apes unit 1 vocab
Ecosystem
TERM
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
DEFINITION
Abiotic factors
TERM
nonliving parts of an ecosystem
DEFINITION
Predation
TERM
process by which individuals of one species (predators) capture, kill, and consume individuals of another species (prey)
DEFINITION
Predator
TERM
an animal that hunts other animals for food
DEFINITION
Biotic factors
TERM
living parts of an ecosystem
DEFINITION
Prey
TERM
organism that is killed and eaten by another organism
DEFINITION
Symbiosis
TERM
close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.
DEFINITION
Mutualism
TERM
relationship between two species in which both species benefit
DEFINITION
Commensalism
TERM
relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
DEFINITION
Parasitism
TERM
relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed
DEFINITION
Competition
TERM
common demand by two or more organisms upon a limited supply of a resource; for example, food, water, light, space, mates, nesting sites. It may be intraspecific or interspecific.
DEFINITION
Resource partitioning
TERM
process by which species use different resources or use shared resources in different ways
DEFINITION
Fundamental niche
TERM
The niche species could potentially occupy.
DEFINITION
Realized niche
TERM
The niche species actually occupies.
DEFINITION
Interspecies competition
TERM
competition for resources between different species
DEFINITION
Biome
TERM
major regional complex of similar communities recognized by plant type and vegetation structure
DEFINITION
Terrestrial biome
TERM
biomes that are found on land (ex. tundra, taiga, grassland, etc)
DEFINITION
Climate
TERM
average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time
DEFINITION
Climatograph
TERM
a climate diagram showing an area's mean monthly temperature and precipitation, usually obtained over 30 years
DEFINITION
Latitude
TERM
distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees
DEFINITION
Longitude
TERM
distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees
DEFINITION
Altitude
TERM
elevation above sea level
DEFINITION
Aquatic biomes
TERM
freshwater and marine
DEFINITION
Freshwater biomes
TERM
lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and wetlands
DEFINITION
Marine biomes
TERM
ocean, corals reefs, marshlands, and estuaries
DEFINITION
Salinity
TERM
the total amount of dissolved salts in a water sample.
DEFINITION
Turbidity
TERM
measure of how clear water is.
DEFINITION
Reservoir
TERM
where nutrients or water are stored for varying amounts of time
DEFINITION
Source
TERM
a pool that releases more nutrients than it accepts
DEFINITION
Sink
TERM
a pool that accepts more nutrients than it releases
DEFINITION
Nitrogen fixation
TERM
lightning or nitrogen-fixing bacteria combine (fix) nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonium, which can be used by plants
DEFINITION
Nitrification
TERM
the process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil
DEFINITION
Denitrification
TERM
process in which nitrogen compounds in soil or water are converted back into nitrogen gas by bacteria and returned to the atmosphere
DEFINITION
Ammonification
TERM
the formation of ammonia compounds in the soil by the action of bacteria on decaying matter
DEFINITION
Eutrophication
TERM
occurs when fertilizers, animal waste, sewage, or other substances rich in nitrogen and phosphorus flow into waterways, causing extensive algae growth
DEFINITION
Evaporation
TERM
a change of water from a liquid state to a gas
DEFINITION
Condensation
TERM
change of water from a gas state to a liquid
DEFINITION
Transpiration
TERM
evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant
DEFINITION
Infiltration
TERM
water filters through from the surface into the soil
DEFINITION
Percolation
TERM
downward movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.
DEFINITION
Sublimation
TERM
change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
DEFINITION
Photosynethesis
TERM
converts solar energy into chemical energy
DEFINITION
Chemosynthesis
TERM
process by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce their own food
DEFINITION
Primary productivity
TERM
rate in which solar energy is converted into organic compounds by photosynthesis over a unit of time
DEFINITION
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
TERM
total rate of photosynthesis in a given area
DEFINITION
Net Primary Productivity (NPP)
TERM
rate of energy storage by photosynthesizers in a given area after subtracting the energy lost to respiration
DEFINITION
Trophic levels
TERM
each step in a food chain or food web
DEFINITION
10% rule
TERM
only 10% of the total energy produced at each trophic level is available to the next level.
DEFINITION
1st law of thermodynamics
TERM
energy cannot be created or destroyed only altered
DEFINITION
2nd law of thermodynamics
TERM
energy cannot be changed from one form to another without a loss of usable energy
DEFINITION
Producers
TERM
organisms that make their own food
DEFINITION
Consumers
TERM
organisms that eat living producers and/or other consumers for food.
DEFINITION
Primary producers
TERM
an autotroph, usually a photosynthetic organism. Collectively, autotrophs make up the trophic level of an ecosystem that ultimately supports all other levels.
DEFINITION
Primary consumer
TERM
consumer that feeds directly on producers
DEFINITION
Secondary consumer
TERM
an organism that eats primary consumers
DEFINITION
Tertiary consumers
TERM
carnivores that eat secondary consumers
DEFINITION
Detritivore
TERM
organisms that scavenge waste products or dead bodies
DEFINITION
Omnivore
TERM
consumer that eats both plants and animals
DEFINITION
Herbivore
TERM
consumer that eats only plants.
DEFINITION
Food chain
TERM
a linear series of feeding relationships
DEFINITION
Decomposer
TERM
organisms that break down leaf litter and other nonliving material into simpler chemicals that can be used by plants
DEFINITION
Food web
TERM
a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains
DEFINITION
Positive feedback loop
TERM
mechanism that drives or enhances change
DEFINITION
Negative feedback loop
TERM
a mechanism of response in which a stimulus initiates reactions that reduce the stimulus
DEFINITION
Herbivory
TERM
interaction in which one animal (the herbivore) feeds on producers (such as plants)
DEFINITION
keystone species
TERM
A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem
DEFINITION
Ecosystem
TERM
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
DEFINITION
Abiotic factors
TERM
nonliving parts of an ecosystem
DEFINITION
Predation
TERM
process by which individuals of one species (predators) capture, kill, and consume individuals of another species (prey)
DEFINITION
Predator
TERM
an animal that hunts other animals for food
DEFINITION
Biotic factors
TERM
living parts of an ecosystem
DEFINITION
Prey
TERM
organism that is killed and eaten by another organism
DEFINITION
Symbiosis
TERM
close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.
