Chapter 1: Introduction

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to ecology, biomes, energy flow, and the carbon cycle, based on lecture notes.

Biomes

Regional ecosystems characterized by distinct climate and plant/animal life, which can vary over short distances (e.g., elevational zones on a mountain).

Elevational Zones

Different ecological zones found at varying altitudes on a mountain, characterized by changes in temperature and moisture (e.g., desert, grasslands, pine forests, elfin tundra).

Elfin Tundra

A high-elevation biome similar in structure and species to tundra found above the Arctic Circle, characterized by cold temperatures and specific plant life.

Tilted Biomes

The phenomenon where biomes on mountain slopes are not level but are instead tilted due to differential sun exposure on north- and south-facing sides, leading to warmer/drier conditions on southern slopes.

Range Distributions

The geographical area where a species can be found, determined by its environmental tolerances and limiting factors.

Tolerances (Environmental)

The range of environmental factors (e.g., temperature, light) within which an organism can survive and thrive.

Optimum Zone

The specific range of environmental conditions where an organism performs best and is most abundant.

Limiting Factors

Environmental variables (e.g., extreme temperatures, water availability) that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population or species.

Matter Cycles

The continuous movement and recycling of elements and compounds (matter) through biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.

Energy Flows

The unidirectional movement of energy through an ecosystem, typically originating from sunlight and dissipating as heat at each trophic level.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and other autotrophs use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create sugars (chemical energy) and oxygen.

Producers

Organisms, primarily photosynthetic plants, that convert light energy into chemical energy, forming the base of the food web.

Energy Transfer Efficiency

The approximate 10% transfer of chemical energy from one trophic level to the next, with about 90% lost as heat during metabolic processes.

Apex Predators

Organisms at the top of the food chain, which are typically rare in ecosystems due to the significant energy loss at lower trophic levels.

Sinks (for elements)

Reservoirs or places in ecosystems (e.g., atmosphere, oceans, soils) where matter or specific elements accumulate for varying periods.

Residence Time

The average amount of time a molecule of an element (e.g., carbon) remains in a specific reservoir or sink within an ecosystem.

Carbon Cycle

The biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth.

Cellular Respiration

The metabolic process by which organisms (plants, animals, decomposers) break down organic compounds (like sugar) in the presence of oxygen to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water.

Living and Nonliving Carbon Pools

Categorization of carbon reservoirs, including carbon stored in living organisms (biotic) and in nonliving components like the atmosphere, soil, and oceans (abiotic).

Photosynthesis Reactants

Carbon dioxide, water, and light energy, which combine to produce sugar and oxygen.

Cellular Respiration Reactants

Sugar and oxygen, which are broken down to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water.

Human Alteration of Carbon Cycle

The significant impact of human activities on the global carbon cycle, primarily through burning fossil fuels, deforestation, forest fires, and agriculture, leading to increased atmospheric CO2.

Fossil Fuels

Combustible materials (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) formed from the buried remains of ancient plants and animals, which release sequestered carbon into the atmosphere when burned.

Forest Fires

Fires that burn forests, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, with their frequency and intensity often exacerbated by climate change.

Agriculture and Deforestation

Human activities that significantly contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide by disturbing soil carbon (e.g., tilling) and removing forests that absorb CO2.