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