Ecosystems, Biomes, and Ecological Succession

Primary Succession

Establishment on lifeless ground without soil.

Solar Radiation

Energy from the sun affecting climate and productivity.

Latitude

Distance from the equator influencing climate types.

Convection Cells

Air circulation patterns affecting climate and weather.

Tropical Rainforest

Most diverse terrestrial biome with high rainfall.

Grassland

Biomes dominated by grasses, with few trees.

Coral Reefs

Limestone structures supporting diverse marine life.

Coral Bleaching

Coral loss of color due to environmental stress.

Net Primary Productivity

Energy produced by photosynthesis minus respiration.

r-selected Species

Species producing many offspring with little care.

Ecological Gradient

Variation in species abundance across a distance.

Ecosystem Stability

Ability of an ecosystem to maintain balance.

Biodiversity

Variety of life forms within an ecosystem.

Biotic Factors

Living components affecting ecosystem dynamics.

Microclimate

Small-scale climate variations within a larger area.

Pioneer Community

Unfavorable environment

Trends in ecological succession

Food chains become more complex food webs

Gross productivity (GP)

Increasing during early stages of primary succession then little or no increase during final stages of secondary succession

Net productivity (NP)

Decreasing

Respiration (R)

Increasing

Mineral cycles

Becomes more self-contained in later stages

Nutrient recycling

Increases in later stages

Quadrat

A square frame for sampling stationary organisms.

Population Density

Number of individuals per unit area.

% Frequency

Percentage of quadrats where species is present.

Systematic Sampling

Sampling at regular intervals across an area.

Biomass

Total mass of living organisms in a trophic level.

Diversity

Variety of species or types in an ecosystem.

Genetic Diversity

Total genetic characteristics within a species.

Habitat Diversity

Variety of habitats in a specific area.

Species Richness

Total number of different species in an area.

Species Evenness

Relative abundance of each species in a community.

Simpson's Diversity Index

Measures diversity based on species richness and evenness.

Trophic Levels

Hierarchical levels in an ecosystem based on energy flow.

Sampling Strategy

Approach to collect data from a population.

Environmental Gradient

Change in biotic and abiotic factors over distance.

Benthic Community

Organisms living on or in the bottom of water bodies.

Dry Mass

Weight of organisms after removing water content.

Population Size Calculation

Population size = N1 x N2 / N3.

Impact Assessment

Evaluation of changes due to human activities.

T-tests

Statistical tests to compare two sample means.

Biome

Regions defined by specific climates and communities.

Ecotone

Transitional zones between different ecosystems.

Succession

Gradual change in species composition over time.

Climax Community

Stable community resulting from ecological succession.

Zonation

Spatial distribution changes of species across an area.

Secondary Succession

Reestablishment in areas where communities existed.

Desert

Biomes with very low precipitation and extreme temperatures.

K-selected Species

Species producing fewer offspring with high parental care.

Survivorship Curve

Graph showing age structure and mortality rates.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components influencing ecosystems.

Climate

Long-term weather patterns in a region.

Dichotomous Keys

Used to identify new organisms and determine which species they are

Lincoln Index

Estimates population size using capture-recapture method.

Random Sample

Every individual has an equal selection chance.

% Cover

Percentage of quadrat area occupied by species.

Biota

Collective term for living organisms in an area.

Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment causing algal blooms in water.

Transect

Line along which ecological measurements are taken.

Chemical Test

Analysis of abiotic factors like pollutants.

Satellite Images

Remote sensing for monitoring environmental changes.