Bio test 8

Ecology

Study of living things interacting with one another and their physical environment

Habitat

organisms home

Biotic factors

living things

Abiotic

nonliving things

Biosphere

thin layer of earth in which life exists

Biomes

regions with characteristic plant and animal life

Climax vegetation

Identifies biomes; dominated by

Ecosystems

Terrestrial

land

Aquatic

water, 70% of earth

Community

all living things in an ecosystem

Population

group of same species living in the same environment

Organisms

living things

Stability

Ecosystems ability to withstand and recover from changes

John Ray

Father of Natural History

Biodiversity

number and variety of species living with ecosystem

Carrying capacity

Ability of an ecosystem to support life

Biogeochemical Cycles

recycle minerals and other nutrients in the environment

Hydrologic Cycles

water moves from soil and water from surfaces of air

Sedimentary Cycles

Involve soil and nutrients found in rocks

Phosphorous cycles

One of the main Sedimentary Cycles

Arctic Tundra

Cold biome extending among high parts of North America, very harsh winters and cold temps.

Alpine Tundra

has vegetation and climate conditions similar to Arctic Tundra

Northern Coniferous Forest

harsh climate with long winters, much snowfall and lots of wildlife

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Lots of trees, much precipitation

Grasslands

Many leaves, stems, grasses, wildlife

Deserts

Dry, usually hot climate

Tropical Rainforest

Hot and humid regions with lots of rain in them, much Biodiversity

Aquatic Biomes

Biomes related to water and the like, show variations in temp, dissolved nutrients, gasses and sunlight penetration

Freshwater Ecosystems

Helps to classify aquatic biomes

Marine Ecosystems

Aquatic Biomes with much more life and Biodiversity

Estuary

biome that occurs with nutrient rich freshwater mixes with seawater

Intertidal Zone

areas located between highest and lowest tides within a coast

Neritic Zones

regions extended past the intertidal zone to the edge of the continental shelf

Oceanic Zones

extend from continental shelf into open ocean

Pioneer species

first organisms that colonize a disturbed ecosystem

Ecological species

Replacement of early pioneer species by later pioneer species

Dominion

Man’s God given authority to use nature to meet physical needs

Motile

animals that can move themselves from place to place

Sessile

animal that can’t move its environment

Bilateral symmetry

2 of same; most animals

Radial symmetry

same shape any angle (pie)

Asymmetry

without symmetry

Vertebrates

backbone

Invertebrates

no backbone

Endoskeleton

internal framework

Tetrapods

4 limbs

Mammals

vertebrates with warm blood, hair and produce milk

Mammary Glands

glands that produces

Homeothermic

maintain same temperature

Hibernate

“sleeping” through winter

Gestation period

period from fertilization no birth

Aardvark

Digs holes and eat termites and ants

Elephant

largest land animal

Tusks

enlarged elephant teeth

Manatee

called sea cow

Echidna

Spiny anteater, egg laying mammal.

Platypus

Venomous, duck billed, egg laying mammal with webbed feet.

Armadillo

little armored one

Sloth

slowest land animal

Ant Eaters

giant 6 ft and 75lbs

Diurnal

Activating During day

Nocturnal

Active during night

Pangolin

outer armor like armadillo and eats like anteater

Marsupials

Raise young in abdominal pouch

Kangaroos

largest living marsupial

Opossum

Only marsupial found in north america

Wombat

one of the best mammals diggers

Koala

eats bud and leaves of trees

Numbats

anteater that is size of squirrel

Insectivores

animals that eat insects

Shrew

smallest and lightest mammal

Hedgehog

Covered in spines

Moles

Live underground

Bats

only flying mammal

Baleen whales

group that includes blue whale

Blue Whale

Worlds largest animal

Sperm Whales

Weigh 60 tons

Dolphins

probably most intelligent mammal

Porpoise

Similar to dolphin but with no beaked snout

Orcas

Killer whales

Apes

no tails

Mountain gorilla

Largest of apes

Gibbon

Smallest ape

Orangutan

known for long shaggy orange brown hair

Chimpanzee

Most intelligent of apes

Monkeys

have tails; includes baboons and mandrills

New World Monkeys

Have prehensile tail for grabbing

Rodents

gnawing mammals

Mice

Make nests anywhere and re;produce rapidly

Rats

like mice but larger, stronger and more aggressive

Capybara

largest rodent

Squirrels

One of the most familiar rodent

Woodchuck

also called groundhog

Beavers

largest rodent in US