APES Definitions Review Quiz Material Section 3
Largest Rsservoirs of Carbon
Carbonate rocks such as sediment, oceans, and atmosphere
Biotic
Living components of an ecosystem
ex. plants, animals, fungus, algae
Abiotic
Nonliving components of an ecosystem
ex. water, soil, minerals, air, light
Producer
Organisms that make their own food
ex. fungus, algae
Autotroph
Photosynthetic life
ex. plants
Trophic levels
Producers→ primary consumers (first order consumer)→ secondary consumer (second order consumer) → tertiary consumer (third order consumer)
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)
Primary Succession
Development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life and no soil present (ex. receding glaciers, oceanic lava)
Secondary Succession
Life progresses where soil remains
(ex. forest fire, old farmland)
Mutualism
Symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit
Commensalism
Symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Parasitism
Relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients to the expense of the host.
Carrying capacity
the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area
R- Strategist
Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring
(ex. insects, frogs, crocodiles)
K- Strategist
Reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, cared for offspring
(ex. humans, elephants, lions)
Natural selection
Organisms that possess favorable adaptions pass the onto the next generation
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