KAMSC honors biology chapter four: ecosystems and communities

Weather

the day to day condition of earths atmosphere at a particular place

Greenhouse effect

the process of greenhouse gasses trapping the suns heat in the atmosphere

30

without the greenhouse effect, earth would be _____ degrees celsius cooler

equator

the place on earth where the sun is almost directly overhead throughout all seasons

polar regions

cold areas that receive radiation at at a low level

temperate regions

climate ranges from hot to cold depending on the season

tropical region

receives direct or nearly direct sunlight year round

latitude, climate zones

as a result of differences in ______, the earth has three main _______

warm air rises and cold air sinks

why do winds form?

prevaling winds

Brings warm or cold air to a region

upwelling

cold water in poles flows at the ocean floor then rises in warmer regions

wind and ocean currents

what transports heat through the biosphere

niche

the functional role of a particular species in an ecosystem

fundamental niche

the entire range of resource opportunities an organism is potentially able to occupy

realized niche

the part of an organisms fundamental niche that it actually occupies

competitive exclusion

when one species is completely eliminated because of it's competition

competitive exclusion principle

states that no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time in the same habitat

coevolution

the evolutionary adjustments between between interacting members of a community

symbiosis

a close, long term association between two or more species that live together

predation

the act of one organism killing another organism for food

prey

the organism that is being eaten

predator

the organism that is eating the other organism

secondary compounds

defensive chemicals that help plants defend themselves against predators

parasitism

a simbiotic relationship where one organism lives on or in another

mutualism

a symbiotic relationship in which both participating species benefit

commensalism

a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is not harmed nor helped

competition

two species compete for the same limited resource

biodiversity

the variety of living organisms present in a community

succession

the progression of species replacement and development of an area towards it's climax community

primary succession

succession that occurs in areas where life has never existed before and there is no soil

secondary succession

succession that occurs in areas where there has been previous growth such as abandoned fields or forests where there was a fire

pioneer species

the first organisms to live in a new habitat

temperature and moisture

two most important elements of climate

biomes

major biological communities that occur over a large area of land

resource

any necessity of life

microclimate

the climate in a small area of a biome that differs in from the area around it

tolerance

the ability to survive and reproduce under conditions that differ from a species optimal conditions

canopy

the leafy tops of tall trees in the rainforest create a covering called the ______

understory

the secondary layer of trees and vines below the canopy layer

deciduous

a particular tree that sheds it's leaves during a particular season

coniferous trees

produce seed bearing cones

humus

a material formed from decaying leaves and other organic material that often makes soil fertile

taiga

another name for boreal forest

permafrost

a layer of permanently frozen subsoil

depth, flow, temperature, chemistry

four main things that determine aquatic ecosystems

flowing water ecosystems, standing water ecosystems

two main types of freshwater communities

plankton

free floating or weak swimming organisms

phytoplankton

form the base of many equatic ecosystems

zooplankton

eat phytoplankton

nekton

swimming organisms

benthos

organisms found at the bottom of a lake or pond

estuaries

wetlands formed where rivers meet the sea, consist of salt and freshwater

salt marshes

estuaries that contain mainly grasses

mangrove swamps

estuaries containing mainly trees

photic zone

the part of the ocean that has light

aphotic zone

the part of the ocean that is permanently dark

photic

photosynthesis is possible in the ______ zone

intertidal zone

the part of the ocean that experiences changes in tide

coastal ocean

the part of the ocean that is shallow and rich in plankton and can have kelp forests

coral reefs

found in warm, shallow water and are some of the most diverse and productive environments on earth

open ocean

surface of the open sea, low in nutrients and productivity

benthic zone

deepest part of the ocean

zonation

the permanent horizontal bonding of organisms that live in a particular habitat

Host

the prey in a parasitism relationship

tropical rainforest

Abiotic: hot and humid year round, warm, lots of oxygen, poor soil

producers: Broad leaved evergreen trees, Ferns

Consumers: Sloths and Jaguars

Tropical Dry Forest

Abiotic: warm year-round; alternating wet-dry seasons; rich soils

Producers: Deciduous trees, succulents

Consumers: Tigers and Elephants

Tropical Savanna

Abiotic: Warm Temperatures, seasonal rainfall, compact soil

Producers: perennial grasses

Consumers: lions and giraffes

Desert

Abiotic: Very low precipitation, variable temperatures

Producers: cacti/other succulents

Consumers: mountain lions and bats

Temperate Grassland

Abiotic: warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate seasonal precipitation; fertile soils; occasional fires

Producers: lush perennial grasses and herbs

Consumers: Coyotes and Mule Deer

Temperate woodland and shrubland

Abiotic: hot dry summers; cool moist winters; thin, nutrient-poor soils; periodic fires

Producers: evergreen shrubs and herbs

Consumers: Foxes and Rabbits

Temperate Forest

Abiotic: Cold to moderate winters, warm summers, year-round precipitation

Producers: broadleaf deciduous trees, flowering shrubs

Consumers: Deer and Black bears

Northwestern Coniferous Forest

Abiotic: mild temperatures; abundant precipitation in fall, winter, and spring; cool dry summers; rocky acidic soils

Producers: Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock trees

Consumers: Bears and Elk

Boreal Forest

abiotic: long, cold winters, short, mild summers, moderate precipitation, humid, acidic, nutrient poor soils

Producers: Coniferous trees and small burry bearing shrubs

Consumers: moose and beavers

Tundra

abiotic: strong winds, low precipitation, short and soggy summers, long, cold, dark, winters, poorly developed soils - layer of permafrost

producers: mosses and short grasses

Consumers: arctic foxes and caribou

increased biodiversity

the result of predation