apes semester 1 cumulative

Community

All living organisms in an area

Ecosystem

All living and nonliving things in an area (plants, animals, rocks, soil, water, air)

Individual

One organism

Population

Group of individuals of the same species

Biome

The plants and animals found in a given region determined by climate

Competition

Organisms fighting over limited resources such as food or shelter

Predation

One organism using another organism as an energy source

Herbivores

Organisms that eat plants for energy

True predators (Carnivores)

Organisms that kill and eat prey for energy

Parasites

Organisms that use a host for energy, often without killing the host

Symbiosis

A close and long-term interaction between two organisms of different species

Temporal partitioning

Using the same resource at different times

Spatial partitioning

Using different areas of the same habitat

Morphological partitioning

Using different resources due to different physical traits

Nutrient availability

The availability of soil nutrients that determines plant survival

Estuaries

Areas where rivers empty into the ocean and mix fresh and salt water

Salt marsh

Temperate estuary habitat that serves as a breeding ground for fish and shellfish

Mangrove swamps

Tropical estuary habitat where mangrove roots stabilize shorelines

Open ocean

Large marine ecosystem with low productivity per unit area

Aphotic zone

Ocean zone too deep for sunlight to penetrate

Net primary productivity (NPP)

Energy remaining for consumers after plant respiration

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

Total energy captured by plants through photosynthesis

Respiration loss (RL)

Energy plants use for cellular respiration

Ecological efficiency

Portion of solar energy converted into biomass

High productivity ecosystems

Ecosystems with high biodiversity and high NPP

Factors leading to high NPP

High water availability, warm temperatures, and nutrients

Carbon cycle overview

Movement of carbon-containing molecules between reservoirs

Carbon sink

A reservoir that absorbs more carbon than it releases

Carbon source

A reservoir that releases more carbon than it absorbs

Photosynthesis

Process that removes CO2 from the atmosphere and produces glucose

Cellular respiration

Process that breaks down glucose and releases CO2

Direct exchange of CO2

CO2 dissolving into and out of ocean surface waters

Ocean acidification

Decrease in ocean pH due to increased atmospheric CO2

Burial

Slow geological storage of carbon in sedimentary rock or fossil fuels

Nitrogen cycle overview

Movement of nitrogen between sources and sinks

Nitrogen fixation

Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into biologically usable forms

Bacterial fixation

Bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia

Ammonification

Decomposers convert organic nitrogen into ammonia

Nitrification

Conversion of ammonium into nitrite and nitrate

Denitrification

Conversion of nitrate into nitrogen gas returned to atmosphere

eutrophication

Excess fertilizer use causes _____

Leaching and eutrophication

Nitrates entering water systems causing algal blooms

Algal blooms

Rapid algae growth that blocks sunlight and depletes oxygen

Desert ecosystem

Ecosystem with low water and nutrient availability

Tundra ecosystem

Ecosystem with low temperature and limited liquid water

Phosphorus cycle

Movement of phosphorus between reservoirs

Major reservoirs of phosphorus

Rocks and sediments

Phosphorus cycle speed

Very slow compared to other biogeochemical cycles

Weathering of phosphorus

Breakdown of rocks releasing phosphate

atmospheric gas phase

Phosphorus has no _______

Limiting nutrient

A nutrient that restricts plant growth

Phosphorus

Required for DNA, ATP, and bones

Natural sources of phosphorus

Weathering of phosphate-containing rocks

Synthetic

Mining and use in fertilizers and detergents are ____ sources of phosphorus

Assimilation of phosphorus

Absorption of phosphate by plants

Decomposition of phosphorus

Return of phosphate to soil by decomposers

Sedimentation of phosphorus

Phosphate settling as sediment

Geological uplift

Tectonic movement exposing buried rock

Eutrophication

Excess nutrients fueling algae growth

Algae bloom effects

Blocked sunlight and plant death

Oxygen depletion

Loss of oxygen due to decomposition

Water cycle

Movement of water between reservoirs

The sun

Energy source for the water cycle

Evapotranspiration

Combined evaporation and transpiration

Runoff

Water flowing over land into bodies of water

Infiltration

Water entering soil and groundwater

Conservation of matter and energy

Matter and energy change forms but are not destroyed

First law of thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed

Second law of thermodynamics

Energy transfers result in heat loss

Ten percent rule

Only about 10 percent of energy transfers to the next trophic level

Trophic levels

Levels representing energy flow in ecosystems

Food web

Network of interconnected food chains

Food chain

A linear path of energy transfer

Trophic cascade

Ripple effects caused by changes in top predators

Ecosystem diversity

The number of different habitats available in a given area

Species diversity

The number of species and the balance of their populations in an ecosystem

Genetic diversity

The variation of genes within a population of the same species

biodiversity

Higher _____ leads to healthier, more stable ecosystems

Species richness

The total number of different species in an ecosystem

Species evenness

How evenly individuals are distributed among species

Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to return to original conditions after disturbance

Ecosystem services

Goods and services provided by ecosystems that benefit humans

Provisioning services

Products obtained from ecosystems such as food, water, and lumber

Regulating services

Services that regulate natural processes such as climate and air quality

Supporting services

Natural processes that support human life and economic activity

Cultural services

Recreational, educational, and scientific benefits from ecosystems

a

dumb question type a

Island distance and species richness

Closer islands have more species due to easier colonization

Deforestation

Disrupts regulating, supporting, and cultural services

Example of provisioning service

Fish harvested for food or timber for construction

regulating

Trees sequester CO2 and filter air pollutants, which is a ____ service

Overfishing

______ causes population collapse and economic losses

Bees and supporting services

Pollinate crops and increase agricultural productivity

survival

Higher genetic diversity increases _____ under environmental stress

Inbreeding depression

Harmful genetic effects from mating between related individuals

Population bottleneck

A sharp reduction in population size reducing genetic diversity

resilience

Higher species diversity increases ecosystem ____

Island distance relationship

Farther islands have fewer species

specialization and adaptations

Limited resources on islands cause _____

Adaptive radiation

Rapid evolution of one species into multiple species