APES UNIT 1

Ecosystem

A location on Earth distinguished by its mix of interacting biotic and abiotic factors. Ex. forest, desert, ocean

Producers

Organisms that create their own food through photosynthesis. Ex. plants

Herbivores

An organism that only eats plants. Ex. cows, deer, caterpillar

Carnivores

An organism that only eats meat. Ex. lions, falcons, wolves

Omnivores

An organism that eats both meat and plants. Ex. cockroach, pigs, bears

Detritivores

An organism that eats decomposing organic matter. Ex. worms

Soil

A mixture of organic matter (clay, loam, sand, etc…), minerals, etc…

Symbiosis

The interaction between two different species

Mutualism

An interaction where both species benefit. Ex. bees/flowers, clownfish/sea anemones

Commensalism

An interaction where one species benefit and the other is not affected. Ex. barnacles/whales, spiderweb/trees

Parasitism

An interaction where one species benefits and the other is harmed. Ex. fleas, tapeworms, lice

Biome

A community of abiotic and biotic factors living in a certain climate

Latitude

The geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on Earth

Predation

Hunts and kills prey. Ex. lion/zebra, frog/insects

Opportunistic Predator

Kills and eats anything. Ex. raccoons, crows, coyotes

Specialist Predator

Only preys upon certain species. Ex. koala, giant panda, venus flytrap

Competition Exclusion Principle

Two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot exist. Ex. red/grey squirrels

Resource Partitioning

Two species evolving to divide a resource based on different behaviors or morphology

Niche

Reflects specific adaptations that a species has acquired through evolution

Temporal Resource Partitioning

Two species using the same resource but at different times. Ex. hawks/owls

Spatial Resource Partitioning

Two species using different areas of the same habitat. Ex. Birds

Morphological Resource Partitioning

Two species using the same resource but have differences in body size or shape. Ex. Birds with different sized beaks

Parasitoids

Type of predator that lays eggs inside other organisms. Ex. braconid wasps

Pathogens

Parasites that causes diseases within organisms. Ex. mosquitoes

Growing Season

A period of time where the climate is suitable for plant growth

Limiting Factors

An abiotic factor that prevents the growth of a population. Ex. temp., sunlight, oxygen

Tundra

Average annual temp. is below 5°C (41°F) Cold and treeless biome, low growing vegetation, low temp, little precipitation, low nutrients, low biodiversity, high mts., winds, northernmost regions. Ex. Alaska, Canada

Taiga/Boreal Forest

Average annual temp. is below 5°C (41°F) Consists of trees that can tolerate cold winters, short growing seasons, cold climate, permafrost, low precipitation, and poor nutrient soil. Ex. Canada, Russia

Temperate Rainforest

Average annual temp. is between 5°C-20°C (41°F-68°F) Coastal region, moderate temp., high precipitation, high biodiversity, mild summers/winters, found in narrow areas. Ex. Washington, Oregon

Temperate Seasonal Forest

Average annual temp. is around 5°C (41°F) Warm summers and cold winters with over 59in of precipitation, good level of nutrients and plant productivity. Ex. Europe, Eastern NA

Shrubland

Average annual temp. is above 20°C (68°F) Hot, dry summers with high temp. and low precipitation. Mild, rainy winters with cool temp. and high precipitation. Plants are adapted to drought and fire. Low nutrient soils. Ex. Mediterranean Basin, California

Temperate Grassland

Average annual temp. is between 5°C-20°C (41°F-68°F) Cold, harsh winter and hot, dry summer. Plant growth is constrained by insufficient precipitation in summer and cold temp. in winter, Productive in plant growth, tall grasses, up to 8ft. Ex. Prairies

Tropical Rainforest

Average annual temp. above 20°C (68°F) Warm, wet biome, 20° N 20° S of equator with little seasonal temp. variations, high precipitation, abundant rainfall, high productivity, high biodiversity. Ex. Amazon Rainforest, Congo Basin

