Ecology

biotic

a living thing

abiotic

a non living thing

abiotic factors

rocks, dirt, water, air, clouds, mountains, temperature, light

biotic factors

animals, trees, plants

atmosphere

air

geosphere & lithosphere

rock

hydrosphere

water

biosphere

living things

autotroph

producer

heterotroph

consumer

producers

any type of plant

herbivore

organisms that only eat plants

examples of herbivores

rabbits, cows, horses

carnivore

organisms that mainly eats meat

examples of carnivores

tiger, lion, shark

omnivore

organisms that eat both plants and meat

examples of omnivores

bears, humans, dogs, chimpanzee

detrivore

organisms that eat decaying organic matter

examples of detrivores

vultures, dung beetles, earth worms

decomposer

organisms that eat decaying organic matter and then break down that material into nutrients

examples of decomposers

fungi, bacteria

food chain

one path of energy transfer through each organism

food web

all possible passages of energy transfers through each organism

photosynthesis

sunlight is captured by the chloroplasts, stored in a chemical called ATP, the chemical is then used to create sugar (food) for the plant, the roots of the plant draws up water, and the carbon dioxide is taken by the leaves from the air and both then release oxygen into the atmosphere

cellular respiration

glucose + oxygen = chemical energy + carbon dioxide + water

primary succession

barren rock land is colonized by living things for the first time

secondary succession

an area that used to have living things is destroyed and then is re-colonized

eutrophication

when a place of water is enhanced by nutrients and minerals leading to excessive plant and algae growth

keystone species

usually a high ranked animal that controls the population of lower trophic levels, therefore keeping ecosystems in balance

biodiversity

the number of different types of organisms within an ecosystem

what’s the significance of a keystone species?

if the keystone species was taken out of an ecosystem it is a part of the food chains would collapse

carrying capacity

a species average population size in a specific type of habitat

limiting factor

anything that slows or causes a populations size to decrease

dynamic equilibrium

when forward and reversed reactions occur at the same time and there’s no observable changes

the carbon cycle

an essential component of cells and life sustaining chemical reactions

what is carbon cycled through?

through living and decaying organisms, the atmosphere, bodies of water, and soil and rock

what are the six main processes of the carbon cycle?

photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition, ocean processes (aquatic photosynthesis, volcanic eruptions, forest fires

what human activities can deeply affect the carbon cycle?

fossil fuel combustion and land clearance can deeply affect the carbon cycle by introducing carbon into the atmosphere from longer term stores

the nitrogen cycle

nitrogen is an important component of DNA and proteins, involves four processes, three make nitrogen available to plants and animals

what are the four processes of the nitrogen cycle?

nitrogen fixation, nitrification, uptake, denitrification

nitrogen fixation

nitrogen gas is converted into nitrate and ammonium which can be used by plants

nitrification

ammonium is converted unto nitrate and nitrite through the work of nitrifying bacteria

uptake

useable forms of nitrogen are taken up by plant roots and then incorporated into plant proteins

denitrification

converting nitrate back into atmospheric nitrogen

what human activities can affect the nitrogen cycle?

fossil fuel combustion and burning organic matter can cause high levels of nitrogen and lead to acid rain as well as chemical fertilizers

the phosphorus cycle

phosphorus carries energy to cells, it can be found in phosphorus rocks and sediments on the ocean floor

weathering

break down rock, releasing phosphate into the soil from longer term stores

how can human activities affect the phosphorus cycle?

commercial fertilizers and phosphate containing detergents enter waterways and can contribute additional phosphate to the phosphorus cycle, forest clearance reduces phosphate levels as phosphate in trees enters soil as ash

step by step process of eutrophication

1. Nutrient enrichment that occurs due to runoff from agricultural fields etc
2. Rapid growth of algae and other planktons resulting in an algal bloom
3. Dissolved oxygen decreases and generation of poisons occur
4. Aquatic species die as a result of the loss of oxygen and the production of dangerous poisons