unit 1: the living world: ecosystems

vocab + guided notes + info from progress checks/lab

10% rule

only about 10% of the energy from one level makes it to the next one—> other 90% is used by organism and lost as heat

1st law of thermodynamics

energy is never creates or destroyed

1st order consumer

animals that eat plants

2nd order consumer

animals that eat primary cosumers

3rd order consumer

animals that eat secondary consumers

2nd law of thermodynamics

each time energy is transferred, some is lost as heat

abiotic factor

a non-living chemical or physical component of an ecosystem that influences the growth, survival, and distribution of living organisms and shapes the environment

abyssal zone

no light

aerobic respiration

metabolic process where cells use oxygen to convert glucose into energy, CO2, and H2O

anaerobic respiration

process used by microorganisms to extract energy from organic compounds in the absence of oxygen

fermentation

process where microorganisms break down organic matter (in absence of oxygen) to produce useful substances

assimilation

plants and animals take N in and incorporate it into the body

bathyal zone

complete darkness

very low down in ocean

supports specialized life forms

benthic zone

murky bottom where plants live

nutrient rich

biomass

any organic matter derived from living or dead organisms

biome

larger area with similar climate conditions that determine the plant and animal species that live there

biotic factor

any living or dead organism within an ecosystem that influences other organisms or environment

brackish water

partially saline water with salt content higher than freshwater but lower than seawater

broadleaf evergreen

remains green and retains leaves all year

chemosynthesis

biological process where organisms produce organic compounds using energy derived from chemical reactions involving inorganic molecules instead of sunlight

climate

long-term average of weather patterns over a period of time

climate graph

graph that represents the avg monthly temp and precip

climax community

final, stable stage of natural ecological succession, characterized by a mature and diverse ecosystem with a complex web of interactions that is relatively resistant to change and adapted to its environment

coastal zone

where land and sea meet

continental shelf

underwater extension of a continent’s landmass, characterized by shallow, flat seabeds rich in marine life and resources

coevolution

process where two or more species reciprocally influence each other’s evolutionary changes through interactions

commensalism

benefits one organism and doesn’t impact the other

community

all the living organisms in an area

competition exclusion

an ecological principle stating that two species requiring the same limited resources cannot coexist indefinitely in the same habitat

coniferous evergreen

boreal forests

colder climates

delta

mouth of a river

lots of sediment

denitrification

conversion of soil Nitrogen (NO3) into N20 and return to atmosphere

detritivore

organism that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter from plants and animals

dissolution

a solute breaks down and dissolves into a solvent forming a homogenous solution

ecological succession

predictable, gradual changes in the environment and replacement of one community by another

ecosystem

all living and nonliving things in an area

endemic species

organism only found in one place

energy pyramid

producers at the bottom and consumers going upwards

10% of energy transfers from one level to the next

decomposers don’t occupy one level but help on all

estuary

partially enclosed body of water wherre fresh and salt water mix

euphotic zone

uppermost layer of aquatic ecosytem

enough light for photosynthesis to occur

rate of photosynthesis exceeds the rate of respiration

eutrophic lake

overabundance of nutrients (primarily N and P)

excessive algae and plants

floodplain

flat land adjacent to a body of water subject to periodic flooding

food web

amount of useable energy descreases as you increase as you move upwards in the food chain

fundamental niche

full range of environmental conditions and resources a species could occupy and use

gross primary productivity (GPP)

