Cycling of matter/Animal relationships

Biogeochemical cycle: the movement of a particular chemical through the biological and geological parts of an ecosystem

Two main processes in oxygen cycling: Respiration and Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis: CO2 +H20 → O2 + Glucose- to create glucose for the plant to use as energy and for continued growth

Chloroplast: in the leaf cells of plants and other producers

Carbon cycle: moves carbon from the atmosphere, through the food web, and back to the atmosphere - building block of life, included in all organic matter, major cause of global warming

Nitrogen cycle: bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into ammonia, nitrogen moves through the food web and returns to the soil during decomposition, used in proteins and enzymes for plant growth

Natural disruptions: volcanic eruptions, forest fires, landslides, earthquakes, living organisms

Human disruptions: poor farming practices, burning fossil fuels, deforestation

Global warming/climate change: burning fossil fuels adds too much CO2 into the atmosphere that happens faster than treess can reabsorb it, greenhouse gasses absorb heat energy and trap it in the atmosphere causing the planet to heat up

Predation: predator/prey, one organism captures and eats the other - fight/flight

Competition: organisms of same or different species that are trying to use the same resources - territorial displays

  • Intraspecific: between members of the same population

  • Interspecific: between different species with a niche overlap

Symbiosis: a close relationship between 2 species where it benefits

Mutualism: a relationship between 2 organisms in which both benefit

Commensalism: a relationship between 2 organisms in which one is helped and the other is neutral

Parasitism: one organism feeds off the other, the host is harmed and can be killed