Unit 1 Vocab List (Environmental) - Jason J

Biotic

Living

Abiotic

Nonliving

Sustainability

Living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources.

Biodiversity

The diversity of life forms in an environment.

Anthropogenic

Derived from human activities

Biomes

A geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land.

Photic Zone

The upper layer of ocean water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

Aphotic Zone

The deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis.

Profundal Zone

A region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes.

Benthic Zone

The muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean.

Littoral Zone

The shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow.

Limnetic Zone

A zone of open water in lakes and ponds

Ecosystem

A particular location on Earth with interacting biotic and abiotic components.

Assimilation

The process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues

Transpiration

The release of water from leaves during photosynthesis

Ammonification

The process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrogen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium (NH4+)

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrate (NO3-) in a series of steps in the gasses nitrous oxide (N2) and, eventually, nitrogen gas (N2), which is emitted into the atmosphere.

Nitrification

The conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO3-)

Eutrophication

A phenomenon in which a body of water becomes rich in nutrients

Gross Primary Productivity

The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

Net Primary Productivity

The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

Detritivores

An organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles

Primary Consumers

Individuals incapable of photosynthesis; must obtain energy by consuming other organisms

Decomposers

Fungi or bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem

Biomass

The total mass of all living matter in a specific area