Unit 1 (1.1-1.3): The Living World - Ecosystems

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to ecosystems, their interactions, and various biomes.

Ecosystem

Community of living organisms and non-living components of their environment interacting as a system.

Biotic

Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.

Abiotic

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

Predator-prey relationships

Interactions where one organism (predator) hunts and consumes another organism (prey).

Symbiosis

Close, long-term interaction between two species in an ecosystem.

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship where both species benefit, enhancing their chance of survival and reproduction.

Commensalism

Interaction where one species benefits and the other is unaffected.

Parasitism

Relationship where one organism (parasite) lives on or inside another (host), harming it.

Competition

Struggle between individuals for the same limiting resource.

Limiting Resource

Any resource that constrains a population’s size or hinders its growth.

Interspecific competition

Competition between individuals of different species for shared limiting resources.

Resource partitioning

When species use limiting resources in different ways to reduce competition.

Intraspecific competition

Competition within a single species for the same resources.

Terrestrial Biomes

Regions characterized by distinct temperature and precipitation patterns influencing biodiversity.

Tropical Rainforest

Biome with high biodiversity, warm temperatures, and year-round rainfall.

Savanna

Biome with hot, long dry seasons, frequent fires, and scattered trees.

Desert

Biome characterized by low rainfall and high daily temperature fluctuations.

Temperate Grasslands

Biomes with hot summers, cold winters, and dominated by grasses.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

Biomes with long, cold winters and short, cool summers, characterized by coniferous trees.

Arctic Tundra

Cold biome with low temperatures and low biodiversity, located north of boreal forests.

Freshwater Biomes

Biomes that include streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and wetlands.

NPP

Net Primary Productivity; the rate of energy production in an ecosystem.

Littoral Zone

Shallow area of a pond or lake where light penetrates and high photosynthesis occurs.

Limnetic Zone

Open water area of lakes where rooted plants cannot survive.

Profundal Zone

Deep zone of lakes that lacks sunlight and has low NPP.

Marine Biomes

Aquatic biomes that include intertidal zones, estuaries, and coral reefs.

Euphotic zone

Top layer of ocean water where sunlight penetrates and photosynthesis occurs.

Upwelling

Process that brings nutrients from the depths of the ocean to the surface.