Savanna/Tropical Seasonal Forest

Average annual temp. above 20°C (68°F) Warm temp and distinct, wet and dry seasons, precipitation occurs in summer, long dry seasons. Ex. Northern Australia, East Africa

Wetlands

An aquatic biome that is submerged by water for at least part of the year but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation

Marshes

Wetlands that contain primarily non-wood vegetation. Ex. cat tails

Swamps

Wetlands that contain emergent trees

Bogs

Acidic wetlands that contains spruce trees and sphagnum moss

Littoral Zone

Shallow zone of soil and water in a lake and ponds near the shore where most emergent plants grow

Limnetic Zone

A zone of open water in lakes and ponds as deep as the sunlight can penetrate. Rooted plants can no longer survive

Profundal Zone

A region of water below the limnetic zone where sunlight does not reach. Plant and algae cannot survive, low oxygen and nutrients easily not taken up

Benthic Zone

Muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean beneath the limnetic and profundal zones

Open Ocean

Deep-ocean water location away from the shore line where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom

Photic Zone

Upper layer of ocean water that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis

Aphotic Zone

Deeper layer of the ocean that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis

Carbon Sink

Areas on Earth that store large amounts of carbon. Ex. Ocean, terrestrial biomes, plants

Carbon Source

An activity that releases carbon. Ex. Burning fossil fuels, incineration of wastes, decay of organic material

Biochemical Cycle

The movement of elements and compounds through the living and non-living components of Earth’s systems

Photosynthesis

The process of energy from sunlight is used to transform carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the organic matter

Cellular Respiration

The process of organisms breaking down organic compounds to make usable energy, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Decomposition

When an organism dies, it breaks down their organic matter and releases carbon back into the atmosphere or ocean as CO2

Carbon Sequestration

The process of capturing and storing CO2 from the atmosphere to prevent it from contributing to climate change

Nitrogen Fixation

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia or ammonium ions, forms that plants can use

Ammonification

Decomposing bacteria convert dead organisms and wastes to ammonia and ammonium ions

Nitrification

Ammonia/ammonium is converted into nitrates which are readily absorbed by plants

Assimilation

Plants absorb nitrates, nitrites, or ammonium from the soil which allows animals to get nitrogen by eating plants or other animals

Denitrification

Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates in the soil back into nitrogen gas, releasing it into the atmosphere

Evaporation

The process of turning from a liquid into vapor

Precipitation

Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground

Surface Runoff

Part of the water cycle that flows over land as surface water instead of being absorbed into groundwater or evaporating

Seepage

The process through which water or other fluids move slowly through porous materials

Recharge

The surface area above an aquifer that supplies water to the aquifer

Evapotranspiration

The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants

Sublimation

The process in which a substance transitions directly from a solid to a gas

Primary Productivity (PP)

Used as a measurement of how much life an ecosystem can support.

Gross Primary Productivity

Total rate of photosynthesis in a given area. (GPP=NPP+R)

Net Primary Productivity

Rate of energy storage by photosynthesizers in a given area after subtracting the energy lost to respiration. (NPP=GPP-R)

Primary Producers

Organisms undergoing photosynthesis

Primary Consumers

Organisms that eat the primary producers

Secondary Consumers

Organisms that eat other non-producers

Tertiary Consumers

Organisms that feed on secondary consumers

Biomass

Total mass of living organisms in a given area at a specific time

Solar Flux

Amount of solar energy received per unit area at a given location

Respiration

Converting sugars into carbon dioxide and water, releasing the energy stored in chemical bonds

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed

Second Law of Thermodynamics

The total entropy of an isolated system always increases over time or remains constant in ideal cases, but never decreases

Food Web

The natural interconnection of food chains

Positive Feedback Loop

A process where the output of a system amplifies or increases the initial input, leading to a reinforcing cycle

Negative Feedback Loop

A process in which a change in a system triggers a response that counteracts or dampens that change, bringing the system closer to a stable state