US Constitution Test

Ecology

the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

What are the 3 primary methods used by scientists to study ecology?

Observation, Experimentation, Modeling

Climate

is over long period of time

Weather

over a week or few days

How does the greenhouse effect play a role in Global Temperatures/climate zones?

Carbon dioxide gets trapped in the atmosphere and heats up which creates global warming and climate change

How does the uneven heating of the earth create different climate zones?

Tilt of the Earth

Tropical zone

most sunlight

Temperate zone

seasons

Polar zone

least amount of sun

How do ocean currents affect regional temperature/climate zones?

Long coastal areas help regulate the temperatures. Warm waters go north. Cold waters go south.

Abotic

non-living (rocky land)

Biotic

living (plants, animals)

What is a primary producer?

can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and convert it into forms that living cells can use (plants)

What are the two primary processes that producers use?

Photosynthesis & Chemosythesis

Photosynthesis

plants; sunlight into energy + food

Chemosythesis

organisms under ocean found in hydrothermal vents (bacteria)

What is a consumer?

organisms that needs others for energy + food

Herbivore

eats plants

Carnivore

eats animals

Scavenger

eats dead things

Omnivores

eats plants and animals

Decomposers

eats what is leftover from detritivores (fungi/bacteria)

Detritivores

eats waste products (pigs)

Food chain

one way direction

Food web

all the interconnections

What is a trophic level

a position an organism occupies in a food chain or food web, based on its feeding relationship and how it obtains energy

What happens to the energy at each level as you climb?

energy decreases by 10% each level

What happens to matter in the biosphere?

matter cycles, energy one way flow

what pattern occurs with biomass/pyramid by #’s as you go up in trophic levels?

biomass decreases

Water Cycle

Precipitation, Condensation, Evaporation

How do Nitrogen and Phosphorus play a role in plant development?

fertilizer contains nitrogen + phosphorus to create good fertile plants

What is the relationship between plants and the Carbon cycle?

carbon photosynthesis in the plants, but can lead to deforestation + global warming