APES Unit 1

Mutualism

a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit. In ecosystems, examples include bees and flowers, where bees get nectar and flowers get pollinated. This relationship enhances biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits from another organism’s presence in the ecosystem, and the other organism remains unaffected. Examples include barnacles on whales, and sucker fish on sharks.

Parasitism

One organism benefits from another organism, while the other organism is being detrimentally impacted from the other organism’s relationship to them. Examples include ticks on a dog or a deer, and all infectious agents like viruses.

Symbiosis

Relationship between two species that are in close proximity to one another, which includes mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism.

Nitrogen Cycle

Cycle in which nitrogen moves throughout the world in the atmosphere, soil, plants, and water.

Nitrogen Fixation

Process in which nitrogen gas is fixed into more reactive nitrogen compounds like ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Can be done by lighting that reacts with nitrogen gas, and also nitrogen fixing bacteria in soil.

Ammonification

Process in which micro-organisms break down nitrogen containing materials from dead organic matter into simple substances like ammonia.

Nitrification

Microbial process in which reduced nitrogen compounds, like ammonia, are oxidized to nitrite and nitrate. This happens after ammonification.

Nitrogen Assimilation

Formation of organic nitrogen compounds like amino acids being formed from nitrogen sources being up taken by plants and then the ammonium being assimilated with amino acids in the plants.

Denitrification

Microbial process of reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen, done by denitrifying bacteria. Nitrogen reenters the atmosphere to begin the nitrogen cycle again.

Largest nitrogen reservoir

the atmosphere

Carbon cycle

Cycle in which carbon moves throughout the atmosphere, ocean, plants, animals, and earth.

Largest carbon reservoir

The deep ocean.

Respiration

The process by which organisms, including plants, from glucose molecules while producing carbon dioxide as a waste product.

Decomposition

The breakdown of dead organic matter by bacteria and fungi that releases stored carbon back into the environment.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This removes carbon from the atmosphere and releases oxygen back into it.

Biomes

A large naturally occurring geographical region with specific climate, animal life, and vegetation. Biomes can be both aquatic and terrestrial.

Tropical Rainforest

Characterized by a hot, moist climate where it rains all year long because of the close proximity to the equator. It is known for extremely high biodiversity, and multileveled tree canopies. However, most sunlight does not reach the ground as tree canopies are so dense. The bottom of the rainforest is full of litter and decomposing organic matter that breaks down very quickly due to the moisture and heat in this biome.

Temperate Rainforest

This biome is often found on the other side of mountains where the ocean is on the other side, as moisture moves up the side of the mountain and falls back to earth as precipitation. These biomes are cooler, but still very moist. They are found primarily on the coasts of North America, South America, and Southeastern Australia in the mountainous regions.

Tropical Grasslands

Open and continuous, generally flat, areas of grass. They are located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Has dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Not many trees can be seen in this biome.

Temperate Grasslands

Same as tropical grasslands, except that there are no dry and wet seasons, and there are colder winters and warm summers with some rain.

Coniferous Forest

Forest that consists of conifers and the areas in which they exist are generally sandwiched between the tundra to the North and the deciduous forest to the South. Has long and cold snowy winters, and warm, humid, summers. This forest has well defined seasons, with at least four to six frost free months.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Goes through four seasons, leaves change color and fall, in preparation for winter. These biomes are found in mid latitude areas, which means that they are found between polar regions and the tropics. Cold winters, and hot, wet summers. Has a fair amount of biodiversity.

Desert

The driest of all of the biomes, it receives very little rainfall. The temperatures can change rapidly from day to night, as the air is so dry, that all of the heat escapes at night. Conditions here are so severe, plants need to have adaptations to be able to survive the heat and without lots of water.

Tundra

The coldest of all the biomes, its name means “treeless plain”. It also receives low amounts of rain, making it similar to a desert. Winters are long, dark, and cold, and in summer, the soil only thaws a few inches down, providing a growing surface for some plants. It can be a wet place because the lack of heat makes evaporation slow especially when it rains in the summer, or is foggy.

Shrubland

Includes chaparral, woodland, and the savanna. Usually get more rain that deserts and grasslands but less than forested areas. There is a noticeable dry and wet season. Plants are adapted to needing little water to survive.

Taiga

Forest of the cold, subarctic region. It is also called the boreal forest, and is characterized by coniferous trees. It is moist, and begins where the tundra ends.

Hydrologic Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface. It involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus through rocks, bodies of water, soil, and living organisms.

Largest Phosphorus Reservoir

Deep ocean sediments

Estuaries

Where the saltwater tide of the ocean meets a stream of freshwater. Estuaries are aquatic biomes.

Wetlands

Ecosystems that are continuously flooded or saturated by water. They are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world. They provide important ecosystem services like natural water filtration and quality, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, and beauty.

Coral Reef

Underwater ecosystem characterized by reef building corals. Formed on colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. These are characterized by lots of kinds of fish and other organisms.

Lakes and ponds

Have standing freshwater, with an end deep enough to prevent emergent freshwater vegetation. Provide habitats for many species of plants and organisms like fish. Can vary greatly in size and depth.

Rivers and streams

Long, flowing bodies of freshwater. Carry large amounts of water from a source to a lake or the ocean.

Intertidal Zone

Zone between the tides where organisms are characterized by adapting to both being submerged underwater and without water and in the sun for long periods of time. Examples include barnacles, starfish, etc.

Abyssal Zone

The deepest part of the ocean, which is very cold, and has very high pressure.

Neritic Zone

Extends from the intertidal zone to depths of about 200 meters deep. Water contains silt, is well oxygenated, low in pressure, and photosynthesis can occur here.

Mangrove Swamps

Similar to wetlands, and contain trees whose roots are submerged in water. The roots are dense and can provide natural infrastructure, and the trees can survive both in saltwater and in freshwater.

Salt Marshes

“coastal wetlands that are regularly flooded by seawater. They contain salt-tolerant grasses and provide essential habitat for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife”

The Open Ocean

Contains deep seawater that at certain depths, the sun cannot penetrate. Deep waters can have low nutrient levels, and this biome supports a wide variety of sea life.

Photic Zone

Layer of the ocean that sunlight can penetrate, allowing for photosynthesis to occur.

Aphotic Zone

Below the photic zone, and photosynthesis can no longer take place here. Characterized by darkness and low levels of dissolved oxygen.

Benthic Zone

The lowest level of a body of water, where organisms live on or in the sediment of the lake or ocean.

Pelagic Zone

All open water areas away from the shore, where fish and marine animals can swim around as they like.

Littoral Zone

The shallow area of a body of water, such as a lake or pond, where sunlight reaches the bottom and supports plant growth. This is the zone closest to the shore of the water.

Ten percent rule

only ten percent of energy transfers up each trophic level