Unit 1 Quiz Vocab

Symbiosis

two species living in a close and long-term association with one another in an ecosystem.

Competition

the struggle of individuals, either within or between species, to obtain a shared limiting resource.

Predation

an interaction in which one animal typically kills and consumes another animal

Parasitism

an interaction in which one organism lives on or in another organism, referred to as its host.

Mutualism

an interaction between two species that increases the chances of survival or reproduction for both species.

Commensalism

an interaction between two species in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped.

Native species

a species that lives in its historical range, typically where it has lived for thousands of millions of years.

Invasive species

a species that spreads rapidly across large areas and causes harm.

Biome

the plants and animals that are found in a particular region of the world.

Habitat

an area where a particular species lives in nature.

Estuary

an area along the coast where the fresh water of rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean.

Intertidal Zone

the narrow band of coastline that exists between levels of high tide and low tide.

Reservoirs

the components of the biogeochemical cycle that contains the matter, including air, water, and organisms

Carbon cycle

the movement of carbon around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Nitrogen cycle

the movement of nitrogen around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Nitrogen fixation

the process that converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere (N2) into forms of nitrogen that plants and algae can use

Nitrification

the conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO 3-DAY)

Phosphorus cycle

the movement of phosphorus around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Algal bloom

a rapid increase In the algal population of a waterway

Hypoxic

low in oxygen

Hydrologic cycle

the movement of water around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Transpiration

the release of water from leaves into the atmosphere during photosynthesis

Evapotranspiration

the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration

Runoff

water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers

Producers

plants, algae, and some bacteria that use the Sun’s energy to produce usable forms of energy, such as sugars. Also known as autotrophs

Biomass

the total mass of all living matter in a specific area.

Consumers

an organism that is incapable of photosynthesis and most therefore obtain its energy by consuming other organism. Also known as heterotrophs

Decomposers

fungi and bacteria that complete the breakdown process by converting organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem

Food chain

the sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers

Food web

a model of how energy and matter more through two or more interconnected food chains.