Unit 10 (Standard 7) Ecology- Honors Biology Mrs. Castillo

Biosphere

all organisms and the part of the Earth where they exist-- the largest level of ecological study

abiotic factors

non-living factor in an ecosystem, such as moisture, temperature, wind, sunlight, soil, and minerals

biome

regional or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there

biotic factors

living things, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria

commensalism

ecological relationship in which one species receives a benefit but the other species is not affected one way or another

community

collection of all of the different populations that live in one area

ecology

study of the interactions among living things and their surroundings

ecosystems

collection of organisms and non-living things, such as climate, soil, water, and rocks, in an area

mutualism

ecological relationship between two species in which each species gets a benefit from the interaction

parasitism

ecological relationship in which one organism benefits by harming another organism

population

all of the individuals of a species that live in the same area

Species

groups of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring

food chain

a linear pathway of energy transfer from one organism to another

autotroph

organism that makes their own food

autotoph examples:

photosynthetic organisms and chemosynthetic organisms

heterotrophs

organisms that eat other organisms for food

herbivores

plant eaters

carnivores

meat eaters

omnivores

organisms that eat both plants and animals

detritivores

an organism that feeds on dead organic material, especially plants

detritivore examples:

earthworms, millipedes, dung beetles, rollie pollies

decomposers

animals/organisms that break down dead organisms (have special enzymes to do this). This group includes the detritivores, scavengers, and saprophytes

saprophytes

a plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives on dead or decaying organic matter

food webs

composed of many interacting food chains

trophic pyramids

used to show the transfer of energy through trophic levels (steps in the food chain)

Trophic levels

steps in the food chain

10% rule

states that only 10% of the biomass stored as energy in one trophic level ends up stored as biomass in the next trophic level; the other 90% is lost in life processes

competition

occurs when resources are limited and niches overlap; negatively affects both species

competitive exclusion principle

states that two species with exactly the same niche cannot exist in the same habitat due to continuous competition

predation

on species benefits and the other is harmed; predator and prey relationships

symbiosis

organisms living in close association with one another

mutualism

both species benefit

commensalism

one species benefits and the other is unaffected

parasitism

one species benefits and the other is harmed, but not killed

keystone species

a species that has a disproportionate effect on community structure

sharks; wolves

examples of keystone species

terrestrial

of or relating to land

aquatic

of or relating to water

habitat

natural home of a plant or animal in an ecosystem

tundra

a biome near the North Pole, Alaska, and Canada which have an annual average temp of 18 degrees F

types of flora in the tundra

mosses, lichen, grasses, shrubs

types of fauna in the tundra

deer, wolves, foxes, rodents, polar bear

taiga

a biome South of the Tundra, Canada, Northern Europe, Northern Asia which has an annual average temp of 32 degrees F

types of flora in the taiga

coniferous trees, paper birch trees, fir trees

types of fauna in the taiga

black bear, wolves, otter, fox, bald eagle

tropical rainforest

a biome near the Equator, Central America, Madagascar, Central Africa, New Guinea, Southern Asia with an average yearly temp of 70-85 degrees F

types of flora in the tropical rainforest

coffee bean, sugar cane, nutmeg, rubber, banana, cedar tree

types of fauna in the tropical rainforest

orangutan, tucan, tiger, red panda, sloth

temperate deciduous forest

a biome in the USA, Japan, china, Russia, South America, and Australia with an average yearly temp of 50 degrees F

types of flora in deciduous forests

oak, pine, maple, and hickory trees

types of fauna in deciduous forests

bear, hawk, squirrel, deer, mice, earthworms

grassland

biome in parts of Africa, USA, and Asia where the average temperature is from 40-80 degrees F

types of flora in the grassland

grasses, sunflowers, goldenrod, clover

types of fauna in the grassland

coyote, bobcat, prairie dog, antelope, zebra, lion, elephant

desert

biome in parts of South America, North America, Africa, Asia, Australia and has a daytime temp average of over 100 and night low average of 30 Ft

types of flora in the desert

cactus and rosemary

types of fauna in the desert

elf owl, rats, reptiles, kit fox, scorpion

chaparral

biome on the West coast of N and S America, parts of Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean with temperatures 50-100 degrees F. hot and dry winters and summers

types of flora in the chaparral

yucca, sagebrush, Lebanon cedar, olive tree

types of fauna in the chaparral

kangaroo jack, rabbit, road runner, fox, lizards