Unit 1 Test

Ecology

Study of life

Organisms

living things

highest level of biological classification

kingdom

lowest level of biological classification

species

Species

a group of organisms sharing common characteristics that interbreed successfully

Population

Group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time, that can be interbred

population density

Number of individuals in that area

Natality

the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area (birth rate)

mortality

death rate

Immigration

Moving into a population

Emigration

movement of individuals out of a population

habitat

the environment in which a species normally lives

biotic factors

living parts of an ecosystem

abiotic factors

nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Niche

Set of biotic and abiotic factors and resources to which an organism or population responds

Fundamental Niche

Everywhere an organism can be found based on present abiotic conditions

Realized Niche

the actual conditions and resources a species utilizes given the presence of other species

niche partitioning

natural division of resources based on competitive advantages

limiting factor

Abiotic factors that restrict growth

carrying capacity

The largest population that an area can support

population dynamics

the study of the factors that cause changes to population sizes

competition

the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources

Interspecific competition

competition between different species

intraspecific competition

Competition among members of the same species

Predation

one animal kills and eats another for food

Herbivory

animals eating plants

Piscivory

fish

Carnivory

Only eats meat

Detritivory

consumption of dead organic matter

Sanguivore

consume blood

Omnivore

An animal that eats both plants and animals

Parasitism

One organism benefits and the other is harmed

Mutualism

both organisms benefit

Exponential growth

growth whose rate becomes ever more rapid in proportion to the growing total number or size.

S curve

a curve that depicts logistic growth; shape of an "S"

J curve

curve showing J-shaped or exponential growth

Boom and bust cycle

a period of strong economic growth followed by a period of sharp decline

Diebacks

Sudden Population Collapse

Overshoots

to exceed the carrying capacity of an area

Cellular respiration

the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food

Aerobic respiration

requires oxygen

Anaerobic respiration

Does not use oxygen

Photosynthesis

Green plants converting solar energy into chemical energy

Chloroplasts

Site of photosynthesis

Chlorophyll

Breaks down and other pigments shown through photosynthesis

Food chain

Flow of energy from one organism to the next

Trophic levels

levels of nourishment in a food chain

Producers

Autotrophs make their own food

Autotrophs

make their own food

Chemosynthetic organisms

Produce their own food through breakdown of simple compounds

Consumers (heterotrophs)

obtain energy by consuming other organisms

Primary producers (PP)

autotrophs

Primary consumers (PC)

animals that feed on producers

Secondary consumers (SC)

eat primary consumers

Tertiary consumers (TC)

eat secondary consumers

Decomposers

break down dead organisms

Detritus

Decomposing organic material

Detritivore

organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter

Food web

a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.

Pyramid of numbers

shows the number of organisms at each trophic level

Pyramid of biomass

A pyramid that illustrates the total mass of all the organisms in a trophic level.

Pyramid of productivity

Shows the rate of flow of energy or biomass through each trophic level

Rule of 10%

Only 10% of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level

Trophic efficiency

% of production transferred from one trophic level to the next

Solar constant

the rate at which radiant solar energy is received at the outer layer of the earth's atmosphere

Joules

unit of energy

Productivity

Conversion of energy to biomass over time

Gross

total

Net

Amount left after deductions are made

primary productivity

Plants

Biomass

the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

Energy or Biomass gained by green plants

Net primary productivity (NPP)

The rate plants accumulate biomass after respiration

Respiration (R)

Energy loss in respiration

Secondary productivity

animals

Gross secondary productivity (GSP)

food eaten - fecal loss

Net secondary productivity (NSP)

calculated by subtracting respiratory losses (R) from GSP (NSP = GSP - R).

Egestion

removal of undigested waste

Carbon cycle

the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back

Carbon fixation

The initial incorporation of carbon into organic compounds.

Gigaton

1 billion tons

Storages

Store of matter/energy

Flows

Movement of matter/energy from one storage to another

Processes

transfers or transforms energy or matter

Nitrogen cycle

The movement of nitrogen around the biosphere

Nitrogen fixation

nitrogen gas to ammonia

N2

nitrogen gas

NH4+

Ammonium

NH3

ammonia

Rhizobium

nitrogen fixing bacteria

Azotobactor

free living nitrogen fixing bacteria

Cyanobacteria

Bacteria that can carry out photosynthesis

Lightning

A place nitrogen fixation occurs

Nitrification

NH3 to NO2 to NO3

Nitrifying bacteria

Convert the ammonium ion into nitrates

NO2-

Nitrite

NO3-

Nitrate

Denitrification

NO3 to NO2 to NH3

Denitrifying bacteria (Pseudomonas denitrificans)

Convert nitrates (NO3) into free atmospheric nitrogen

Decomposition

A chemical reaction that breaks down compounds into simpler products.