Marine Biology Module 8

ecology

the study of the relationship between an organism and its environment

abiotic factors

the nonliving part of an environment

biotic factors

the living part of an environment

carrying capacity

the largest population size that can be supported by a specific area with its available resources

limiting resource

a factor required for a population to grow, but present in small quantities in an ecosystem

detritus

dead organic matter and the decomposing organisms living among it

productivity

the rate of photosynthesis carried on in an ecosystem

carbon fixation

the converting of inorganic carbon into useful organic carbon substances

nitrogen fixation

the converting of gaseous nitrogen into useful organic nitrogen substances

benthic

describing organisms that live on the ocean bottom

pelagic

describing organisms that live in the water column away from the ocean bottom

intraspecific competition

between organisms of the same species

interspecific competition

between organisms of different species

the zone of the ocean where photosynthesis occurs

the photic zone

planktonic

organisms that move along with the ocean currents

nektonic

organisms that are able to swim against the flow of currents

form of nitrogen used by most organisms in marine environments

nitrates