Chapter 4 Bio

species

species

group of individuals of common ancestry that closely resemble each other

population

all the individuals of the same species in a habitat

community

all the living things in a habitat

ecosystem

community of organisms and their surroundings

biotic component

organisms of an ecosystem

abiotic component

physical environment of an ecosystem

autotroph

self feeding organism

heterotroph

organism that obtains organic molecules from other organisms

consumer

organism that ingests other organic matter that is living or recently killed

herbivores

feed only on plants, primary consumers

carnivores

feed only on other animals, secondary consumers

saprotroph

organisms that lives in dead organic matter, feeds on dead plants and animals and secrete digestive enzymes into it

detrivore/ decomposer

organism that ingests dead organic matter

population size =

(mean density per quadrat x total area) / area of each quadrat

trophic level

different organisms in the food chain

biogeochemical cycle

the process of exchange or flux, circular paths

reservoir pool

large, non-biological and slow moving

exchange pool

smaller, more active and are at points of exchange between living and non-living parts of the cycle

greenhouse effect summary

earth radiates radiation back towards space, heat is absorbed and reflected by greenhouse gases and clouds

greenhouse gases

carbon dioxide, water, methane, nitrogen oxides

environmental change triggered by greenhouse gases

polar ice melt, rising sea level, changing weather