Honors Biology Test A Flashcards

Flashcards for Honors Biology Test A review, focusing on population ecology, cycles, and ecological organization.

Population Density and Predation Risk

Higher population density increases the chance of encounters with predators, raising vulnerability.

Exponential Growth

A growth pattern where the population increases at a constant rate, resulting in a J-shaped curve when graphed over time.

Logistic Growth

A growth pattern where the population's growth rate slows as it reaches the carrying capacity, resulting in an S-shaped curve when graphed over time.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the available resources.

Density-Dependent Limiting Factor

A limiting factor whose impact on a population is influenced by the population's density (e.g., competition for food, disease).

Density-Independent Limiting Factor

A limiting factor whose impact on a population is not influenced by the population's density (e.g., natural disasters).

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead organic matter, recycling essential nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Transpiration

The process by which water is returned to the atmosphere through the leaves of plants.

Cellular Respiration (Carbon Cycle)

A process that adds carbon to the atmosphere.

Combustion (Carbon Cycle)

A process that adds carbon to the atmosphere.

Photosynthesis (Carbon Cycle)

A process that removes carbon from the atmosphere.

Denitrification

The process that returns nitrogen to the atmosphere.

Nitrification

The process where bacteria converts nitrogen in the soil into ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.

Predation

A biotic factor that affects population size in an ecosystem.

Logistic growth

The pattern of growth a population with limited resources shows.

Population

A group of the same species living in the same area.

Ecosystem

All the living and nonliving factors in an environment, including the interactions among them.

Stimuli

A field of sunflowers facing towards the sun.

Asexual Reproduction

Process where an organism divides and produces an exact copy of itself.

Taxonomy

The branch of biology that names and groups organisms according to their characteristics and evolutionary history.

Ecology

The scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

Photosynthesis

A process in plants and phytoplankton that decreases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Deforestation

Occurs in an area, which has an immediate effect is less water will transpiration.

Nitrogen Fixation

Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by this