APES - The MOST Important Vocab (Unit 1 & 2)

Nitrogen Fixation

Bacteria turn N2 from the air into Ammonium

Nitrification

Bacteria convert ammonium to Nitrites (NO2) and later nitrate (NO3)

Lightning and fires

Abiotic processes that can also turn atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms like nitrate for plants.

Assimilation

Nitrate and ammonium are absorbed by plants 

Denitrification

Bacteria convert Nitrate (NO3) into Nitrous Oxide —-> galaxy gas, then back into N2

Ammonification

 Dead animals and waste (shi) are converted to Ammonium

geological uplift

forms new phosphorus-rich rock

Phosphorus is absorbed by…

plants, which are eaten by animals

bacteria

animals are decomposed by this, putting phosphorus back into the soil

Provisioning

Products that an ecosystem can provide - Lumber, Water, Fish, Meat, etc

Regulating

Ecosystem provides regulation - Cleans the air, cleans the water, pest control, reduces flooding risk

Cultural

Non-Physical benefit - Hiking, Swimming, Recreation, Ecotourism, Spiritual, etc

Supporting

Support the other three categories - Water cycle, soil formation, habitats, nutrient cycling

Ecological Succession

Gradual change in an ecosystem

Pioneer species

 First species to colonize rocks (Usually moss or lichen) and initiate ecological succession, helping to create soil and conditions for other species.

Keystone species

most important species in preserving the food chain

Primary Succession

Starts from bare rock

Weathering, a lichen breaks down rock to form soil

Volcano Eruption The glacier is exposing bare rock

Secondary succession

Keeps Soil

Must be faster and more common than Primary

Fire, landslide, flood, logging, etc

Species Richness

Number of different species

Species evenness

How population sizes of each species compare (Similar number of each species = High species evenness)

Bottleneck

Sudden reduction in the size of a population, leading to a loss in genetic diversity

Genetic Diversity

Increases an ecosystem's resilience