Chapter 3 & 4 - Ecosystem Ecology & Global Climates and Biomes

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100 Terms

1

Producers

An organism that uses the energy of the Sun to produce usable forms of energy. Also known as Autotroph.

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2

Autotroph

An organism that uses the energy of the Sun to produce usable forms of energy. Also known as Producer

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3

Photosynthesis

The process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose

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4

Biosphere

The region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on Earth

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5

Aerobic respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

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6

Cellular respiration

The process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds

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7

Anaerobic resporation

The process by which cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen.

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8

Consumer

An organism that is incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms. Also known as Heterotroph

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9

Heterotroph

An organism that is incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms. Also known as Consumer

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10

Herbivores

A consumer that eats producers. Also known as Primary consumer.

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11

Primary consumer

A consumer that eats producers. Also known as Herbivore

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12

Carnivores

A consumer that eats other consumers.

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13

Secondary consumer

A carnivore that eats primary consumers.

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14

Tertiary consumer

A carnivore that eats secondary consumers.

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15

Trophic levels

The successive levels of organisms consuming one another

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16

Food chain

The sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumer

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17

Food web

complex model of how energy and matter move between trophic level

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18

Scavenger

An organism that consumes dead animals

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19

Detritivores

An organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles.

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20

Decomposer

Fungi and bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem

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21

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

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22

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

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23

Net Primary Productivity (NPP) Equation

gross primary productivity - respiration by producers = NPP

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24

Biomass

The total mass of all living matter in a specific area

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25

Standing crop

The amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time

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26

Ecological efficiency

The proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another

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27

Trophic pyramid

A representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels

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28

Hydrologic cycle

The movement of water through the biosphere

<p>The movement of water through the biosphere</p>
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29

Transpiration

The release of water from leaves during photosynthesis.

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30

Biochemical cycle

The movements of matter within and between ecosystems

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31

Evapotranspiration

The combined amount of evaporation and transpiration

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32

Runoff

Water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers

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33

Carbon cycle

The movement of carbon around the biosphere.

<p>The movement of carbon around the biosphere.</p>
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34

Limiting nutrient

A nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients

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35

Nitrogen cycle

The movement of nitrogen around the biosphere

<p>The movement of nitrogen around the biosphere</p>
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36

Nitrogen fixation

A process by which some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules directly into ammonia.

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37

Nitrification

The conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO3-).

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38

Assimilation

The process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues.

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39

Mineralization

The process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic compounds

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40

Ammonification

The process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrogen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium (NH4)

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41

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrate (NO3-) in a series of steps into the gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and, eventually, nitrogen gas (N2), which is emitted into the atmosphere.

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42

Leaching

The transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater.

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43

Phosphorus cycle

The movement of phosphorus around the biosphere

<p>The movement of phosphorus around the biosphere</p>
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44

Algal bloom

A rapid increase in the algal population of a waterway.

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45

Hypoxic

Low in oxygen

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46

Sulfur cycle

The movement of sulfur around the biosphere.

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47

Disturbance

An event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in population size or community composition

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48

Resistance

A measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem.

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49

Resilience

The rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

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50

Restoration ecology

The study and implementation of restoring damaged ecosystems

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51

Watershed

All land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland

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52

intermediate disturbance hypothesis

The hypothesis that ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels

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53

Troposphere

A layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km (10 miles)

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54

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50 km (10-31 miles) above the surface of Earth

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55

Albedo

The percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface

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56

Saturation point

The maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature

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57

Adiabatic cooling

The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands

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58

Adiabatic heating

The heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume

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59

Latent heat release

The release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water.

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60

Atmospheric convection current

Global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of Earth

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61

Hadley cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30° N and 30° S

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62

Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

The latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge

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63

Polar cell

A convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60° N and 60° S and sinks at the poles, 90° N and 90° S

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64

Ferrell cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells

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65

Coriolis effect

The deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of Earth

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66

Rain shadow

A region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side

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67

Gyre

A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

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68

Upwelling

The upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents

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69

Thermohaline circulation

An oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water

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70

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

A reversal of wind and water currents in the South Pacific

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71

Terrestrial biome

A geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land.

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72

Aquatic biome

An aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow.

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73

Permafrost

An impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil

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74

Boreal forest

A forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons.

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75

Temperate rainforest

A coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation

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76

Temperate seasonal forest

A biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m (39 inches) of precipitation annually

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77

Woodland/shrubland

A biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters

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78

Temperate grassland/cold desert

A biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers.

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79

Tropical rainforest

A warm and wet biome found between 20° N and 20° S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation

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80

Tropical seasonal forest/savanna

A biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons

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81

Subtropical desert

A biome prevailing at approximately 30° N and 30° S, with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation

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82

Littoral zone

The shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow

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83

Limnetic zone

A zone of open water in lakes and ponds

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84

Phytoplankton

Floating algae

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85

Profundal zone

A region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes

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86

Benthic zone

The muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean

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87

Oligotrophic

Describes a lake with a low level of productivity

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88

Mesotrophic

Describes a lake with a moderate level of productivity

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89

Eutrophic

Describes a lake with a high level of productivity

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90

Freshwater wetlands

An aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation

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91

Salt marsh

A marsh containing non-woody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates

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92

Mangrove swamp

A swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contains salt-tolerant trees with roots submerged in water.

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93

Intertidal zone

The narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide

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94

Coral reef

The most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline

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95

Coral reef

The most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline.

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96

Coral bleaching

A phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white

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97

Open ocean

Deep ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom

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98

Photic zone

The upper layer of ocean water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis

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99

Aphotic zone

The deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis

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100

Chemosynthesis

A process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide

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