DEFINITION
Mutualism
TERM
relationship between two species in which both species benefit
DEFINITION
Commensalism
TERM
relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
DEFINITION
Parasitism
TERM
relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed
DEFINITION
Competition
TERM
common demand by two or more organisms upon a limited supply of a resource; for example, food, water, light, space, mates, nesting sites. It may be intraspecific or interspecific.
DEFINITION
Resource partitioning
TERM
process by which species use different resources or use shared resources in different ways
DEFINITION
Fundamental niche
TERM
The niche species could potentially occupy.
DEFINITION
Realized niche
TERM
The niche species actually occupies.
DEFINITION
Interspecies competition
TERM
competition for resources between different species
DEFINITION
Biome
TERM
major regional complex of similar communities recognized by plant type and vegetation structure
DEFINITION
Terrestrial biome
TERM
biomes that are found on land (ex. tundra, taiga, grassland, etc)
DEFINITION
Climate
TERM
average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time
DEFINITION
Climatograph
TERM
a climate diagram showing an area's mean monthly temperature and precipitation, usually obtained over 30 years
DEFINITION
Latitude
TERM
distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees
DEFINITION
Longitude
TERM
distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees
DEFINITION
Altitude
TERM
elevation above sea level
DEFINITION
Aquatic biomes
TERM
freshwater and marine
DEFINITION
Freshwater biomes
TERM
lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and wetlands
DEFINITION
Marine biomes
TERM
ocean, corals reefs, marshlands, and estuaries
DEFINITION
Salinity
TERM
the total amount of dissolved salts in a water sample.
DEFINITION
Turbidity
TERM
measure of how clear water is.
DEFINITION
Reservoir
TERM
where nutrients or water are stored for varying amounts of time
DEFINITION
Source
TERM
a pool that releases more nutrients than it accepts
DEFINITION
Sink
TERM
a pool that accepts more nutrients than it releases
DEFINITION
Nitrogen fixation
TERM
lightning or nitrogen-fixing bacteria combine (fix) nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonium, which can be used by plants
DEFINITION
Nitrification
TERM
the process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil
DEFINITION
Denitrification
TERM
process in which nitrogen compounds in soil or water are converted back into nitrogen gas by bacteria and returned to the atmosphere
DEFINITION
Ammonification
TERM
the formation of ammonia compounds in the soil by the action of bacteria on decaying matter
DEFINITION
Eutrophication
TERM
occurs when fertilizers, animal waste, sewage, or other substances rich in nitrogen and phosphorus flow into waterways, causing extensive algae growth
DEFINITION
Evaporation
TERM
a change of water from a liquid state to a gas
DEFINITION
Condensation
TERM
change of water from a gas state to a liquid
DEFINITION
Transpiration
TERM
evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant
DEFINITION
Infiltration
TERM
water filters through from the surface into the soil
DEFINITION
Percolation
TERM
downward movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.
DEFINITION
Sublimation
TERM
change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
DEFINITION
Photosynethesis
TERM
converts solar energy into chemical energy
DEFINITION
Chemosynthesis
TERM
process by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce their own food
DEFINITION
Primary productivity
TERM
rate in which solar energy is converted into organic compounds by photosynthesis over a unit of time
DEFINITION
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
TERM
total rate of photosynthesis in a given area
DEFINITION
Net Primary Productivity (NPP)
TERM
rate of energy storage by photosynthesizers in a given area after subtracting the energy lost to respiration
DEFINITION
Trophic levels
TERM
each step in a food chain or food web
DEFINITION
10% rule
TERM
only 10% of the total energy produced at each trophic level is available to the next level.
DEFINITION
1st law of thermodynamics
TERM
energy cannot be created or destroyed only altered
DEFINITION
2nd law of thermodynamics
TERM
energy cannot be changed from one form to another without a loss of usable energy
DEFINITION
Producers
TERM
organisms that make their own food
DEFINITION
Consumers
TERM
organisms that eat living producers and/or other consumers for food.
DEFINITION
Primary producers
TERM
an autotroph, usually a photosynthetic organism. Collectively, autotrophs make up the trophic level of an ecosystem that ultimately supports all other levels.
DEFINITION
Primary consumer
TERM
consumer that feeds directly on producers
DEFINITION
Secondary consumer
TERM
an organism that eats primary consumers
DEFINITION
Tertiary consumers
TERM
carnivores that eat secondary consumers
DEFINITION
Detritivore
TERM
organisms that scavenge waste products or dead bodies
DEFINITION
Omnivore
TERM
consumer that eats both plants and animals
DEFINITION
Herbivore
TERM
consumer that eats only plants.
DEFINITION
Food chain
TERM
a linear series of feeding relationships
DEFINITION
Decomposer
TERM
organisms that break down leaf litter and other nonliving material into simpler chemicals that can be used by plants
DEFINITION
Food web
TERM
a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains
DEFINITION
Positive feedback loop
TERM
mechanism that drives or enhances change
DEFINITION
Negative feedback loop
TERM
a mechanism of response in which a stimulus initiates reactions that reduce the stimulus
DEFINITION
Herbivory
TERM
interaction in which one animal (the herbivore) feeds on producers (such as plants)
DEFINITION
keystone species
TERM
A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem
DEFINITION
