Chapter 1 Test- Sarah Serate

Flash Cards for Chapter 1 Test for Med Bio

systems

a set of interacting components or parts

inputs

what goes into a system

Outputs

what comes out a system

opened system

both energy and matter move freely across subsytem boundaries as inputs and outputs. (i.e. stream)

closed system

the flow of input and output is limited. only energy is exchanged

isolated system

A system that exchanges neither matter nor energy with its surroundings.

controls

gives feedback and keeps it functioning. can be automatic, manual, or both. If the feedback repeats its a feedback loop.

components

individual cells

emergent properties

the larger unit

5 spheres

geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, anthrosphere

biotic factors

living or once living parts of an ecosystem

abiotic factors

Nonliving components of environment.

habitat

Place where an organism lives

ecological niche

an environment that includes everything that the organism needs to survive and reproduce

Predation

An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism

comptetition

when organisms compete for limited resources

symbosis

relationships between different organisms

mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism

biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

biodiversity hotspots

an area with high levels of biodiversity

keystone species

A single species that is vital to ecosystem stability

Density

How much matter in a given space

Population density

how many individuals per unit area

Population dispersion

Refers to how organisms separate themselves within a population.

Population dispersal patterns

clumped, random, uniform

emigration

movement of individuals out of an area

birth rate

the number of births in a population in a certain amount of time

death rate

The number of deaths in a population in a certain amount of time

exponential growth

population size increases drastically over a short period of time, has an ideal amount of resources

logistic growth

the growth of a population levels off to the size that the environment can support

Carrying Capacity

Max number of individuals that the environment can sustain and support

Limiting factors

Factors that affect the carrying Capacity

Density-Dependent Limiting Factors

competition, predation, parasitism

Density-independent limiting factors

weather, natural disasters, human activity

Disturbance

Anything that causes changes to the environment- physical, chemical, biological agent

Natural Disturbances

disturbances caused by nature

human-caused disturbances

disturbances caused by humans

Ecosystem stability

all ecosystems are in a state of flux, a stable ecosystem can bounce back from “normal disturbances”

Ecosystem Resilience

the ability of an ecosystem to bounce back after a disturbance

Ecosystem Resistance

ability of an ecosystem to resist change caused by disturbances

ecological succession

a series of biotic changes that occurs on bare land to create a community

primary succession

when an ecosystem is created from bare rock

secondary succession

when an ecosystem is developed on bare soil

primary pioneer species

the species that breaks up the soil/rock

criteria

a principle/standard which something is judged by

homeostasis

maintain internal conditions