APES Unit 1 Review Vocabulary

The study of interactions between living organisms and their environment is called ____.

ecology

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area is a ____.

population

A collection of interacting populations in an area forms a _____.

community

The living and nonliving parts of an area functioning together make an _____.

ecosystem

The part of Earth where life exists is known as the _____.

biosphere

Living components of an ecosystem are called _____.

biotic

Nonliving environmental factors such as sunlight, temperature, and water are ____.

abiotic

Organisms that make their own food using sunlight or chemicals are called ____ or _____.

autotrophs, producers

Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms are ____ or _____.

heterotrophs, consumers

Organisms that break down dead organisms and recyle nutrients are called _____.

decomposers

The flow of energy through one series of feeding relationships is called a _____.

food chain

Interconnected food chains form a ________.

food web

Each level in a food chain or web is known as a ________.

trophic level

Producers occupy the _____ trophic level.

first

The ____ rule states that only 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels.

10%

The total amount of solar energy captured by producers is ___.

GPP

The energy avaliable to consumers after plant respiration is ___.

NPP

The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia is called ____________.

nitrogen fixation

The conversion of ammonia into nitrites and nitrates by bacteria is _______.

nitrification

The conversion of nitrates back into nitrogen gas by bacteria is _____..

denitrification

Plants absorb nitrates from the soil in the process of ______.

assimilation

The decomposition of organic nitrogen into ammonia is known as _______.

ammonification

The continous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation is the _________.

water cycle

Water released from plant leaves into the atmosphere is called ______.

transpiration

The movement of carbon through living organisms, the atmosphere, and Earth is the ________.

carbon cycle

Carbon is returned to the atmosphere from dead organisms by ________.

decomposition

The burning of fossil fuels adds ____ to the atmosphere

CO2 (Carbon dioxide)

The process that converts CO2 and H2O into glucose and oxygen using sunlight is ________.

photosynthesis

The process by which organisms break down glucose for energy is ________.

cellular respiration

The phosphorus cycle lacks a significant _____ phase.

atmospheric (gaseous phase btw)

The total mass of living matter in an ecosystem is called ______.

biomass

The maximum population size an environment can support is its ______.

carrying capacity

The physical location where an organism lives is its ______.

habitat.

The role an organism plays in its environment is its ____.

niche

A species that has a major impact on the structure of an ecosystem is a _________.

keystone species

A species found only in one specific geographic area is called an ________.

endemic species

The gradual process of ecosystem recovery after a disturbance is __________.

ecological succession

Succession that begins on bare rock or lava after no previous soil exists is ________.

primary succession

Succession that occurs after a disturbance where soil remains is _________.

secondary succession

The final, stable community that forms after succession is called the _________.

climax community

The open-water area of a lake where sunlight penetrates is the ________.

limnetic zone

The shallow area near shore where sunlight reaches the bottom is the ________.

littoral zone

The dark, deep area of a lake where no sunlight reaches the bottom is the _______.

profundal zone

Organisms that can live in or tolerate salt water are called _____.

halophiles

Nutrients that limit the growth of producers in an ecosystem are called _______.

limiting nutrients

The two major factors that determine the type of biome are ____ and ____.

temperature, precipitation

Areas with low rainfall and high temperatures are classified as _____.

deserts

Warm, wet regions with the highest biodiversity are _______.

tropical rainforest

Regions dominated by coniferous trees and cold temperatures are called _____ or ______.

taiga, boreal forest

Grasslands found in Africa and characterized by scattered trees are called _____.

savanna