SL Interaction and Interdependence: Ecosystem

Ecosystem

a community of organisms and their physical environment interacting together

Habitat

the specific place than an organism lives and interacts with its surroundings

Adaptation

any characteristic or trait that aids in an organism’s survival

Sand Dune Adaptation

grasses shape the sand dunes by protecting them from water levels and harsh winds using drought tolerance and strong roots

Mangrove Adaptation

pneumatophores provide the plant with oxygen in the water logged soil, which also stabilizes the sediment + prevents erosion

Abiotic Factors

a non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment

Biotic Factors

a living organism that shapes environment

Species Distribution

the spatial arrangement of a particular species

Range of Tolerance

the range of conditions that they can tolerate based on their adaptation

Zone of Stress

regions flanking the optimal zone, where organisms can survive but with reduced reproductive success

Zone of Intolerance

represents conditions the species cannot tolerate and in which it will not be found

Biome

groups of similar ecosystems that share common abiotic and biotic factors

Climograph

average temperature and rainfall

Adaptations for Hot Deserts

animals - store fat, skin covering, slow metabolic rate

plants - storing water in leaves, long roots, flowers to attract pollinators, leaves sprout after rain

Adaptation for Tropical Rainforest

animals - camouflages, predation, navigation, climbing

plants - large leaves, waxy cuticle, root systems, flowers

Niche

an organism’s role in the ecosystem, including its habitat and how it interacts

Specialist Species

organisms that live in very specific conditions and highly specialized niches

Generalist Species

organisms who can survive in a broader range of conditions

Impact of Niches on an Environment

many species have significant impacts on their environemnt

Mode of Nutrition

an organism’s niche is influenced by their mode of nutrition

Competitive Exclusion Principle

no two species can occupy exactly the same niche at the same time

Fundamental Niche

the total range of environmental conditions and ecological roles that an organism could fulfil

Realized Niche

the actual role that an organism occupies in an ecosystem

Niche Partitioning

competing species use the environment differently so they can coexist

Spatial Partitioning

organisms live in different places

Temporal Partitioning

same location, resources are used at different time

Population

a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time

Random Sampling

every organism has an equal chance of being selected

Quadrat Sampling

used for sessile organisms

1. A quadrat is placed randomly in a section of habitat

2. The number of organisms of interest that fall within the quadrat is recorded

3. Mean number of organisms in each quadrat calculated

4. Total Population size estimated based on area of quadrat versus total area

Lincoln Index

used for motile organisms

1. Capture a sample of organisms

2. Mark the organisms in a way that doesn’t impact survival - record the number marked

3. Release marked individuals back into habitat

4. Allow for reintegration with unmarked individuals

5. Capture a second sample

6. Record the total number in second sample and the number of marked individuals in the second sample

Carrying Capacity

the maximum population size of a species that can be sustained by a given environment

Limiting Factors

environmental factors that restrict growth, distribution, or abundance of a population or organism within an ecosystem

Density-Dependent Limiting Factors

have a greater impact on population size as population increases

Density-Independent Limiting Factors

have an impact on population size regardless of its density external factors that cause drastic changes

Exponential Population Growth

occurs if resources are unlimited and biotic and abiotic are both favorable

Sigmoid Population Growth

occurs in environments with limited resources

has three phases - Exponential Growth Phase, Transitional Phase, Plateau Phase

Immigrations

individuals entering a population

Mortality

death rate

Emmigration

individuals leaving a population

Natality

birth rate

Intraspecific Interactions

interactions between organisms of the same species

Intraspecific Competition

organisms of the same species compete for the same limited resources

Intraspecific Cooperation

individuals collaborate to increase chances of survival and reproduction

Interspecific Interactions

interactions between organisms of different species

Herbivory

feeding relationship

Predation

predator captures and consumes prey

Interspecific Competition

competition between different species for the same limited resources

Symbiotic Interactions

two organisms living and interacting closely with each other where at least one organism benefits

Parasitism

one organism is helped and the other organism is harmed

Pathogenicity

the host directly and immediately is harmed and can be spread swifter

Commensalism

one organism is helped and the other organism is neither helped nor harmed

Mutualism

both organisms are helped by the relationship

Root Nodules in Legumes

bacteria provide the legumes with usable nitrogen; legumes provide bacteria with carbohydrates and other organic molecules and compounds

