UNIT 1 APESREVIEW

control variable

any variable that's held constant in a research study; the variable that is not being tested

purpose of control group

serve as important benchmarks to compare the results of the experimental group, or the group that is being experimented on (does not receive the independent variable)

order of scientific method

observation, question, hypothesis, experiment, observation, analysis, conclusion

What two main factors that determine climate and therefore plant growth?

temperature and precipitation

ammonia

lightning breaks down atmospheric nitrogen into \_______

ammonia

nitrogen fixation makes \_______

nitrogen dioxide

when mixed with water vapor this forms acid rain

infiltration

when water enters the ground

testable

hypothesis must be \_______ and not an opinionated statement

evaporation

When water leaves a body of water after it is heated, the process is called \________.

precipiation

When water falls from the sky, the process is known as \________.

transpiration

When water evaporates from a leaf, this process is called \________.

surface runoff

the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface, a path that water takes after precipitation

aquifer

a body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater

condensation

\________ is the process that turns water vapor into liquid, which causes the formation of a cloud.

water cycle sinks

atmosphere and hydrosphere

carbon cycle sinks

geosphere

nitrogen cycle sinks

atmosphere

phosphorus cycle

geosphere

sulfur cycle

underground in rocks, minerals & fossil fuels

The Phosphorus Cycle

Which cycle has no gaseous phase?

steps of nitrogen cycle

nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, decomposition/ammonification, denitrification

nitrogen fixation

converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is absorbed by organisms

nitrification

converts ammonia or reduced nitrogen compounds into the easily absorbable form of nitrogen that is nitrate and nitrites

denitrification

reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen and returns it to the atmosphere

assimilation

uptake by animals, converts the nitrogen into protein or DNA

nitrogen-fixing

Only special bacteria can directly use nitrogen in our atmosphere and "fix" it so other organisms can benefit. These bacteria are called \________-\________ bacteria.

ammonia, nitrate

Animal waste decay by the action of bacteria create \________ and \________ products rich in nitrogen, and useful for plants to use again.

denitrificating

\________ bacteria in the soil can break down the ammonia into the gaseous form of nitrogen, which is not available for use by plants or animals.

role of legumes in the nitrogen cycle

nitrogen-fixing bacteria are in root nodules of legumes

Plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Deforestation, respiration, and the burning of fossil fuels put CO2 into the atmosphere.

What are ways carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere and put back into the atmosphere?

Carbon is returned to the environment through respiration (breakdown of sugar or other organic compounds), combustion (burning of organic materials, including fossil fuels), and erosion.

How is carbon returned to the environment?

During photosynthesis, light energy converts carbon dioxide and water (the reactants) into glucose and oxygen (the products).

What are the reactants and products for photosynthesis?

During cellular respiration, the reactants—glucose (sugar) and oxygen—combine together to form new products: carbon dioxide molecules and water molecules. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is produced as the form of energy that can be used for other cellular processes.

What are the reactants and products for cellular respiration?

Biotic factors are living things within an ecosystem; such as plants, animals, and bacteria, while abiotic are non-living components; such as water, soil and atmosphere.

Define abiotic and biotic.

paratism

symbiosis where one organism receives a benefit but the other is harmed

mutualism

a symbiotic relationship between two species where both receive a benefit that results in an increased chance of survival and reproduction

commensalism

species interactions where one species receives a benefit and the other species is unaffected by the interaction

competition

individuals from different species or from the same species struggle to obtain the same limiting resource; harms both species and species work to avoid it

predation

a common feeding behavior of natural animals, plants, and microorganisms where one species feeds on another for its survival

ecosystem

an interaction of the living and non-living components in an environment

biome

a community on a global scale, where habitats flank each other, and is usually defined by the temperature, precipitation, and types of plants and animals that inhabit it

community

includes plants, animals and other life forms in their environment

population

a group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area

individual/ organism

a living unit of nature and is the most basic unit of ecological hierarchy

biosphere organization in order from greatest to least

biome, ecosystem, community, population, individual

Out of the four biogeochemical cycles, which two play a role in providing important soil nutrients to plants?

carbon and water cycle? (my guess)

On average, only about 10 percent of energy stored as biomass in a trophic level is passed from one level to the next. This is known as "the 10 percent rule" and it limits the number of trophic levels an ecosystem can support.

10% rule for energy transfer in food chains

primary producers (100%), primary consumers (10%), secondary consumers (1%), tertiary consumers, (0.1%), apex predators (0.01%)

Energy and biomass pyramid

The number of organisms at each level decreases relative to the level below because there is less energy available to support those organisms. The top level of an energy pyramid has the fewest organisms because it has the least amount of energy (10% rule).

Why are energy/biomass pyramids so small at the top?

Respiration rate

the decrease in DO over time

Gross Primary Production (GPP)

the total rate at which material is produced

Net Primary Production (NPP)

the rate at which material is accumulated in excess of respiration

NPP \= GPP - R

formula for NPP

producer

an organism that creates its own food or energy

primary consumers

organisms that acquire their energy from sunlight and materials from nonliving sources

secondary consumers

animals that feed on plants

tertiary consumers

animals that eat other animals

scavenger

an organism that mostly consumes decaying biomass, such as meat or rotting plant material

detritivore

an organism that feeds on dead and decomposing organic matter

decomposer

an organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter.

heterotroph

an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients

autotroph

organism that are able to make their own food from raw materials and energy