River And Environmental - Unit 2

Species

The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and their physical surroundings.

Habitat

The environment in which a species normally lives.

Biotic Factors

The living components of an ecosystem, including organisms and their interactions.

Abiotic Factors

A non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment.

Niche

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

Fundamental Niche

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

Realized Niche

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

Intraspecific Competition

Exists between member of the same species.

Interspecific Competition

Exists between members of different species.

Predation

The consumption of one organism by another.

Herbivory

The consumption of green plants.

Carnivore

The consumption of both plant and other organisms.

Parasitism

a relationship between two species in which one species lives in or on another, gaining its food from it.

Mutualism

A relationship between two or more species in which all parties benefit and none suffer.

Population Density

The average number of individuals in a stated area.

Population Growth

The natural increase within a population.

Limiting Factors

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

S-curve

Population growth that begins with a slower phase then starts to grow rapidly through the abundance of resources and then stabilizes in a stationary phase when resources become limited.

J-curve

A boom and bust population growth pattern; the population grows exponentially until overshooting its carrying capacity, resulting in a collapse or dieback.

Community

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

Ecosystem

A community of interdependent organisms and the physical environment it interacts with.

Photosynthesis

The process plants make their own food by converting light energy to chemical energy which is stored in biomass.

Photosynthesis Equation

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light --> C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Respiration

The conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and
water in all living organisms, releasing energy available to living organisms but lost as heat.

Trophic Level

The position that an organism occupies in a food chain.

Producers

Converts abiotic components into living matter.

Autotrophs

Producers that can create their own food using photosynthesis.

Consumers

Pass energy and biomass from
producers through to top carnivores and feed on Autotrophs or other Heterotrophs to obtain Energy.

Heterotroph

Organisms that cannot make their own food so they must eat organisms.

Decomposers

Obtains food and nutrients from the breaking down of dead organic matter.

Bioaccumulation

The build up of non-biodegradable pollutant within an organism or trophic level.

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of non-biodegradable pollutants in a food chain.

Ecological Efficiency

The percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Productivity

Production of biomass per unit area per unit time.

Primary Productivity

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

Secondary Productivity

The biomass gained by heterotrophic organisms, through feed and absorption.

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

Max flow of given resource such that the stock does not decline over time; the highest rate of harvesting that does not lead to a reduction in the original natural capital.

Eutrophication

Excessive nutrients in a lake or other body of water, usually caused by runoff of nutrients from the land, causes a dense growth of plant life.

Biome

A major biotic community characterized by the dominant forms of plant life and the prevailing climate.

Latitude

The measurement of distance north or south of the Equator.

Zonation

The distribution of plants or animals into specific zones according to such parameters as altitude or depth, each characterized by its dominant species.

Sere

The change in communities from the earliest Pioneer community to the final Climax community.

Pioneer Community

The first Seral Stage of a succession; contains hardy species able to withstand difficult conditions; the simplest of all succession communities.

Climax Community

The final Seral Stage of a succession; much more complex and stable than earlier Seral Stages; in a State of Equilibrium.

Plagioclimax

Altered succession of an ecosystem resulting from human interferences such as footpath erosion, agriculture, hunting, deforestation, fire, or grazing.

K strategist

Few offspring, long gestation period, long parental care period, and long period of sexual maturity.

R Strategist

Lots of offspring, short gestation, short period of parental care, short period of sexual maturity.

Gershmel Nutrient Cycle

A model shows the amount of nutrients that are flowing around an ecosystem as well as the sizes of different stores.

Boreal Forest Biome

Warm, rainy summers; very cold winters with heavy snow; trees produce cones with seeds that are eaten by many animals.

Deciduous Forest Biome

Warm summers, cold winters; receives at least 50cm of rain each year; trees shed their leaves and grow new ones each year.

Desert Biome

Hot during the day, cool and cold during the night; very dry; organisms are adapted to extreme dry conditions.

Grassland Biome

Receives between 25 and 75cm per year; populated by grasses and large herbivores.

Rain Forest Biome

Warm temp. all year; very wet and humid; greatest amount of species in any biome.

Tundra Biome

Extremely cold winters, warmer summers; windy; very dry; no trees, only low-growing plants.