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ammonification
production of ammonia/ammonium compounds in the decomposition of organic matter, esp via bacteria
assimilation
process where plants absorb thru roots
1) ammonium(NH3)
2) ammonia ions(NH4+)
3) nitrate ions(NO3)
autotrophs
producers = organisms that can produce own organic compounds from inorganic compounds
- get energy from
1) sun
2) oxidation of inorganic substances
barrier island
characteristics:
1) long
2) relatively narrow
3) running parallel to mainland
formed by: actions of waves & currents
purpose: protect coast from erosion by surf & tidal surges
bathyal zone
middle region of ocean
characteristics:
- less density of orgs cus not enough sunlight to support photosynthesis
benthic zone
surface/sub-surface layers of river, lake, pond, streambed
chacteristics
- low temp
- low O2 levels
biodiversity
number/variety of orgs in specified geographic region/ecosystem
types:
1) species diversity
2) ecosystem diversity
biogeochemical cycles
cycles where nutrients move thru environ
nutrients
1) carbon
2) O2
3) nitrogen
4) phosphorus
5) sulfur
6) water
biological extinction
true extermination of species, none left on planet
biomes
ecosystems based on land
biotic
living/derived from living things
(biome) chaparral
scrub forest/shrubland
characteristics:
- moderate precipitation
- shallow/infertile soil
- small trees w large evergreen leaves & spiny shrubs
chemotrophs
autotrophic bacteria that use chemosynthesis to produce energy in anaerobic environments
climax community
stable mature community in successive series that has reached equilibrium after having evolved thru stages and adapted to environ
coastal zone
ocean zone where water closest to land, between shore & continental shelf(edge of tectonic plate)
characteristics:
- abundant sunlight
- lots of O2
combusted
burned
commensalism
symbiotic relationship where one org benefits and other is unaffected
commercial/econ extinction
few individuals exist but effort needed to locate/harvest isnt worth expense
community
formed from diff populations in same geographic area
competition
2 individuals(same or diff species) compete for resources in same environ
competitive exclusion
process that occurs when 2 diff species in same region compete --> better adapted species wins
(biome)coniferous forest/taiga
characteristics:
- moderate precipitation
- acidic soil
- coniferous trees
consumers
orgs that must obtain food energy from secondary sources(e.g. eating plant/animal matter)
coral reef
erosion resistant marine ridge/mound
made of:
1) compacted coral(created by cnidarian animals)
2) agal material
3) biochemically deposited magnesium & calcium carbonates
cultural services
use of nature for science and education, recreation, spritual uses
(biome)deciduous forest
charcteristics:
- adequate precipitation
- rich soil w high organic content
- hardwood trees
decomposers
orgs that consume dead plant/animal material
- process of decomp returns nutrients to environ
denitrification
process where specialized bacteria(anaerobic) convert ammonia to NO3, NO2, and N2 which are released back to atmosphere
- last step of nitrogen cycle
(biome) deserts
charcteristics:
- low precipitation
- coarse sandy soil
- cactus & other low-water adapted plants
detritivores
orgs that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter(dead animals/fallen leaves)
- diff from decomposers cus both nonliving & dead consumed
ecological extinction
condition where there are so few individuals of species that cant perform eco function
ecological succession
transition in species of composition of a biological community following ecological disturbance of community
- establishment of biological community in area barren of life
economic extinction
see commercial extinction
ecoregions/ecozones
smaller regions within ecosystems that share similar physical features
ecosystems
system of interconnected elements; community of living orgs and its environ
ecosystem services
benefits that humans receive from ecosystems in nature when they function properly
ecotones
regions where diff biomes overlap, lots of biodiversity
edge effect
greater species diversity & biological density at ecosystem boundaries than there is in heart of ecological communities
energy pyramid
structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers & consumers in ecosystem by kilocalories/meter^2 from largest to smallest
- more energy at lower levels
epilimnion
uppermost most oxygenated layers of freshwater
estuary
part of wide lower course of river where its current is met by the tides
- tide meets stream
euphotic zone
photic, upper layers of ocean water
charcteristics:
- warmest region of ocean water
- highest levels of dissolved O2
eutrophication
warm water becoming overly enriched w minerals & nutrients
--> excessive growth of algae/other phytoplankton(agal blooms)
evaporation
conversion of liquid into gas(vapor)
evolution
change in genetic composition of population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on genetic variation among individuals resulting in development of new species
