BIOL 1110 Ecology and Ecosystems Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering basic ecological terms, ecosystem dynamics, biomes, and environmental conditions from BIOL 1110 Unit 2 Part 2.

Biotic Factors

The living components and organisms within an ecosystem that interact with and influence other living things.

Abiotic Factors

The non-living physical and chemical elements of an environment, such as temperature and precipitation, that affect organisms and ecosystem structure.

Organism

An individual living entity, such as an animal, plant, fungus, or microorganism.

Species

A group of similar living organisms capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding with one another.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific geographical area at the same time.

Community

An interacting group of various species living together in a shared location.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms together with their non-living physical environment.

Biosphere

The global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships across the planet.

Biodiversity

The variety of living organisms from all sources within a specific habitat, biome, or across the planet.

Producers (Autotrophs)

Organisms that synthesize their own food and organic nutrients using inorganic sources and energy from light or chemical processes.

Primary Consumers

Herbivorous organisms that feed directly on producers to obtain energy.

Secondary Consumers

Carnivores or omnivores that consume primary consumers for energy.

Herbivores

Animals that feed exclusively on plant material or producers.

Carnivores

Animals that feed exclusively on other animals.

Omnivores

Consumers that eat both plants and animal tissue.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead organic material and decaying organisms, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Trophic Level

The specific position or level an organism occupies in a food chain or ecological pyramid.

Aerobic Cellular Metabolism

A cellular process that consumes oxygen and carbohydrates to produce energy, releasing water and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) into the environment.

Niche

The total functional role, habitat, and environmental resource utilization of a species within an ecosystem.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

An ecological principle stating that two species competing for the exact same limited resources cannot stably coexist, leading to the local extinction or displacement of one species.

Windward Side

The side of a mountain or island facing the prevailing wind, which receives higher levels of rainfall as moist air rises and cools.

Leeward Side

The side of a mountain sheltered from the prevailing wind, which receives dry air and experiences arid or rain shadow conditions.

Rain Shadow Effect

An arid region created on the leeward side of a mountain range because rising moist air releases its moisture as rain on the windward side.

Desert Biome

A biome receiving less than $20\,\text{in}$ of annual precipitation, characterized by large day-to-night temperature variations and organisms adapted to conserve water.

Grassland Biome

A biome with $20\text{--}50\,\text{in}$ of rain per year, characterized by vast open grass areas, deep taproots, burrowing animals, and large herds of herbivores.

Chaparral Biome

A rare biome receiving approximately $10\,\text{in}$ of annual rain, characterized by shrubby vegetation, mild winters, high fire threats, and small or burrowing animals.

Tropical Rainforest Biome

The most biodiverse biome, receiving $50\text{--}260\,\text{in}$ of annual rainfall, with abundant sunlight, four distinct vegetation layers, and no animal hibernation.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome

A forest biome with four distinct seasons and $30\text{--}60\,\text{in}$ of annual rainfall, where dominant trees lose their leaves during winter.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

The northernmost forest biome with cold temperatures, $10\text{--}30\,\text{in}$ of precipitation, and evergreen conifers with dark green needles.

Arctic Tundra

A cold polar biome receiving $6\text{--}10\,\text{in}$ of annual precipitation, featuring shallow soil, dwarf ground-hugging plants, and permafrost conditions.

Alpine Tundra

A tundra biome located at high elevations on mountain tops above the tree line.

Tamarisk (Salt Cedar)

An invasive alien plant species that negatively impacts native riparian ecosystems and species such as the willow flycatcher.