Environmental Science Chapter 3

4 interacting spheres

-hydrosphere

-atmosphere

-biosphere

-geosphere/lithosphere

hydrosphere

the watery areas of the earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. most of it is found on the surface

atmosphere

the gases that surround Earth, primarily made up of nitrogen and oxygen

biosphere

the portion of the Earth where life is found.

extends high into he air and below the surface into oceans

geosphere/lithosphere

is made up of rocks, minerals, and soil

it includes all of the layers of the Earth's interior

cryosphere

a portion of the hydrosphere that is frozen, made primarily of glaciers and sea ice. this is also monitored to collect data about climate change

ecology

the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment. It is a multidisciplinary science, and is closely linked to other disciplines such as biology, meteorology, chemistry, engineering, geology, physics, and mathematics

organism

one individual living thing

population

group of organisms of one species in one place at one time

community

interacting populations (many species together in one place)

ecosystem

all biotic and abiotic factors in a certain area

ecologists

collect the qualitative data (observations of organisms)and the quantitve data (measurements)

biome

all the ecosystems in a portion of the world with a specific climate

a niche

the unique role of a species within an ecosystem

fundamental niche

the role an organism can occupy without competition.

realized niche

the smaller niche an organism occupied because of competition

habitat

where an organism lives

tolerance

the ability of an organism to survive in changing conditions, such as temperature

specialists

organisms that have limited tolerance and can only withstand small changes in their environments

generalists

organisms that adapt easily to changes in their niche due to large ranges of tolerance

autotrophs

obtain energy from the sun or chemical compounds

heterotrophs

depend on autotrophs for energy

herbivores

eat plants

carnivores

eat meat

omnivores

eat plants AND meat

scavengers

eat animals that have already died. they keep organisms from covering the ground while decomposing

decomposers

break down dead and decaying matter into simpler molecules that can be absorbed

food chains

show the feeding relationships of the organisms

food webs

show many overlapping food chains. decomposers and scavengers are found at every point in the food web if an organism dies

arrows in food chains/webs

show the transfer of energy

examples of atmosphere

ozone, wind, oxygen

examples of biosphere

bacteria, plants, animals

examples of geosphere/lithosphere

rocks, mountains, bricks

examples of hydrosphere

snow, oceans, stream, water vapor, rivers