Ecology and Plant Biology Lecture Notes

These vocabulary flashcards cover key ecological concepts, plant structures, biological processes like photosynthesis and respiration, and the carbon cycle based on the lecture notes.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants make their own food, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen as follows: $6CO_2 + 6H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$.

Respiration

The process by which plants use glucose to obtain energy, occurring all the time according to the equation: $Oxygen + Glucose \rightarrow Carbon\,dioxide + Water + Energy$.

Limiting factors

The collective name for factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis, such as light intensity, availability of water, temperature, and availability of carbon dioxide.

Starch

The storage molecule converted from glucose that is kept in the leaves.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found inside chloroplasts in leaves that absorbs sunlight energy for photosynthesis.

Palisade cell layer

The layer of long thin cells in a leaf that are close together and contain the most chloroplasts for photosynthesis.

Stomata

Small holes found in a leaf that allow gases to enter and leave while also helping to control water loss.

Xylem

The vessels within the plant that transport water and dissolved minerals to the leaves.

Phloem

The vessels within the plant that transport food or glucose through the plant.

Spongy layer

The layer in the leaf made of odd shaped cells with lots of air spaces for gas exchange.

Roots

The part of the plant used for anchorage and taking in water and minerals like nitrogen ($N$), phosphorus ($P$), potassium ($K$), and magnesium ($Mg$).

Biomass

The amount of living matter something is made of.

Iodine

The chemical used to test for the presence of starch, which turns blue/black if starch is present.

Community

All the plants and animals living together in a particular area.

Habitat

The specific place where an animal or organism lives.

Food chain

A diagram showing where energy is passed between animals in a particular habitat, starting with a producer.

Producer

Green plants that produce their own food by photosynthesis.

Consumer

An organism that eats something else to obtain food.

Herbivore

An animal that only eats plants.

Carnivore

An animal that only eats other animals.

Omnivore

An animal that eats both plants and animals.

Population

The same type of plant or animal that lives in the same place.

Predator

An animal that eats other animals.

Prey

An animal that is eaten by other animals.

Pitfall traps

Sampling equipment used for collecting data on organisms that crawl along the floor.

Sweep nets

Sampling equipment used to catch flying organisms in meadow land.

Quadrats

Sampling tools usually used to measure the population of plants covering an area of ground.

Pooters

A device used as a sampling technique to collect small organisms.

Transect

A specific sampling technique used to look at the distribution of organisms across a habitat.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Waxy Cuticle

A very thin, waterproof layer on a leaf that cuts down the amount of water lost by evaporation.

Upper epidermis

A line of cells with no chloroplasts that lets light pass straight through and helps prevent water loss.

Lower epidermis

A line of brick-like cells with openings that allow for gas exchange and control water loss.

Food web

Interlinked food chains within a habitat that show how more than one organism eats or is eaten by others.

Pyramid of number

A diagram that shows the number of organisms at each level of a food chain in a habitat.

Pyramid of biomass

A diagram that shows the amount of living matter at each level of a food chain.

Combustion

The burning of wood or fossil fuels that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Carbon cycle

The process by which carbon is removed from the environment primarily by photosynthesis and returned through respiration, decay, and combustion.

Guard cell

Cells that surround the stoma and help regulate the opening and closing of the holes in the leaf.

Stem

The part of the plant that holds it up, providing structure and support, and contains xylem and phloem vessels.

Flower

The brightly colored and sweet-smelling part of a plant where pollination and reproduction take place.