APES Unit 1 Test Review

biosphere

the region of Earth where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on Earth

producer

an organism that uses the energy of the Sun to produce usable forms of energy, aka autotroph

photosynthesis

the process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, produces oxygen as a waste product

chemical equation for photosynthesis

solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + 6O2

respiration

the process by which organisms convert glucose and oxygen into water and carbon dioxide, opposite of photosynthesis

chemical equation for respiration

602 + C6H1206 --> 6C02 + 6H20 + Energy

cellular respiration

the process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds

aerobic respiration

the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

anaerobic respiration

the process by which cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen, doesn't provide as much energy as aerobic respiration

consumer

an organism that's incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms, aka heterotroph

herbivore

a consumer that eats producers, aka primary consumer

carnivore

a consumer that eats other consumers

secondary consumer

a carnivore that eats primary consumers/herbivores

tertiary consumer

a carnivore that eats secondary consumers

trophic levels

the successive levels of organisms consuming one another producers -> primary consumers -> secondary consumers -> tertiary consumers

food chain

the sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers

food web

a complex model of how energy and matter move between trophic levels, illustrates how all species in an ecosystem are connected

omnivores

organisms that operate at several trophic levels

scavenger

an organism that consumes dead animals

detritivore

an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller pieces

decomposers

fungi and bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem

gross primary productivity (GPP)

the total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

net primary productivity (NPP)

the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire, NPP = GPP - respiration

biomass

the total mass of all living matter in a specific area

standing crop

the amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time NOTE: standing crop = amount of energy, productivity = rate of energy production

ecological efficiency

the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another, range from 5-20%, average of about 10% across all ecosystems

trophic pyramid

a representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels

biogeochemical cycle

movement of matter within and between ecosystems

hydrologic cycle

movement of water through the biosphere

transpiration

the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis

evapotranspiration

the combines amount of evaporation and transpiration

percolation

when water is absorbed by the soil and moves down under ground to become groundwater

runoff

water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers

carbon cycle

the movement of carbon around the biosphere through photosynthesis, respiration, exchange, sedimentation, burial, extraction, and combustion

explain each of the following processes as they relate to the carbon cycle:

• photosynthesis

• respiration

• exchange

• sedimentation

• burial

• extraction

• combustion

photosynthesis: carbon dioxide is converted into sugars respiration: sugars are converted back into carbon dioxide exchange: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in water are constantly exchanged sedimentation: calcium carbonate precipitates out of the water as sediments burial: some carbon is buried extraction: human extraction of fossil fuels brings carbon to Earth's surface, where it can be combusted combustion: fossil fuels and plant matter are converted into carbon dioxide and go back into the atmosphere

macronutrients

one of 6 key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur)

limiting nutrient

a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients (for example, nitrogen is a limiting nutrient)

nitrogen cycle

the movement of nitrogen around the biosphere through nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, mineralization, and denitrification

nitrogen fixation

the process that converts nitrogen gas (N2) in the atmosphere into forms of nitrogen that producers can use

• biotic processes convert N2 into ammonium (NH4+)

• abiotic processes convert N2 into nitrates (NO3-)

nitrification

the conversion of NH4+ into nitrite (NO2-), and then into NO3-

assimilation

producers incorporate NH4+ or NO3- into their tissues, and consumers assimilate nitrogen by eating said producers

mineralization

fungal and bacterial decomposers in soil and water break down biological nitrogen compounds (organic matter and waste) into inorganic compounds (NH4+), aka ammonification

denitrification

conversion of NO3- in a series of steps into nitrous oxide (N2O) and eventually nitrogen gas (N2), which is emitted into the atmosphere

leaching

transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater

phosphorus cycle

movement of phosphorus (a limiting nutrient second only to nitrogen) around the biosphere

describe the parts of the phosphorus cycle

1. weathering and mining of phosphate rocks and use of phosphate fertilizer

2. phosphorus released into soil and water

3. phosphorus is used by producers and moves through the food web

4. precipitates out of water to form sediments

5. new phosphate rocks are formed

algal bloom

a rapid increase in the algal population of a waterway

hypoxic

low in oxygen (in an algae bloom, the water becomes hypoxic due to all the dying algae)

dead zone

when oxygen concentrations become so low that it kills fish and other aquatic animals

sulfur cycle

movement of sulfur around the biosphere

describe the parts of the sulfur cycle

1. sulfur exists as rocks

2. rocks are weathered and they release sulfate ions (SO4^2-)