Mycorrhizae in Orchids

fungi increase surface area for nutrient absorption in the soil, orchids provide the fungi with organic compounds produced during photosynthesis

Zooxanthellae in Hard Corals

zooxanthellae provides corals with organic molecules made during photosynthesis and pigmentation to protect from UV exposure, coral provides zooxanthellae a sheltered environment and easy access to sunlight

Endemic Species

native to the location

Introduced Species

non-native and likely introduced by humans

Invasive Species

causes harm to the ecosystem and outcompetes native species

Kudzu in the US

outcompetes by shading plants

causes loss of biodiversity because the native plants are choked out and the organisms that rely on the native plants are also impacted

prevents photosynthesis

Top-Down Control

organisms at higher trophic levels regulate the abundance of behavior of lower trophic levels on a food chain

Trophic Cascade

indirect interactions are powerful and can control entire ecosystems

Bottom-Up Control

availability of resources at lower trophic levels influences the abundance and distribution of organisms at higher trophic levels

Allelopathy

organisms release biochemical compounds into the environment, influencing the growth, survival, or reproduction of other organisms in the area

Antibiotic Secretion

streptomyces bacteria, commonly found in soil and marine environments, have the ability to synthesize a wide range of antibiotics

Open System

energy can freely enter and exit

Closed System

energy is the only thing that can enter or exit

Autotroph

organisms that can produce their own organic molecules to then be broken down to create ATP energy

Photoautotroph

uses light energy to produce organic molecules

Chemoautotroph

organisms that obtain energy through the oxidation of inorganic compounds

Iron, Sulfur, Magnesium

Heterotroph

organisms that cannot produce their own organic molecules

Herbivore

an animal that eats producers

Carnivore

an animal that kills and eats other consumers

Omnivore

an animal whose natural diet includes plants and other animals

Scavenger

an animal that consumes the carcasses of other animals that have been killed by predators or have died otherwise

Decomposers

break down dead organisms and organic matter

extract energy and nutrients from decaying matter

makes nutrients available for plants to reuse through soil

Detritovore

obtain nutrients from detritus using internal digestion

Saprotrophs

obtain organic molecules from dead animals through external digestions, secrete hydrolytic enzymes to break down large molecules outside of the organisms

Internal Digestion

using mouths

External Digestion

absorbing things

Food Chains

shows the flow of energy and biomass through a community

Food Webs

shows a more complete description of energy transfer

10% Rule

only 10% of the available energy at a lower trophic level can be transferred to the next successive trophic level

Energy Pyramid

as energy moves up the food chain, the amount of energy available eventually becomes insufficient to substain an additional trophic level

Biomass

the total dry mass of a group of organisms in a specific area or volume

Primary Productivity

the rate at which producers accumulate carbon compounds in their biomass

Secondary Productivity

the rate at which consumers accumulate carbon compounds as part of their own biomass

Carbon Sink

reservoirs that store carbon

Carbon Source

locations or processes that release more carbon that they observe

Carbon Fluxes

movement of carbon through the ecosystem

consumption of plants, formation of fossil fuels, respiration, or photosynthesis

Natural Combustion

releases carbon into the atmosphere

Combustion of Fossil Fuels

releases carbon that was previously sequestered in a carbon sink

Keeling Curve

shows atmospheric CO2 fluctuations over time

Annual Cycle

decrease in atmospheric CO2 during the growing season because the rate of photosynthesis is greater than cellular respiration

increase in atmospheric CO2 during the dormant season because the rate of photosynthesis has dropped and is less than cellular respiration

Overall Trend on Keeling Curve

rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration due to anthropogenic impacts

Greenhouse Effect

the warming effect that occurs when greenhouse gases trap heat as it radiates off of the earth’s surface

abundance and ability to trap heat determine the impact of a greenhouse gas

CO2 and water vapor have the greatest impact on the greenhouse effect

CO2 and methane are worrisome greenhouse gases because they are increasing due to anthropogenic causes

Climate Change

a long term change in the earth’s overall temperature with massive and permanent ramifications

caused by an increase in the greenhouse effect

Nitrogen Cycle

photosynthesis and aerobic respiration have a reciprocal relationship with each other

products of photosynthesis are the reactants of aerobic respiration and vice versa

Nitrogen Fixation

the process of converting N2 into usable forms of Nitrogen

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

live in the soil and live in the root nodules of legumes

creates Nitrogen Fixation

Denitrification

converts the usable forms of nitrogen back into atmospheric N2