APES unit 1 vocab quiz

ecosystem

a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment

biotic factors

the living components of an ecosystem that influence and interact with other living organisms and their environment

abiotic factors

the non-living chemical and physical components of an ecosystem that influence living organisms

niche

a specialized segment of a market, a particular area of interest or expertise, or a specific role within an ecosystem

habitat

the natural environment where a plant or animal lives, providing the resources it needs to survive, such as food, water, and shelter

biome

a large geographic biotic unit, characterized primarily by its climate, vegetation, and wildlife.

tundra

a cold, treeless region characterized by low temperatures, short growing seasons, and permafrost, typically found in polar areas and high mountain tops.

taiga (boreal forest)

a biome characterized by coniferous forests, cold temperatures, and moderate precipitation, primarily found in northern regions.

temperate rainforest

a biome characterized by high rainfall, moderate temperatures, and lush forests, typically found in coastal regions with dense vegetation.

temperate seasonal forest (deciduous)

a biome characterized by four distinct seasons, moderate precipitation, and trees that shed their leaves annually, primarily found in the eastern United States and parts of Europe.

freshwater

an aquatic environment with very little salt, like a stream or a pond, or an animal that lives there

saltwater (marine)

water with a large amount of salt in it

wetlands

areas of land that are saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, and are characterized by specific types of vegetation and soils adapted to wet conditions

estuaries

a unique coastal area where a river meets the sea, and fresh and salt water mix

coral reefs

made up of colonies of hundreds to thousands of tiny individual corals, called polyps

phosphorus

an essential element for all life, playing a crucial role in the structure and function of cells, energy transfer, and genetic material

weathering

the breakdown of rocks and minerals through the actions of living organisms

runoff

the flow of water over land surfaces, carrying dissolved or suspended substances with it

sedimentation

the process where particles suspended in a liquid, like cells in a culture medium, settle to the bottom due to gravity

no atmospheric component

The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that does not have a significant atmospheric component

evaportation

the process where liquid water changes into gaseous water vapor (water in the air)

condensation

a phase change of water from gas to liquid (like water vapor forming dew) and a chemical reaction where two molecules combine to form a larger one, often releasing a smaller molecule like water. 

precipitation

the formation of a solid (a precipitate) from a solution

runoff

the flow of water from rain, snowmelt, or other sources over the land surface, ultimately reaching rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water

gross primary productivity

the total amount of chemical energy produced by plants and other photosynthetic organisms in an ecosystem through photosynthesis, before any energy is used for their own metabolism

net primary productivity

the rate at which energy is stored in the biomass of primary producers (like plants) after accounting for the energy they use for respiration

respiration

the process by which living organisms convert biochemical energy from molecules like glucose into usable energy in the form of ATP, while also producing waste products like carbon dioxide and water

photosynthesis

the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, producing sugars (food) and oxygen

limiting factors

environmental conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population within an ecosystem

producer

an organism that creates its own food from inorganic substances, primarily using energy from sunlight or chemical reactions

primary consumer

an organism that primarily eats producers, which are typically plants or algae

secondary consumer

an organism that primarily eats primary consumers (herbivores or detritivores) within an ecological pyramid

tertiary consumer

an organism that occupies the fourth trophic level in a food chain or food web

decomposer

an organism that breaks down dead plants and animals, returning vital nutrients to the environment

energy pyramid

a visual model representing the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem

10% rule

describes the general inefficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels in an ecosystem

energy efficiency

describes the general inefficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels in an ecosystem

heat loss

the process where a warm object (like the human body) transfers thermal energy to a cooler environment

law of thermodynamics

the process where a warm object (like the human body) transfers thermal energy to a cooler environment

food chain

the linear sequence of who eats whom in an ecosystem.

food web

a complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem, illustrating the flow of energy and nutrients as organisms consume each other

keystone species

a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance

trophic cascade

an ecological phenomenon triggered by the removal or addition of a top predator, leading to changes in the populations of organisms at multiple trophic levels (food chain levels)

energy flow

the transfer of energy through an ecosystem, typically from the sun to producers and then to various consumers through the food chain

infiltration

the process of water soaking into the ground