Ecology

Advanced Biology

Carbon Cycle

An example of a biogeochemical cycle. Carbon exchange in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide enters plants through photosynthesis and is converted to glucose. Carbon then moves
through food chains.

Water Cycle

An example of a biogeochemical cycle.
-Plants take in water through their roots. It can transpire (evaporation) and reenter the atmosphere.
-Animals drink water and eat plants. They then
respire and excrete water back into the biosphere.
-Decomposition of dead organisms also returns water
to the biosphere.

Nitrogen Cycle

An example of a biogeochemical cycle.
-Nitrogen is used to build proteins in all organisms.
-N2 (atmospheric nitrogen) cannot be used by organisms.
-Lightning and nitrogen-fixing bacteria can bond nitrogen to oxygen or hydrogen to make usable nitrogen
compounds. Synthetic fertilizers can also be added to the soil.
-Plants absorb these compounds from the soil. Usable nitrogen then moves through food chains.
-Decomposition and excretion return nitrogen to the soil.

Phosphorus Cycle

An example of a biogeochemical cycle.

• Does not exist in a gaseous form.

• Phosphorus is tied up in rock, sediment, and water. Plants take in phosphates that are dissolved in water. Phosphorus then moves through food chains.

• Decomposition and excretion return phosphorus to the soil.

Abiotic Factors

A non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment.

Biotic Factors

A living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment.

Food Chains

The food chain is a linear sequence of organisms where nutrients and energy is transferred from one organism to the other. Shows what organism eats what.

Food Webs

A food web is the natural interconnection of food chains and a graphical representation of what-eats-what in an ecological community.

Ecology

The scientific study of how organisms interact with one another and their environment.

Levels of Organization

Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, and Biosphere.

Producer

Photosynthesizing organisms (takes sunlight and makes it into sugars for consumers to eat)

Consumer

Organisms that can't make its own food (feeds on producers or other consumers)

Predator

An animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals (prey)

Prey

What the predator hunts, kills, and eats.

Decomposer

Organisms that break down dead, organic material.

Scavenger

Something that consumes decaying biomass (like vultures)

Detritivore

An animal which feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus.

Saprotroph

An organism that feeds on or derives nourishment from decaying organic matter.

Autotroph

An organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide.

Heterotroph

An organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients.

Symbiosis

Any association or relatioship between two species populations that live together and interact closely.

Mutualism

A type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions.

Parasitism

Nonmutual relationship between two organisms in which one benefits at the expense of the other.

Commensalism

A relationship between individuals of two species in which one species obtains food or other benefits from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.

Ecological Pyramids

There are 3:
Energy
Number
Biomass

Habitat

An environment where an organism lives throughout the year or for shorter periods of time to find a mate (such as freshwater, forest, cave, etc)

Niche

The role an organism plays in a community -- two different kinds of organisms can't have the same role

Pioneer Species

The species that first colonize new habitats (Primary Sucsession)

Climax Community

The final stage of sucsession where a community finally becomes stable

2 Kinds of Sucsession?

Primary - New soil introduced
Secondary - Already soil present

Scientific Method (In Order)

Problem
Collecting Information
Hypothesis
Expirement
Collecting Data
Conclusion

Independent Variable

The change

Dependent Variable

The thing that is measured

Control Group

The normal

Constant

Used to compare.

Problem Form

The Effect of the_____IV_____on the_____DV_____

Hypothesis Form

If the _____(IV)_____ is _____(describe how it changes)_____
Then the _____(DV)_____ will _____(predict increase/decrease)_____