological processes.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to variations in traits, potentially influencing evolution.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that disrupt local ecosystems.

Native Species

Species that originate and evolve in a specific area, playing a key role in their local ecosystem.

Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances and maintain its essential functions.

Disturbance

Any event that disrupts ecosystem structure or function.

Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, following a disturbance, leading to a new community structure.

Primary Succession

The ecological process that occurs in lifeless areas where soil and organisms have yet to develop, often following events like glacial retreats or volcanic eruptions.

Secondary Succession

The process of ecological recovery following a disturbance that leaves soil intact, allowing new growth to occur.