total rate of photosynthesis in a given area

NPP = GPP - R

habitat

natural environment where a specific organism lives

heterotroph

organism that gets energy by consuming others

hydrolic cycle

driven by sun and gravity

crucial: water, ice caps, glacier, groundwater, atmosphere

indicator species

organism particularly sensitive to changes in environment

intraspecific competition

same species competition

limits pop. growth and maintains ecosystems carrying capacity

intertidal zone

narrow band of coastline between low and high tide

keystone species

if removed would cause eco and ffod to be automatically different , eliminated

latitude

horizontal

limiting factor

restricts size, growth, or distribution of population in ecosystem

• food, water, living space, disease

limnetic zone

where light can reach and photosynthesis

no rooted plants

littoral zone

shallow edges with emergent plants

longitude

vertical

mangrove forest

• coastal

• found along tropical and subtropical coastlines

• salt-tolerant trees and shrubs

• intertidal zone

• dense root systems

• protect coastines from erosion

• absorb excess carbon

• habitat

marsh

• wetland

• frequent inundation with water

• soft-stemmed, non-woody plants, grasses, reeds

• low-lying areas

• transition zone between aquatic and terrestrial environments

mutualism

relationship that benefits BOTH organisms

native species

naturally occurs and has evolved for a specific place

natural selection

organisms with better suited traits to their enviroment are more likely to survive and reproduce

nekton

all aquatic organisms that can actively and independently swim and move through the water

net primary productivity (NPP)

the amount of energy (biomass) leftover for consumers after plants have used the same respiration

niche

the specific role and position a species occupies within its ecosystem

nitrification

conversion of NH into NO3- into NO3 by soil bacteria

nitrogen fixation

process of N2 gas into biologically available NH3 or NO3-

oligotrophic

an aquatic environment characterized by low nutrient concentrations (esp. N and P)

parasitism

use a host organism for energy often w/o killing it — living inside

pelagic zone/open ocean

• low productivity bc only algae and phytoplankton can surveve in most of the ocean

• very large

• produces lots of o2, absorb lots of co2

permafrost

any ground that remains frozen for at least 2 years

high latitude and high altitude regions

stores a lot of carbon

phosphate (inorganic)

PO₄^3-

rly important but in excess causes harm

enters ecosystems through rocks, soil, agricultural runoff, fertilizer, wastewater, detergents

excess leads to eutrophication

photosynthesis (equation)

solar energy + 6H2 + 6CO2 —> C6H12O6 + 6O2

population

group of individuals of the same species

predation

when one organism uses another as an energy source

producer/autotroph

use energy from the sun to make organic matter (eg. sugar/glucose) from CO2 and H20, then consumed by higher organisms

profundal zone

too deep for sunlight and photosynthesis

range of tolerance

range of abiotic conditions within which an organism or species can survive, grow, and reproduce

realized niche

the actual role and habitat an organism occupies in an ecosystem, which is a restricted portion of its broader fundamental niche

reservoir

any natural or artificial location that stores and hold matter (eg. water, nutrients, or energy) for a portion of time before releasing it into environment

resource partitioning

different species using same resource in different ways to reduce competition

runoff

• carries phosphorus into water and soil from weathering and through wastewater from houses

• carries P into water through synthetic fertilizer

salinity

how much salt is in a body of water

species

group of organisms capable or reproducing with each other

topography

physical features of an area

transpiration

process plants use to draw ground water from roots into leaves into gas in atmosphere

trophic level

functional classification of organisms within a community based on feeding relationships and position in a food chain

turbidity

a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by the presence of suspended particles

uptake

the process by which substances are absorved or taken in from environment by an organism

wetlands

area with soil submerged/satured in water for at least part of the year, shallow enough for emergent plants (adapted to have roots submerged in water)

zooplankton

small, animal-like organisms that drift in the water column of freshwater and saltwater environments

unable to swim against currents

temporal partitioning

using resource at different times

spatial partitioning

using diff areas of a shared habitat to maximize resources and space w/in a place

morphological partitioning

using diff resources based on diff evolved bodily features

tundra

• few plants and animals

• low growing vegetation

• short growing season

• cold

taiga

• long, cold winters

• short, warm, wet summers

• lots of large coniferous trees

temperate rainforest

• cooler coastal areas

• high rainfall

• temps are moderate

• lots of vegetation

tropical rainforest

• nutrient poor soil (bc of competition)

• high temps

• high biodiversity

• abundant rain

shrubland

• dense, low growing woody shrubs and grasses

• scattered trees

• hot, dry summers

• moderate, wet winters

temperate seasonal forest

• nutrient rich

• warm temps

• moisture from decomposing leaves on floor

• 4 seasons