Earth Systems and Ecosystems

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to Earth systems, ecosystems, and environmental science.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

Lithosphere

The outer layer of the Earth, consisting of land.

Hydrosphere

All the water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, where living organisms exist.

Sustainable Ecosystem

An ecosystem that can support living things over time without being harmed.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as sunlight and water.

Biotic Factors

Living components of an ecosystem, including plants and animals.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use sunlight to make sugar and oxygen.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which organisms use sugar and oxygen to generate energy.

Carbon Cycle

The process by which carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere, land, water, and organisms.

Niche

The role an organism plays in its ecosystem.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food, such as plants.

Primary Consumer

An organism that eats producers, like a rabbit.

Secondary Consumer

An organism that eats primary consumers, such as a fox.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead matter, like fungi.

Scavenger

An animal that feeds on dead animals, such as vultures.

Habitat

The natural home or environment of an organism.

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own food, typically through photosynthesis.

Heterotroph

An organism that consumes other organisms for food.

Biodiversity

The variety of living organisms in a specific area.

Climate Change

Long-term changes in Earth's climate caused mainly by human activities.

Greenhouse Effect

The trapping of heat in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that negatively impact the environment.

Habitat Loss

The destruction of natural homes for species.