BIOL 1720 Ecology and the Biosphere

KEY TERMS ONLY

Abiotic

nonliving components of the environment

Above-ground Biomass

total mass of aboveground living plants per area

Abyssal Zone

deepest part of the ocean at depths of 4000 m or greater

Algal blooms

rapid increase of algae in an aquatic system

Aphotic Zone

part of the ocean where no light penetrates

Benthic Realm

(also, benthic zone) part of the ocean that extends along the ocean bottom from the shoreline to the deepest parts of the ocean floor

Biogeography

study of the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that affect their distribution

Biome

ecological community of plants, animals, and other organisms that is adapted to a characteristic set of environmental conditions

Biotic

living components of the environment

Canopy

branches and foliage of trees that form a layer of overhead coverage in a forest

Channel

width of a river or stream from one bank to the other bank

Clathrates

frozen chunks of ice and methane found at the bottom of the ocean

Climate

long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions present in a specific area

Conspecifics

individuals that are members of the same species

Coral Reef

ocean ridges formed by marine invertebrates living in warm, shallow waters within the photic zone

Cryptofauna

invertebrates found within the calcium carbonate substrate of coral reefs

Ecology

study of interaction between living things and their environment

Ecosystem Services

human benefits and services provided by natural ecosystems

Emergent Vegetation

wetland plants that are rooted in the soil but have portions of leaves, stems, and flowers extending above the water’s surface

Endemic

species found only in a specific geographic area that is usually restricted in size

Estuary

biomes where a source of fresh water, such as a river, meets the ocean

Fall and spring turnover

seasonal process that recycles nutrients and oxygen from the bottom of a freshwater ecosystem to the top

Global climate change

altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, due largely to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Greenhouse effect

warming of Earth due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Greenhouse gases

atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb and emit radiation, thus trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere

Haze-effect cooling

effect of the gases and solids from a volcanic eruption on global climate

Heterospecifics

individuals that are members of different species

Intertidal Zone

part of the ocean that is closest to land; parts extend above the water at low tide

Milankovitch cycles

cyclic changes in the Earth's orbit that may affect climate

Neritic Zones

part of the ocean that extends from low tide to the edge of the continental shelf

Net primary productivity

measurement of the energy accumulation within an ecosystem, calculated as the total amount of carbon fixed per year minus the amount that is oxidized during cellular respiration

Ocean Upwelling

rising of deep ocean waters that occurs when prevailing winds blow along surface waters near a coastline

Oceanic Zone

part of the ocean that begins offshore where the water measures 200 m deep or deeper

Pelagic Realm

(also, pelagic zone) open ocean waters that are not close to the bottom or near the shore

Permafrost

perennially frozen portion of the Arctic tundra soil

Photic Zone

portion of the ocean that light can penetrate

Planktivore

animal species that eats plankton

Predator

organism that kills and consumes another organism

Sargassum

type of free-floating marine seaweed

Solar Intensity

amount of solar power energy the sun emits in a given amount of time

Source Water

point of origin of a river or stream

Thermocline

layer of water with a temperature that is significantly different from that of the surrounding layers

Weather

conditions of the atmosphere during a short period of time