Ecology Day 1: Spheres of the Earth

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational ecological terms, Earth's spheres, and essential metabolic chemical reactions.

Organism

An individual living system.

Biomass

The total weight or mass of organisms in a given area.

Biodiversity

The variety of biotic life in a given habitat.

Ecosystem

A community of organisms interacting with each other and their environment.

Abiotic

Non-living components or factors in an environment.

Biotic

Living organisms or components of an environment.

Atmosphere

The gas layer surrounding the Earth, composed of $O_2$, $CO_2$, and mostly $N_2$.

Biosphere

The global ecological system comprising organic materials and living organisms.

Hydrosphere

All the water present on Earth.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer part of the Earth consisting of the crust.

Photosynthesis

The biological process summarized by the reaction $CO_2 + H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + O_2$.

Cellular Respiration

The biological process summarized by the reaction $C_6H_{12}O_6 + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O + \text{energy}$.