3. SO4^2- taken up and assimilated by producers

4. assimilated sulfur passes through food web

5. volcanoes, burning fossil fuels, and copper mining release sulfur dioxide (SO2)

6. in atmosphere, SO2 combines with water to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

7. H2SO4 carried back to Earth through precipitation

terrestrial biome

geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land

aquatic biome

aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow

habitat

area where a particular species lives in nature, subset of a biome

tundra

cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation, found in Russia, Canada, Scandinavia, Alaska, and the edges of Antarctica

permafrost

impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil that prevents water from draining and roots from penetrating

boreal forest/taiga/coniferous forest

forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons, found in Europe, Russia, and North America, cold temps, low precipitation, and nutrient-poor soil

temperate rainforest

coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation, found on west coast of U.S., Southern Chile, east coast of Australia, Tasmania, and west coast of New Zealand

shrubland/woodland/chaparral

a biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, found on coast of Southern California, Southern South America, Southwestern Australia, Southern Africa, and surrounding the Mediterranean Sea

temperate grassland/cold desert

a biome characterized by hot, dry summers and cold, harsh winters and dominated by grasses, nonwoody flowering plants, and drought-adapted shrubs, found in the Great Plains, South America, central Asia, and eastern Europe

tropical rainforest

a warm and wet biome found between 20 degrees N and 20 degrees S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation, found in Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and northeastern Australia, contains more biodiversity per hectare than any other terrestrial biome, contains 2/3 of Earth's terrestrial species

tropical seasonal forest/savanna

biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons, found in Central America, Atlantic coast of South America, Southern Asia, Northwestern Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa

subtropical desert

a biome prevailing at approximately 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S, with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation, includes Mojave Desert, Arabian Desert, and Great Victoria Desert

freshwater biomes

lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and wetlands

zones of lakes and ponds

littoral zone, limnetic zone, profundal zone, benthic zone

littoral zone (lakes and ponds)

shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow

limnetic zone (lakes and ponds)

zone of open water

phytoplankton

floating algae

profundal zone (lakes and ponds)

region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes

benthic zone

muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean

oligotrophic

describes a lake with a low level of productivity

mesotrophic

describes a lake with a moderate level of productivity

eutrophic

describes a lake with a high level of productivity

freshwater wetlands

aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation, includes swamps, marshes, and bogs

marine biomes

salt marshes, mangrove swamps, intertidal zones, coral reefs, and the open ocean

salt marsh

marsh containing nonwoody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates, often found in estuaries

estuary

area along the coast where the fresh water of rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean

mangrove swamp

swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts and contains salt-tolerant trees with roots submerged in water

intertidal zone

narrow band of coastline between the levels of high and low tide

coral reef

most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline

coral bleaching

phenomenon in which algae inside coral dies, causing the coral to turn white

open ocean

deep ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom

zones of the ocean

photic, aphotic, benthic

photic zone (ocean)

upper layer of ocean water that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis

aphotic zone (ocean)

deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis

chemosynthesis

A process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide.

community ecology

study of interactions between species

symbiotic relationship

relationship between two species that live in close association with each other

competition

struggle of individuals to obtain a shared limiting resource

competitive exclusion principle

states that 2 species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist

resource partitioning

when 2 species divide a resource based on differences in their behavior or morphology

temporal resource partitioning

2 species utilize the same resource at different times

spatial resource partitioning

2 species reduce competition by using different habitats

morphological resource partitioning

the evolution of differences in body size or shape

predation

interaction in which one animal typically kills and consumes another animal

parasitoid

specialized type of predator that lays eggs inside other organisms, referred to as its host

parasitism

interaction in which one organisms lives on or in another organisms (the host), the parasite is benefitted and the host is harmed

pathogen

parasite that causes disease in its host (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists, and helminths)

herbivory

interaction in which an animal consumes a producer

mutualism

interaction between 2 species that increases the chances of survival or reproduction for both species (both benefit)