evolutionary fitness
better-adaptedness of individual orgs for their environ that allows them to live and reproduce --> genes live on to next population
exchange pool
site where nutrients sits for short period of time
extinction
death of entire species aka permanent inactivity
food chain
succession of orgs in an ecological community that constitutes continuation of food energy from one org to another as each consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by higher member
food web
complex of interrelated food chains in ecological community
fundamental niche
niche a species would have if no competition
Gause's principle
no two species can occupy same niche at same time
--> less fit species will
1) relocate
2) die out
3) occupy smaller niche
gene pool
total genetic make up of population
generalist
species w broad niche, highly adaptable, can live in varied habitats
genetic drift
random fluctuations in appearance of gene in small isolated population
- chance not natural selection
(biome)grasslands
characerstics
- moderate precipitation
- rich soil
- sod-forming grasses
Gross Primary Productivity
amount of sugar that plants produce in photosynthesis
groundwater
any water that comes from below ground(duh)
- e.g. wells & aquifers
habitat
area or environ, where org or eco community normally lives/occurs
habitat fragmentation
a) when size of org's natural habitat is reduced
b) development occurs that isolates habitat/part of one
heterotroph
an org that cant synthesize own food and dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition
10% Rule
in food chain only about 10% of energy is transferred from one level to the next
abiotic
related to factors/things that are separate from living aka nonliving
abyssal zone
deepest region of ocean
charcteristics:
- extremely cold temp
- low dissolved O2
- high levels of nutrients bcus of decaying plant/animal matter that sinks from zones above
anaerobic
w out O2
aquatic life zones
ecosystems in aqueous environs
hypolimnion
lower, colder, denser layer of freshwater
indicator species
species used as a standard to evaluate rest of ecosystem
indigenous species
species that originates, lives or occurs naturally in environ
interspecific competition
competition between individuals of diff species
intraspecific competition
competition between individuals of same species
invasive species
introduced, non native species
keystone species
presence contributes to ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would lead to extinction of others
Law of Conservation of Matter
matter cant be created or destroyed
Law of the Minimum
living orgs will continue to live consuming all available materials until supply is exhausted
Law of Tolerance
describes degree to which living orgs are capable of tolerating changes in environ
limiting factor
any factor that controls population growth
types
1) density dependent
2) density independent
(ocean)limnetic zone
surface of open ocean, extends to the depth at which sunlight can penetrate
(ocean)littoral zone
ocean zone w very shallow water at shoreline and extending to depth at which rooted plants stop growing
macroevolution
large scale patterns of evolution within biological orgs over long periods of time
mangrove swamps
coastal wetlands(areas of land covered in fresh water, salt water, or combo of both) found in tropical and subtropical regions
microevolution
small-scale evolutionary changes over short periods of time
mutualism
symbiotic relationship where both benefit
natural selection
Darwin's Theory of Evolution
- only best adapted orgs survive and transmit genes to next generation
Net Primary Productivity
amount of energy that plants pass on to community of herbivores in ecosystem
- amount of sugar plants produce in photosynthesis minus amount of energy needed for maintenance
niche
total sum of species' use of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment
nitrification
process where soil bacteria converts ammonium(NH4) to form that can be used by plants nitrate(NO3)
nitrogen fixation
conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds(ammonia) by natural agencies or various industrial processes
parasitism
symbiotic relationship where one member is helped and other is harmed
phosphorus cycle
cycle which phosphorus moves thru environ in diff forms
photosynthesis
process in green plants and other orgs where carbohydrates are synthesized from CO2 and water using light as an energy source
- releases O2 as byproduct
phylogenetic tree
branching diagram used to model evolution and describe the evolutionary relationships between species
pioneer species
orgs that take root and adapt to conditions of habitat in first stages of eco succession
population
group of orgs of same species that live in same area
precipitation
water that condenses in the atmosphere and falls to Earth's surface in liquid/solid form
predation
when one species feeds on another
predator
species that feeds on anotehr species
prey
species subject to predation by another species
primary consumers
orgs that consume producers
primary succession
when eco succession begins in a virtually lifeless area