Carbonate rocks such as sediment, oceans, and atmosphere
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Biotic
Living components of an ecosystem
ex. plants, animals, fungus, algae
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Abiotic
Nonliving components of an ecosystem
ex. water, soil, minerals, air, light
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Producer
Organisms that make their own food
ex. fungus, algae
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Autotroph
Photosynthetic life
ex. plants
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Trophic levels
Producers→ primary consumers (first order consumer)→ secondary consumer (second order consumer) → tertiary consumer (third order consumer)
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Energy flow through food webs
10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Reason: Usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey (heat and waste)
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Primary Succession
Development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life and no soil present (ex. receding glaciers, oceanic lava)
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Secondary Succession
Life progresses where soil remains
(ex. forest fire, old farmland)
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Mutualism
Symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit
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Commensalism
Symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
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Parasitism
Relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients to the expense of the host.
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Carrying capacity
the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area
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R- Strategist
Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring
(ex. insects, frogs, crocodiles)
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K- Strategist
Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, cared for offspring
(ex. humans, elephants, lions)
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Natural selection
Organisms that possess favorable adaptions pass the onto the next generation
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Thomas Malthus
“Human population cannot continue to increase. Consequences will be war, famine, and pestilence (disease)” An economist who hypothesized the potential limiting factors of the human species
Studied by 3 people
