Topic 2

Abiotic

Non living physical factors

Biotic

Living factors

Community

Populations of different species interacting

Ecosystem

Community of interdependent organisms & their interactions

Species

Group of the same type of organism

Habitat

Where an organism lives

Niche

Where, what, and how an organism lives

Niche partitioning

2 species can inhabit the same niche but must have slightly different needs & responses

Fundamental niche

Entire range of conditions

Realized niche

Actual conditions (usually bc of competition)

Interspecific competition

Competition of resources between different species

Intraspecific

For mates between members of the same species

Density dependent

Limiting factors that contribute to determining the carrying capacity while depending on population density

Density independent

Affect the population regardless of size (ex. drought, wildfires)

Human limiting factors

Technology removes natural limiting factors

Direct impacts on biodiversity

Deforestation, wildlife trade

Indirect impacts

Climate change, weather effects

Planetary boundary model

Helps scientists understand how to keep earth in the safe range

Biosphere integrity

The health of the biosphere’s populations, diversity, & ecosystem functionality

Sampling size

Determine with population & resources

Species richness

How many different species there are in a place

Species evenness

How those species are distributed in said place

Simpson’s index

Useful when comparing 2 different ecosystems or to monitor over time

Species identification

Important bc there can be more than one common name for the same organism

Energy flow

Fuels life processes, maintains ecological structure, and ensures sustainability

Inefficiency of energy transformations

Some energy is always lost as unusable heat/thermal energy

Benefits of energy sources

Renewable sources are inexhaustible, carbon free, and cleaner

Drawbacks of energy sources

High costs

1st law of thermodynamics

Energy can’t be created or destroyed but transformed

2nd Law of thermodynamics

Some energy is transformed from one form to another, some must be degraded into less useful form (heat)

Photosynthesis

Organisms absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to organic compounds using sunlight (part of carbon cycle)

Respiration

Plants & animals release CO2 back into the atmosphere by breaking down compounds to produce energy (apart of carbon cycle)

Productivity

Pace at which new biomass is generated with a given timeframe

Biomass

Matter from living/recently living organisms

Gross productivity

Total gain in biomass by an organism/trophic level

Net productivity

Amount of biomass left after accounting for losses due to cellular respiration

Pyramid of numbers

The number of individual organisms at each trophic level

Pyramid of biomass

The total dry mass of al organisms at each level at a specific time

Pyramid of productivity

The amount of energy flowing to each level

Bioaccumulation

The gradual build up of non-biodegradable pollutants in an organism/level over time

Biomagnification

Pollutants accumulating in an organism leading to high concentrations in the predator

Toxins in predators

Apex predators have to eat more bc of energy loss and the toxins stay in their tissue

Burning fossil fuels

Releases pollutants that can decrease photosynthesis and contribute to global warming

Deforestation

Loss of biomass & decrease in available area for photosynthesis reduces carbon sequestration

Urbanization

Land conversion & fragmentation disrupts animal activity

Agriculture

Conversion of natural resources, monoculture, pesticides, water use

Biogeochemical cycle

Closed systems & ensure chemical elements continue to be available to organisms - cycle matter through the env. & organisms

Stores

Where elements are held/stored for varying lengths

Sinks

Net accumulation of elements

Sources

Net release of elements into the environment

Organic carbon

Came from something that is/was living (oil, natural gas)

Inorganic carbon

Everything else (CO2, carbonates)

Carbon sequestration

The process of taking carbon out of the air & storing it

Process of fossilization

Buried organic matter gradually transforms into fossil fuels

Carbon flow

Transfers/transformations of carbon as it moves through the carbon cycle

Defecation

Some carbon is excreted as waste, returning it to the soil where it can be used by decomposers

Feeding

Consuming organisms transfers stored carbon

Sedimentation

In aquatic env. & fossil fuel deposits, org. matter settles to the floor & forms sediment

Death & decomposition

Dead organisms are broken down and org. carbon is converted into inorg. forms

Ocean acidification

Ocean absorbing excess CO2 lowers ph, weakening animal shells and the animals who eat them

Insolation

Amount of solar energy reaching the surface

Coriolis effect

The earth’s surface rotates faster at the equator making winds go at different directions

Biome

A group of comparable ecosystems that have developed in similar climatic conditions

Biome changes b/c of climate change

Inc in temp, greater warming in winter, areas becoming drier, stronger storms

Species response to climate change

Moving towards cooler poles & higher altitudes

Zonation

The change in a vegetation community along an environmental gradient

Zonation causes

Changes in altitude, water depth, tidal level, distance from shore

Succession

The predictable change in a vegetation community over time

Primary succession

Occurs on bare abiotic surfaces (no soil)

Secondary succession

Occurs when an established ecosystem is destroyed

Sere

The different communities in a single succession