Unit 3: Interdependence

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to interdependence in ecological systems.

Biosphere

Regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth where life can exist.

Ecology

The scientific study of the interaction of all living things and their environment.

Interdependent Web

All life is a part of this concept, indicating the interconnectedness of ecosystems.

Habitat

Place an organism lives.

Community

All of the different species living in a certain area.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food, providing the most energy and biomass available.

Autotrophs

Self-feeding organisms like plants and phytoplankton.

Consumers

Organisms that eat plants or other animals.

Heterotrophs

Other-feeders, organisms that cannot make their own food.

Primary Consumers

Organisms that eat plants only.

Secondary Consumers

Organisms that eat primary consumers.

Tertiary Consumers

Organisms that eat other consumers, having the least energy and biomass available.

Decomposers

Organisms such as fungi, molds, and bacteria that break down dead or decaying matter.

Apex Predator

Organisms at the 4th trophic level and above, like lions and eagles.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients.

Food Web

All of the overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.

Food Chain

How energy is passed from organisms in an ecosystem.

Trophic Level

The amount of energy available; the higher the trophic level, the less energy is available.

Ecological Pyramid

Shows biomass, number of organisms, or energy levels.

Bioaccumulation

The build up of toxic substances in an organism's tissues.

Biomagnification

Toxins increase in organisms as they are ingested but not digested.

Biotechnology

The exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially using genetic manipulation.

Nutrients

Building blocks of living tissues.

Fats (lipids)

Stored energy.

Carbohydrates

Immediate energy source for organisms.

Proteins

Assembled into the body's parts.

Nucleic Acids

Contain genetic information and store it.

Waste

Energy lost as heat.

Eutrophication

A condition where high nutrient levels stimulate rapid algal growth.

Biotic Factor

A living part of an ecosystem.

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of a toxin in a living organism.

Anthropogenic

Human-induced changes on the natural environment.

Habitat

The place where an organism lives.

Abiotic Factor

Physical or nonliving factor that shapes an ecosystem.

Niche

An organism's particular role in an ecosystem.

Biotechnology

A form of technology that uses living organisms to modify products.

Red Tide

An overabundance of nutrients in the ocean causing harmful algal blooms.

Water Cycle

The movement of water from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back.

Nitrogen Cycle

The transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to soil, living organisms, and back.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus atoms from rocks through the biosphere and hydrosphere.

Biological Pathways

Processes involving photosynthesis, respiration, and decay of organisms.

Geochemical Pathways

Release of carbon dioxide through volcanic activity and rock weathering.

Biogeochemical Pathways

Burial and conversion of carbon from once-living organisms into fossil fuels.

Human-initiated Pathways

Mining and burning of fossil fuels and deforestation processes.

Greenhouse Effect

Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth's atmosphere.

Global Warming

An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere.

Climate Crisis

A term summarizing the dangerous impacts of climate change.

Consumer

An organism that consumes plants or other organisms in an ecosystem.