Apes Vocab test 2

A horizon

the topsoil layer rich in organic matter and minerals where most plant roots grow

Abiotic

non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem (e.g.

Adaptation

a trait that improves an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in its environment

Albedo effect

the proportion of solar energy reflected by a surface (high albedo = more reflection)

Asthenosphere

the semi-molten layer of Earth’s mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows tectonic plate movement

Atmosphere

the layer of gases surrounding Earth that supports life and regulates temperature

B horizon

the subsoil layer where minerals leached from above accumulate

Biogeography

the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems across geographic space and time

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

the amount of oxygen required by decomposers to break down organic matter in water

Biotic

living or once-living components of an ecosystem

C horizon

the layer of weathered parent material below the B horizon with little organic matter

Carnivore

an animal that eats other animals

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

a soil’s ability to hold and exchange positively charged ions (nutrients)

Climax community

the final

Constant(s) (science)

variables that remain unchanged throughout an experiment to ensure fair testing

Control group

the group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment

Controlled experiment

an experiment where only one variable is changed to test its effect

Convergent plate boundary

where two tectonic plates move toward each other

Coriolis Effect

the deflection of moving air and water due to Earth’s rotation

Cultural Ecosystem Service

non-material benefits people gain from ecosystems

Decomposer

an organism that breaks down dead material and recycles nutrients

Dependent variable

the variable measured in an experiment

Directional Selection

natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype

Disruptive Selection

natural selection that favors both extremes over the average

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

the amount of oxygen gas available in water for aquatic life

Divergent plate boundary

where two tectonic plates move apart

Downwelling

the sinking of surface water that brings oxygen to deeper ocean layers

E horizon

the leached layer in soil where minerals and organic matter have been removed

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

a climate pattern involving periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean affecting global weather

Early Successional Species

pioneer species that first colonize disturbed areas

Ecological Tolerance

the range of conditions an organism can endure before stress or death

Ecosystem Services

benefits humans obtain from ecosystems (e.g.

Eutrophication

nutrient enrichment of water bodies causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion

Experimental Groups

groups in an experiment that receive the independent variable treatment

Flood plain

flat land near a river that floods periodically and is nutrient-rich

Generalist species

species that can tolerate a wide range of conditions and resources

Heterotroph

an organism that obtains energy by consuming other organisms

Hypothesis

a testable statement predicting a relationship between variables

Indicator species

species whose presence or absence reveals environmental conditions

Independent variable

the variable intentionally changed in an experiment

Late Successional Species

species that appear later in succession and dominate stable ecosystems

Leaching

the process by which water carries dissolved substances downward through soil

Lithosphere

Earth’s rigid outer layer composed of the crust and upper mantle

K-selected species

species with few offspring

Keystone species

a species that has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem

Mantle

the thick layer of hot rock between Earth’s crust and core

Mesopause

the boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere

Mesosphere

the layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere where temperatures decrease with altitude

O horizon

the topmost soil layer made mostly of decomposed organic matter

Oligotrophic

a body of water low in nutrients and high in oxygen

Permeability

the ability of a material to allow fluids to pass through

Physical weathering

the breakdown of rock without chemical change

Porosity

the amount of pore space in a material

Pioneer species

the first species to colonize a barren or disturbed environment

Primary consumer

an organism that eats producers (herbivore)

Primary productivity (GPP & NPP)

the rate at which producers create energy (GPP = total

Primary succession

the development of a community in an area with no soil or life initially

Provisioning ecosystem service

goods obtained directly from ecosystems

Pycnocline

a layer in water where density changes rapidly with depth

r-selected species

species with many offspring

Rain Shadow Effect

dry area on the leeward side of a mountain due to descending

Regulating Ecosystem Service

natural processes that regulate climate

Respiration

the process of breaking down glucose to release energy

Riparian zones

vegetated areas along rivers that help control erosion and filter runoff

Secondary succession

the reestablishment of a community after disturbance where soil remains

Soil Horizon

a distinct layer of soil differing in composition and texture

Soil Profile

a vertical section of all soil horizons

Soil Texture

the proportion of sand

Soil Triangle

a diagram used to determine soil texture based on particle percentages

Specialist species

species that have narrow ecological niches and specific habitat needs

Species Diversity

the variety of species within an ecosystem

Species Evenness

how evenly individuals are distributed among species

Species Richness

the number of different species in an area

Stabilizing Selection

natural selection that favors the average phenotype

Stratopause

the boundary between the stratosphere and mesosphere

Stratosphere

the atmospheric layer containing the ozone layer

Subduction Zone

where one tectonic plate slides beneath another

Supporting Ecosystem Service

processes that support all other ecosystem services (e.g.

Sustainability

using resources in a way that meets current needs without harming future generations

Thermosphere

the uppermost atmospheric layer where temperature increases with altitude

Threatened species

a species likely to become endangered in the near future

Transform fault

a boundary where two plates slide horizontally past each other

Tropopause

the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere

Troposphere

the lowest atmospheric layer where weather occurs

Upwelling

the upward movement of nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths to the surface