Studied by 11 people
Predation
One organism kills and eats another organism.
Intraspecific competition
Competition among individuals of the same species.
Interspecific competition
Competition between individuals of different species.
Competitive exclusion
One species outcompetes another for resources.
Niche
Role and position of a species in its environment.
Resource partitioning
Species divide resources to reduce competition.
Mutualism
Both species benefit from the interaction.
Commensalism
One species benefits, the other is unaffected.
Parasitism
One organism benefits at the expense of another.
Symbiosis
Close interaction between two different species.
Biotic factors
Living components affecting ecosystems.
Abiotic factors
Non-living components affecting ecosystems.
Producers
Organisms that produce their own food (e.g., plants).
Primary consumer
Herbivores that eat producers.
Secondary consumer
Carnivores that eat primary consumers.
Tertiary consumer
Top predators that eat secondary consumers.
Decomposers
Organisms that break down dead matter.
Detritivores
Organisms that consume detritus (dead organic matter).
Detritus
Organic matter from dead organisms.
Food webs
Complex network of feeding relationships.
Trophic levels
Levels in a food chain or web.
Ecological pyramids
Graphical representation of energy or biomass.
Energy transfer in ecosystems
Flow of energy through trophic levels.
10% rule
Only 10% of energy transfers between levels.
Acidity
Concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution.
Turbidity
Cloudiness of water due to suspended particles.
Hardness
Concentration of calcium and magnesium in water.
Dissolved oxygen
Oxygen available in water for organisms.
Salinity
Concentration of salts in water.
Heat flow
Transfer of thermal energy in ecosystems.
Kinetic energy
Energy of motion.
Potential energy
Stored energy based on position.
Open systems
Systems exchanging energy and matter with surroundings.
Closed systems
Systems that do not exchange matter with surroundings.
1st Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created or destroyed.
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
Energy transfer increases entropy; impacts food chains.
Gross Primary Productivity
Total energy produced by photosynthesis.
Respiration
Process of converting glucose into energy.
Net Primary Productivity
Energy available after respiration losses.
Wolves introduction to Yellowstone
Restored ecosystem balance through top predator reintroduction.
Biogeochemical Cycles
Movement of elements through living and non-living systems.
Carbon cycle
Movement of carbon among atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere.
Photosynthesis
Process converting sunlight into chemical energy.
Decomposition
Breakdown of organic matter into simpler substances.
Combustion
Burning of organic material, releasing carbon dioxide.
Phosphorus cycle
Movement of phosphorus through ecosystems.
Major reservoir of phosphorus
Sedimentary rocks and ocean sediments.
Limiting factor of phosphorus
Essential for growth but often scarce.
Nitrogen cycle
Movement of nitrogen through atmosphere and ecosystems.
Nitrification
Conversion of ammonia to nitrates.
Nitrogen fixation
Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to usable forms.
Assimilation
Incorporation of nutrients into living organisms.
Ammonification
Conversion of organic nitrogen to ammonia.
Denitrification
Conversion of nitrates back to atmospheric nitrogen.
Major reservoir of nitrogen
Atmosphere, primarily as N2 gas.
Water cycle
Movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Evaporation
Conversion of liquid water to vapor.
Transpiration
Release of water vapor from plants.
Condensation
Conversion of vapor to liquid water.
Precipitation
Water falling from the atmosphere as rain or snow.
Infiltration
Water soaking into the ground.
Percolation
Movement of water through soil layers.
Importance of trees to water cycle
Trees enhance transpiration and water retention.
Major reservoir of water
Oceans, covering 71% of Earth's surface.
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