APES Unit 1

Ecosystem

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of the ecosystem

Predator-Prey

Prey provide predators food(themselves), predators control prey population; negative feedback loop

Mutalism

A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits, but the other is hurt

Commenalism

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits, the other is unaffected

Competition

When individuals or species vie for limited resources within an ecosystem

Intraspecific

Within the same species

Interspecific

Within at least 2 different species

Competitive Exclusion

When one species outcompetes another species for resources, driving the other the species to extinction in that area

Resource Partitioning

Using resources in different ways, places, or time to reduce competition’s negative impact on survival

Tundra

Average temperature: -12 C to -6 C

Average rainfall yearly : >25 Cm

Located: in places above the Arctic Circle, on Antartica, and on high elevations of mountains in the world

Ex: Alaska, upper Canada

Taiga

Average temperature: 0 C

Average rainfall yearly: 30-50 Cm

Located: Between the tundra and the temperate seasonal rainforest

Ex: Alaska, Canada

Temperate Rainforests

Average temperature: 4-12 C

Average rainfall yearly : 127-508 Cm

Located: near the cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator

Ex: Oregon to Alaska, Chile, Seattle

Temperate Seasonal Forests

Average temperature: 10 C

Average rainfall yearly : 75-150 Cm

Located: Mid-latitude places between the tropics and the polar region

Ex: Eastern North America (SC)

Tropical Rainforest

Average temperature: 20-25 C

Average rainfall yearly : 200-1000 cm

Located: the equator zone

Ex: Brazil

Shurbland

Average temperature: 10-18 C

Average rainfall yearly : 20-100 cm

Located: middle latitudes, west coastal regions

Ex: California

Temperate Grassland

Average temperature: 5-15 C

Average rainfall yearly: 50-80 Cm

Located: middle latitudes

Ex: the prairies of North America (great plains)

Savanna

Average temperature: 20-30 C

Average rainfall yearly : 75-100 Cm

Located: between tropical rain forests and deserts

Ex: Africa

Desert

Average temperature: 30-35 C

Average rainfall yearly : >25 Cm

Located: between 15-30 degrees from the equator

Ex: Africa, Utah, Arizona

Littoral

Nearshore area of a lake w a high level of biodiversity due to the availability of light and nutrients

Limnetic

The open water area away from the shore. Well lit allowing for photosynthesis

Euphotic

Where sufficient light is available for photosynthesis to occur (includes the littoral + limnetic zone)

Source of water in river & streams

rainfall/runoff, ice/snow, lakes

How does the dissolved oxygen change over the course of a river or stream?

Running faster + colder at the source of the river has more DO then as you get to the mouth it gets warmer and slower so less DO

Intertidal

The area between high tide+ low tide where the ocean meets the land

Photic

The upper layer where sunlight penetrates, enabling photosynthesis

Aphotic

Sunlight does not reach

Benethic

Ocean floor

Abyssal

The deep sea, 3,000-6,000 m deep

Oceanic

Open water

Coral reef ecosystems

highly productive, located in tropical oceans

Estuary

where freshwater from the river meets saltwater from the ocean

Marshlands

wetlands dominated by plants, flooded grassland

Carbon source

Atmosphere

Fast processes of carbon cycle

Photosynthesis (conversion of co2 into food), respiration (release of co2 as organisms consume food for energy), decomposition (breakdown of dead matter/organisms, release of co2)

Slow processes of carbon cycle

sedimentation/rock formation (formation of calcium carbonate settles at the bottom of ocean to form layers), fossil fuel formation (occurs when the bodies of dead organisms are trapped by sediment and form oil, coal, natural fas after millions of years), combustion (burning fossil fuels for energy)

Biggest sink of carbon

Ocean

Formula to measure change to the carbon cycle

(final value-initial value)/initial value

Largest reservoir of nitrogen

Atmosphere

Nitrogen fixation

N fixing bacteria converting N2(nitrogen gas) to NH3(ammonia)

Nitrification

Nitrifying bacteria converting NH3 to NO3 (nitrate)

Assimilation

Plants/producers converting NO3 to organic compounds

Ammonification

Ammonifying bacteria converting organic compounds to NH4 (ammonium)

Denitrification

Denitlrfying bacteria converting NO3 ammonia back to nitrogen gas NO2

Main phosphorous reservoir

Rocks

Why is phosphorus limited in marine ecosystems but not terrestrial ecosystems?

On land plants can access phosphate directly through their roots in the soil (rocks)

Water reservoirs

Ocean (most of earths water, saltwater), ice caps(most of earths freshwater), ground water, lakes and ponds

Steps in the water cycle

evaporation, precipitation, infiltration, transpiration, runoff

Trophic levels from most energy to least

primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, quaternary consumer

Positive feedback

When a change in a system causes an effect that amplifies or enhances that initial change

Negative feedback

occurs when a change in a system causes an effect that counteracts or reduces the initial change, stabilizing the system

Gross primary productivity

The rate at which solar energy is converted into organic compounds via photosynthesis over a unit of time (GPP=NPP+R)

Net primary productivity

The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire (NPP= GPP-R)

How do the wavelengths of light differ in their penetration into the water?

Darker colors, part is blue, can penetrate deeper into the sea

Second Law of Thermodynamics

For every change of energy, there is a loss of energy in it’s usable form (entrophy)

10% rule

In the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is passed on