APES Unit 1

abiotic factor

A nonliving part of an organism's habitat.

biotic factor

Any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact

biome

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms

temperature

A measure of the average energy of motion of the particles of a substance.

precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface.

competition

A common demand by two or more organisms upon a limited supply of a resource; for example, food, water, light, space, mates, nesting sites.

Intraspecific competition

Competition among individuals of the same species.

Interspecific competition

competition between individuals of different species

symbiosis

A close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.

commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

Parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

predation

An interaction in which one organism kills another for food.

predator

An animal that hunts other animals for food

prey

An organism that is killed and eaten by another organism

parasite

An organism that feeds on a living host

host

An animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite

ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

terrestrial

relating to the land

aquatic

Associated with a water environment.

carbon cycle

The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again

nitrogen cycle

the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.

phosphorus cycle

The movement of phosphorus atoms from rocks through the biosphere and hydrosphere and back to rocks.

Hydrologic Cycle

The cycle through which water in the hydrosphere moves; includes such processes as evaporation, precipitation, and surface and groundwater runoff

food chain

A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten

food web

A community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains and feeding relationships

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed.

Second Law of thermodynamics

Every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe; decreases energy efficiency

trophic level

each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.

10% rule

Only 10% of the total energy produced at each trophic level is available to the next level. The amount of energy passed up to the levels of the food pyramid reduces as you go up.

primary producer

An autotroph, usually a photosynthetic organism. Collectively, autotrophs make up the trophic level of an ecosystem that ultimately supports all other levels.

gross primary productivity

The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

net primary productivity

The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

primary consumer

An organism that eats producers; herbivore

secondary consumer

A carnivore that eats primary consumers

apex predator

residing at the top of a food chain upon which no other creatures prey

biogeochemical cycles

The movement of abiotic factors between the living and nonliving components within ecosystems; also known as nutrient cycles (i.e., water cycle, carbon cycle, phosphorus cycle, and nitrogen cycle).

reservoir (sink)

a place where matter is collected, accumulated, or stored in great amount

source

a place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained.

chaparral

A scrubland biome of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at midlatitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore; characterized by mild, rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers.

desert

An extremely dry biome with little water and few plants

Taiga (Boreal Forest)

Biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw

tundra

An extremely cold, dry biome.

temperate rainforest

a biome; moderate temperatures and high precipitation typify this biome

temperate seasonal forest

A biome with warmer summers and colder winters than temperate rainforests and dominated by deciduous trees.

tropical rainforest

biome near the equator with warm climate wet weather and lush plant growth

shrubland

Arid terrestrial biome characterized by shrubs and tending to occur along coasts that have dry summers and receive most of their rainfall in the winter.

temperate grassland

biome characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species

savanna

a grassy plain biome in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.

ocean biome

vast realm of open blue water, constantly mixed by wind, oceanic currents, surface waters turnover, covers 70% of earth's surface

coral reef biome

occurs in the photic zone of warm tropical waters in scattered locations around the globe

freshwater biome

Aquatic biomes that include lakes, streams, rivers and ponds. Salt concentration of less than 1%.

marine biome

aquatic biome in the salt water of the ocean

marshland

low lying wetlands usually with grassy vegetation

estuary

A habitat in which the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of the ocean.

Intertidal zones

The coastline where the ocean meets the land and the shore is covered by waves during high tide and exposed to the sun and drying winds during low tide

photosynthesis

process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as sugars and starches

cellular respiration

Process that releases energy by breaking down glucose and other food molecules in the presence of oxygen

Nitrogen fixation

the chemical processes by which atmospheric nitrogen is assimilated into organic compounds, especially by certain microorganisms as part of the nitrogen cycle.

atmosphere

the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.

biosphere

Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.

hydrosphere

All the water at and near the surface of the earth, 97% of which is in oceans

lithosphere

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

geosphere

all of the rock at and below Earth's surface

biomass

A measure of the total dry mass of organisms within a particular region

energy pyramid

A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web

feedback loop

Occurs when an output of matter, energy, or information is fed back into the system as an input and leads to changes in that system.

Nitrification

Ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate ions (NO3)-

Denitrification

process in which fixed nitrogen compounds are converted back into nitrogen gas and returned to the atmosphere

Decomposition

A chemical reaction that breaks down compounds into simpler products.

decomposers

an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.

detritivore

organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter

infiltration

Downward movement of water through soil.

transpiration

the emission of water vapor from the leaves of plants

runoff

Part of the water cycle where an excess of water runs down and does not sink into the soil and eventually makes it to the rivers, lakes, and oceans.

resource partitioning

When species divide a niche to avoid competition for resources

largest freshwater reservoir

ice caps and glaciers hold 68.7% of fresh water

evaporation

The change of a substance from a liquid to a gas (vapor)

Law of Conservation of Matter

Matter is not created nor destroyed in any chemical or physical change

nutrient

Compounds in food that living organisms require for proper growth, maintenance, and functioning