Apes ecology and nutrient cycle

The upper limit of groundwater in an aquifer

water table

This process converts nitrates in soil/water to gaseous nitrogen, releasing it back into the atmosphere and completing the nitrogen cycle.  Usually occurs in water-logged soils where there is a lack of oxygen.

Denitrification

The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle

Lithosphere

Primary Production

The conversion of solar energy to chemical energy in sugars by autotrophs

The total amount of energy captured by autotrophs

Gross Primary Production

The energy remaining after respiration—used to generate biomass (GPP-Respiration)

Net Primary Production

Secondary production

This is the biomass generated by heterotrophs from consuming autotrophs

Productivity

The rate at which ecosystems generate biomass

Hydrologic Cycle

This summarizes how liquid, gaseous, and solid water flows through the environment

Eutrophication

The removal of available oxygen in the water by the decomposition of organic material

Organic forms of phosphate that can be made available to plants by bacteria that break down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorus

Mineralization

The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.

Atmosphere

Intermediate Disturbance theory

This states that when ecosystems experience intermediate levels of disturbance, they will have higher species diversity than those that don’t experience that much disturbance

When only 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level.

The 10% Rule

Ecosystem Resilience

This measures how an ecosystem bounces back after a disturbance

Ecosystem Services

_____________ are provided by the planet’s systems´ Soil formation, water and air purification, pollination´ Breakdown of some pollutants and waste´ Quality of life issues (inspiration, spiritual renewal)´ Nutrient cycling

Ammonification

This includes a host of decomposing microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down nitrogenous wastes (urine and feces) and organic matter found in animal waste and dead plants and animals and convert it to inorganic ammonia (NH3) for absorption by plants as ammonium ions

Nitrification

This is the process by which ammonia is oxidized to nitrite ions (NO2-1) and then to nitrate ions (NO3-1), which is the form most usable by plants

Formation of fossil fuels through heat & pressure.

Fossilization

Salinization

Increasing the salinity of the soil through evaporation of water; happens most often in soil that is perpetually water-logged, or in areas that have poor drainage.

Hypoxic Zone

An area on the ocean floor that doesn’t have any oxygen and kills all animal life

Pools (reservoirs)

This is where nutrients reside for varying amounts of time

Evaporation

The process by which water moves from aquatic and land systems into the atmosphere

which shows evaporation

number 1

which shows transpiration

number 2

which shows condensation

number 3

which shows precipitation

number 4

which shows infiltration

number 6

infiltration

the movement of water down into the ground

Nutrients

The elements and compounds required for survival that are consumed by organisms

6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2

Photosynthesis

Macronutrients

The nutrients required in larger amounts (nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus)

Micronutrients

The nutrients needed in smaller amounts

Flux

The rate at which materials move between pools

Positive Feedback loops

A disturbance initiates a cascade of changes that results in an amplification of the original disturbance

This describes the route of carbon atoms through the environment

Carbon cycle

Digestion

Breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones.

Dynamic Equilibrium

When system processes move in opposing directions; balancing their effects

Transpiration

The release of water vapor by plants

Precipitation

The water that returns to Earth as rain or snow and flows into streams, oceans, etc.

Aquifers

The underground reservoirs of groundwater found in sponge-like regions of rock and soil

Biomass Pyramid

This shows the total amount of living tissue available at each trophic level.

Ecological Pyramid

This shows the amount of tissue available for the next trophic level.

Biogeochemical cycles

This is the movement of nutrients through ecosystems

Desertification

Overgrazing, deforestation, clear-cutting, and climate change causing the conversion of grasslands and forests to deserts.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H20 + energy

Respiration

Nutrient Source

A pool that releases more nutrients than it accepts

Synthesis

Formation of more complex molecules.

Predation

Consumption of one consumer by another

Assimilation

An element is incorporated into organisms’ tissues

Decomposition

The breakdown or decay of organic matter

Dissolution

Dissolving gaseous carbon dioxide into water to form carbonic acid, which is reversible (as in CO2 being released from soda).

Combustion

The act or process of burning carbon-containing organic compounds inthe presence of oxygen, which releases carbon dioxide in the process

Ecotones

There are transitional zones between two ecosystems

Negative feedback loops

They occur when a system responds to change by trying to return back to its original state or by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring.

Energy Pyramid

This is a diagram that shows the relationship amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food web or food chain

Sequestered

Carbon or Nitrogen or phosphorous stored, in the soil or rock

Photosynthesis

Using the sun’s energy to synthesize glucose from inorganicmolecules.

Ecosystem Resistance

This measures how much an ecosystem is affected by a disturbance.

Homeostasis

This is when a system maintains constant (stable) internal conditions

Emergent properties

A system characteristics that are not evident in the components alone

Respiration

Organisms harness the energy contained within glucose’s chemical bonds,transferring it to ATP, a high-energy molecule

Extraction

Digging and drilling for fossil fuels by humans.

Sedimentation

Organisms containing carbon settle to the ocean floor or to the ground

Ecosystem

All organisms and non-living entities that occur and interact in a particular area at the same time, includes abiotic and biotic components

High net primary productivity

Ecosystems whose plants rapidly convert solar energy to biomass

Nutrient sink

A pool that accepts more nutrients than it releases

The Law of Conservation of Mass

Matter in ecosystems is not gained or lost.  Matter is transformed and cycled through chemical processes, but the overall amount of matter is maintained.

Ecological Modeling

Constructs and tests models to explain and predict how ecological systems work

Lightning or nitrogen-fixing bacteria combine (fix) nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonium, which can be used by plants directly or can be further processed by bacteria.

Nitrogen fixation