Studied by 29 people
Open system
Transfer of energy and matter
Closed system
Transfer of only energy
Isolated system
Transfer of neither energy nor matter
Conversion of energy
Energy can be transformed but not created or destroyed
Entropy
The amount of disorder in a system increases of time
Negative feedback loop
Stabilises the system, counteracts change
Positive feedback loop
Destabilises the system, amplifies change
Tipping point
Minimum amount of change to destabilise a system
Resilient system
Maintains it's stability
Greenhouse effect
Trapping of long wave radiation in the atmosphere
Tricellular model
Polar, ferrel, hadley
Carbon cycle
13
Nitrogen cycle
14
Insolation
Amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface
Biomes
Forest, tundra, aquatic, grassland, desert
Ecosystem
Community and the physical environment with which it interacts, linked together by energy and matter flows
Community
Group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat
Zonation
Clear change in ecosystems along an environmental gradient
Succession
Change of an ecosystem over time
R strategist species
Short life span and rapid growth
K strategist species
Long life span and slow growth
Species
Group of organisms that share common characteristics and can produce fertile offspring
Habitat
Environment in which a species lives
Population
group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time
Fundamental niche
Full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive
Realized niche
Actual conditions and resources in which a species exists
Predation
Predator eats prey
Herbivory
Animal eats plant
Parasitism
Parasite benefits at expense of the host
Mutualism
Both organisms benefit
Competition
Organisms compete for a resource
S curve
Exponential growth in population then stationary around carrying capacity (K)
J curve
Exponential growth in population then overshoot and dieback around carrying capacity (K)
Bioaccumulation
Increase in contaminant in an organism or trophic level
Biomagnification
Increase in contaminant along the food chain
DDT
Insecticide for malaria that was banned due to adverse effects on marine and bird species
Species diversity
Richness and evenness of a species
Genetic diversity
Range of genetic material present in a population of species
Natural selection
Survival of species best suited to the niche
Allopatric speciation
Physical barrier leading to speciation
Peripatric speciation
One group is significantly smaller and undergoes speciation
Parapatric speciation
Species is spread out over large geographic area
Sympatric speciation
No physical or geographical barriers but perhaps different niche
Artificial speciation
Creation of species by humans
Gross primary productivity
The amount of energy / biomass converted by producers
Net primary productivity
The gain after respiration by producers in energy / biomass
Gross secondary productivity
Energy / biomass assimilated by consumers
Net secondary productivity
The gain after respiration by consumers in energy / biomass
Maximum sustainable yeild
Less than or equal to net primary / secondary productivity
Pyramid of numbers
Number of individuals at each trophic level
Pyramid of biomass
Biological mass of the standing stock at each tropic level
Pyramid of productivity
Flow of energy through each tropic level
Crude birth rate
Number of births per 1000 per year
Crude death rate
Number of deaths per 1000 per year
Total fertility rate
Average number of births per 1000
Natural increase rate
(CBR - CDR)/10 %
Doubling time
70 / NIR
Natalist policies
Pro or anti increasing birth rate
Natural capital
Natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income
Natural income
Yield obtained from natural resources
Non point source pollution
Coming from many pplaces
Point source pollution
Coming from one place
Persistent pollution
Can not be naturally broken down
Acute pollution
Effect is seen shortly after pollutant
Chronic pollution
Long time effect of pollutant
Primary pollution
Active on emission
Secondary pollution
Arising from primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical change
Conservation
Act of preserving something for future generations
Edge effect
Smallest edge to area ratio for better conservation
Flagship species
Charismatic species that people like and suport
Keystone species
Species that holds the system together
Hydrological cycle
55
Great oceanic conveyer belt
57
Eutrophication
Over enrichment of nutrients in waterbody
Soil system
63
Atmosphere
Nitrogen (78%), oxygen (20%), carbon dioxide (0.4%), argon, water vapor, etc.
Troposphere
0 - 12/18 km
Stratosphere
11 - 50 km
Mesosphere
40/50 - 80/90 km
Thermosphere
80/90 - 800 km
Exosphere
800 - 3000 km
Photochemical smog and acid deposition
69
Climate
Atmospheric behaviour over time
Greenhouse gasses
Carbon dioxide, methane, CFC, water vapor
Greenhouse effect impact
76
International cooperation
78
Ecocentrists
Ecology and nature at the centre (biorights, education, self-restraint)
Anthropocentrists
Humans at the centre (taxes, regulations, legislation)
Technocentrists
Technology can solve all
Significant events
81
Carrying capacity
Maximum number of species that can be sustainably supported in a given area
Ecological footprint
Area of land and water required to support a defined human population
Note 
Flashcard (135)