ESS

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