Science Revision

ecosystem

ecosystem

the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space

abiotic

non-living factors

biotic

living factors

examples of abiotic factors

sunlight, water, air, humidity, pH, temperature, salinity, precipitation, altitude, type of soil, minerals, wind, dissolved oxygen, mineral nutrients present in soil

examples of biotic factors

animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and protists

competition

an interaction between organisms or species in which both require a resource that is in limited supply example: trees

collaboration

the process where groups of organisms work or act together for common or mutual benefits

example: predators hunting in packs

predator prey

a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey

symbiosis

any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two biological organisms of different species (mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic)

mutualistic

both species benefit

commensalistic

one species benefits, but the other doesn’t benefit or lose

parasitic

one species benefitsm but the other loses

original source of all energy

the sun

how is chemical energy produced

producers take in light energy and converts to chemical energy (glucose)

how is energy extracted from organic matter

cellular respiration in consumers

cellular respiration

Carbon dioxide + Water = Glucose (sugar) + Oxygen

CO2 + H2O = C6H12O6 + 6O2

primary consumers

consume producers directly

for example herbivores, such as cows

herbivores

organisms that only eat plants, such as cows

carnivores

organisms that only eat meat / other organisms that aren’t plants, such as lions

omnivores

organisms that eat both meat and plants, such as humans

secondary consumers

consumers that consume primary consumers, such as mice eating insects

tertiary consumers

consumers that consume secondary and/or primary consumers, such as foxes eating mice

scavengers

organisms that feed on dead and decaying substances, such as vultures

detritivores

heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (Eat not break down), such as vultures

heterotroph

an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients, such as a human

autotroph

an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals such as a flower

detrius

dead organic matter

decomposer

organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms; they carry out decomposition (break down), such as bacteria or fungi

food chain vs food web

FOOD WEBS show how plants and animals are connected in many ways to help them all survive.

FOOD CHAINS follow just one path of energy as animals find food.

biogeochemical cycling

the movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth's crust

resevoirs of earth

hydro, bio, geo, atmo sphere

main forms of carbon

carbon dioxide, glucose in producers, glucose, protein, lipids, methane, carbonic acid, fossil fuels

processes in the carbon cycle

respiration, photosynthesis, consumption, death, decomposition, combustion, diffusion, volcanic eruptions, weathering

main forms of nitrogen

Nitrogen gas, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, DNA + proteins

processes in the nitrogen cycle

•Nitrogen fixing

•Consumption

•Decomposition

•Ammonification

•Nitrification

•Denitrification

primary succession

type of ecological succession in which plants and animals first colonize a barren, lifeless habitat

secondary succession

succession occurs when succession starts on existing soil following the upheaval of a pre-existing ecosystem

primary vs secondary succession

In primary succession, newly exposed or newly formed rock is colonized by living things for the first time. In secondary succession, an area that was previously occupied by living things is disturbed, then re-colonized following the disturbance.