(T) ESS All Topics

Biosphere

Life supporting layer of Earth

Ecology

Study of abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem

Ecosystem

Biological community of abiotic and biotic factors that interact with each other

Organism

Individual life form

Species

Organisms with similar characteristics that have the ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Population

All the organisms from one species in an area

Community

A group of populations interacting together in an area

Habitat

Where an organism lives

Niche

A combination of where an organism lives along with when and how in relation to its environment and its role within it

Symbiosis

Close, long term biological interaction between two species

Disease

When pathogens infect their host

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship - Both benefit - Acacia ants and acacia trees

Commensalism

Symbiotic relationship - One benefits, other is neither helped nor harmed - Whale and barnacle

Parasitism

Symbiotic relationship - One benefits at the expense of the other - Dog and flea

Interspecific Competition

Competition between two species

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between organisms from the same species

Carrying Capacity

Max. size of a population that can be supported due to limiting factors

Limiting Factor

Factor, the abundance of which, will control the amount of organisms that can be supported

Density Dependent

A limiting factor where more dense populations will be more affected

Density Independent

A limiting factor where density of population has no impact

Sampling

Shortcut method for investigating a whole population

Quadrat

Small area of vegetation marked out for ecological study

Pollution

Addition of a substance at a rate and in such amounts than can be rendered harmful to the environment and has effects on organisms

POP (persistent organic pollutant)

Organic pollutant that degrades very slowly overtime or does not break down

Bioaccumulation

Increasing amount of non biodegradable pollutants in an organism/trophic level over time

Biomagnification

Increasing concentration of non biodegradable pollutants along a food chain

Gross Productivity

Total gain in biomass

Net Productivity

Energy that can be transferred after respiration

Keystone Species

A species whose presence and role has a disproportionate effect on the ecosystem (for example if removed, there will be no diversity)

1st law of thermodynamics

conservation of energy - energy cannot be created nor destroyed

2nd law of thermodynamics

entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium increases over time (energy conversions are never efficient, some transferred into work, some transferred into waste)

Biogeochemical Cycles

Natural processes that circulate elements necessary for life to ensure continuous nutrient avail

Carbon store

elements in equilibrium (input = output), eg. oceans, mature forests

Carbon Sink

where carbon accumulates over time (input > output) eg. young forests

Carbon Source

release of carbon (output > input) eg. forest fires, volcanoes

Organic Carbon

found in living organisms and remains eg. organisms, fossil fuels

Inorganic Carbon

found in minerals/non living sources eg. atmosphere, oceans, soil

Dissolution

CO2 dissolves in seawater, forming carbonic acid

Residence Time

amount of time carbon spends in an area

short: atmosphere, plants (days to years)

long: fossil fuels (2mil years)

Respiration

plants and animals release co2

Combustion

burning (usually of fossil fuels) releases co2

Decomposition

breakdown of dead organisms, releases co2

Photosynthesis

CO2 absorbed from atmosphere for plants to get energy

Degassification

release of co2 from oceans due to acidification/warming

Carbon Sequestration

process of capturing gaseous/atmospheric carbon and storing it as solid/liquid to mitigate climate change

Biochar

Stable carbon form created through pyrolysis (heating in absence of oxygen)

Weather

atmospheric conditions at a particular location at a particular time

Climate

long term average of weather conditions (over 30 years)

Biomes

collections of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions that are influenced by temp/precip/insolation and are characterised by their plant and animal species

Insolation

incoming solar radiation

Zonation

changes in community along an env gradient (over distance), influenced by changes in altitude, latitude, tidal level, human activity

env gradient: changes in abiotic factors through space/distance

Succession

replacement of one community by another in an area overtime, due to changes in biotic and abiotic factors

Primary succession

process where life colonises an area not previously supported by a community (no existing soil) eg. bare rock from volcano/glacier, involves a series of seral communities which start with a pioneer species and end in a climax community

Secondary succession

process where a prexisting community has been removed/disturbed but soil is still in tact eg. after a forest fire

Ecosystem resilience

ability for an ecosystem to absorb disturbances, recover, and return to original state

Ecosystem stability

ability for an ecosystem to remain relatively unchanged in the face of disturbances

Diversity

variety of species, genetic variations, and ecofootprint within an ecosystem

Species Redundancy

multiple species performing similar roles, so if one species is lost, others can fill in its ecological role

System

An organised collection of interdependent components that are connected through transfers of energy or matter and performs a function that constitutes to an entity

Synergy

the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Reductionism

reducing things down to their smallest parts

Open system

Can exchange energy and matter (trees, humans)

Closed system

exchanges energy but not matter (moon, earth, terrarium)

Isolated system

exchanges neither energy nor matter (universe ONLY)

Tipping point

critical threshold when even a small change can have dramatic effects and cause disproportionately large responses

Citizen science

non professional participants contributing to data collection to advance scientific research

Doughnut economics

framework to create a distributive, regenerative economy

Model

simplified version of a system

Environmental sustainability

use and management of resources at such a rate and in such a way that allows full natural replacement of resources exploited and full recovery of ecosystems affected by their extraction and use

Socioeconomic sustainability

ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Pollution

addition of a substance to the environment at a rate faster than can be rendered harmless and has an appreciable effect on the environment/organisms

Environmental Justice

rights of all people to live in a pollution free environment and have equitable access to natural resources regardless of issues like race, gender, socioeconomic status etc.

Planetary boundaries

9 processes/systems that regulat stability and resilience of Earth

Species diversity

number and proportion of species in an area

Habitat diversity

number of habitats in an area

Genetic diversity

range of genetic material within a population of a species

Evolution

gradual change in genetic character over many generations

Mutation

random change in DNA, can have large or small scale impact

Survival of the fittest

one with the comparative advantage and most responsive changes - best suited to live in the environment

Speciation

formation of a new species (happens through species isolation)

Invasive species

non native alien species that spreads and causes harm in a new environment

Physical water scarcity

climate region is dry/water is overextracted

Economic water scarcity

lacking physical infrastructure to gain clean water

Soil

organic material on the surface of Earth that serves as a medium for growth of plants

Soil horizons

distinct vertical layers that contribute to the soil profile with different abiotic and biotic components that make up the soil

Fertility rate

number of births per 1000 live births per year from women in their reproductive years (15-49)

Urbanisation

process of land becoming built up/industrialised dominated by human settlements and infrastructure

Migration

movement of people from one place to another

asylum seeker - left country, waiting on application

refugee - left country, dont know where to go

IDP - stay in country’s borders, not recognised/given same protection as refugees

env - no govt protection

polit - govt protection

Urban sprawl

expansion of urban areas into surrounding countryside

Deurbanisation

people moving out of urban areas back into rural areas (centrifugal)

Suburbanisation

migration from CBDs to peripheral areas (centrifugal)

Primary pollutant

emitted directly from a process, active at point of emissions (CO, CO2, SO2, PM)

Secondary pollutant

when a primary pollutant reacts with other chemicals in atmosphere or sunlight (O3)