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120 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Biology
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Study of living things
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Science
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a way of seeking principles of order in the natural universe
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What type of universe does science deal with?
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natural
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What two disciplines is science based on?
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observation and interpretation
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Goals of science are to find
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demonstrable, objective truth based on observable evidence, free from personal bias
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Major tenent of science
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cause and effect
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7 steps of the scientific method/scientific inquiry
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1. question
2. induction 3. deduction 4. test the hypothesis 5. Repeat the tests to ensure consistency 6. interpret results 7. report objectively |
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Question
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Pose a problem
Should be based on a observation |
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Induction
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Gather pertinent information and state a hypothesis to explain the phenomenon
ex: "The fungus produces a substance that diffuses intot he jelly-like agar on which they are growing and inhibits that growth of the bacteria" |
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Deduction
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Predict possible consequences of hypothesis
- going from a general principle to specific situation - if, then statement ex: "If the fungus produces a substance that diffuses into the agar, then a piece of the agar taken from near to, but not including the fungus should also inhibit bacterial growth." |
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Test the hypothesis
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make observations
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Repeat the tests
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ensures consistency
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Interpret results
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Tentatively Accept the Hypothesis or
Reject and formulate a new hypothesis or Modify and retest the hypothesis |
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Report objectively
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publish in reputable journal, book, etc
- must be subject to peer reivew |
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General Outline for the scientific method
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observations
hypothesis formulated hypothesis tested new observations interpret new observations results |
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2 rules for making hypothesis
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testability and persimony
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testability
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must be able to be tested or proven false
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parsimony
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-occam's razor
-simplest is better |
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pattern of testing
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hypothesis
theory principle (law) |
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Hypothesis
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educated guess
first approximation |
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theory
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rigorously tested hypothesis that has broad explanatory power
not: rough guess or imperfectly known fact |
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principle
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theory with broad explanatory power and broadly-based supporting evidence
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methods of testing
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a)additional obsrvations- make obs, are they consistent w/ the hypothesis? ex:astronomy
b)controlled experiment- set up precise conditions for obs |
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Two groups of test subjects
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experimental
control reason: comparison |
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variables
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anything that can differ between group
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independent variable
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treatment
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dependent variable
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results
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controlled variables
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all other factors that might differ
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sample size
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large enough for a reliable outcome
minimum: between 30 and 50 |
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assumptions
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the universe exists
the universe can be rationally studied physical laws explain physical phenomena ex |
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limitations
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no limitations!
no ethics neutral on right/wrong ethics are present in the conduct of scientists |
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science v. technology
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science is the pursuit of knowledge
technology is the use of knowledge greatly intertwined |
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commonalities in living things
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metabolism
reproduction growth and differentiation ability to adapt and evolve homeostasis complex organization response to stimuli |
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Hierarchy of living things
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biosphere
biome ecosystem community population organism organ system organ tissue cells organelles macromolecules molecule atoms subatomic particles |
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unifying concept of biology
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evolution
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ecology
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study of interactions of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environement
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environmentalism
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social/political movement to raise concerns about env issues
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ecologists study...
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the interactions of organisms with their environment
they focus on the organisms to the biosphere |
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Populations are characterized by
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dispersion
growth survivorship age structure |
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dispersion
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distribution in space and time
range there is likely to be a clumped distribution across the range |
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growth definition
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change in population size over time
positive- population size increases negative- population size decreases |
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survivorship
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patterns of mortality
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age structure
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number of individuals at various ages
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range
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geographic area in which species can occur
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growth is dependent on
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-# of individuals in the population
-capacity of organisms (rate of reproduction) availability of required resources |
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growth formula
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growth/unit time
= additions-losses/ unit time |
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logistic growth factors
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r- reproduction capacity
n- number or reproductive individuals |
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reproduction capacity
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average number of offspring produced
length of time to reproduction |
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logistic growth
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Growth (G) = rate or reproduction (r) X number of individuals (N)
growth is initially slow due to population size- grows exponentially |
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J curve
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logistic growth curve
initial slow or lag phase of growth |
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carrying capacity
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the maximum population size that an environment can sustain
K |
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growth equation, including carrying capacity
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G=rN(K-N)/K
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typical pattern of growth resulting from G=rN(K-N)/K
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early- lag phase
middle- log phase late- stable phase |
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lag phase
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slow growth
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log phase
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very rapid, exponential growth
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stable phase
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stability in population size
at K |
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Is carrying capacity static or dynamic?
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dynamic
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limiting factor
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can set K
bottleneck effect |
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Outcomes if N > K
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Population size drops to K
excess despoils the environment, reduces K, and population falls to the lower K environmental stress that causes extinction or near extinction |
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cohort
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group of individuals born at the same time
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three patterns of survivorship
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type I- low infant mortality
type II- constant mortality type III- high infant mortality |
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type I
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low infant mortality
chance of dying highest in old age |
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type II
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constant mortality
chance of dying constant over lifetime |
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type III
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high infant mortality
chance of dying highest in infancy |
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is survivorship static or dynamic
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dynamic
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life cycle strategy extremes
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weedy
stable |
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weedy life cycle strategy
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type III survivorship curve
many offspring, little or no parental input usually smaller organism |
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stable life cycle strategy
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type I survivorship curve
fewer offspring larger organisms much parental input |
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three ecologically relevant age classes
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prereproductive
reproductive postreproductive |
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is age structure dynamic or static?
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dynamic
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communities
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biological assemblage of populations of various species living and interacting at a given place and time
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niche
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role of an organism in an environment
"profession" |
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habitat
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environment in which the organism lives
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characteristics
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diversity
stability structure |
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diversity
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variety of kinds of organisms
species niches = number of species |
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dominant species
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greatest abundance or biomass
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stability
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ability to return to origonal state
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keystone species
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important in maintaining community structure and diversity
removal may be catastrophic keep species in check |
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structure
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vertical zonation
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mutualism
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*species interations*
both species benefit ex: lichen ex: intestinal bacteria in humans |
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commensalism
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*species interations*
one benefits, other no effect ex: spanish moss on a tree ex: eyelash mites |
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parasitism
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*species interations*
one harmed (host), one benefits (parasite) |
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predation
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*species interations*
(+/- and +) predator = eater prey = eatee |
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plant adaption as prey defenses
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chemical deterrents
physical deterrents mutualism |
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animal adaption as prey defenses
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speed
vision chemicals micry |
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positive aspects of to prey of predation
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get rid of diseased and debilitated individuals
controls population |
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competition
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*species interations*
(-,-) detrimental to both species results when there are limited resources (niche overlap) |
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competitive exclusion
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*outcomes of competition*
one species drives the other to extinction |
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competitive equilibrium
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*outcomes of competition*
species co-exist in an environment niche separation (non-overlapping parts) ex: crayfish |
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ecosytems
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all biotic and abiotic creatrues
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trophic levels (definition)
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feeding niches
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autotrophs
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"self feeding"
- photosynthetic (plants) - chemosynthetic (bacteria) |
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heterotrophs
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"other feeding"
- outside source of organic substances in food |
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movement of energy
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ultimate source = sun
non-cyclic: all incoming energy eventually radiated back to space as light or heat shows the movement from level to level of the food chain |
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food chain levels
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primary producers
consumers decomposers |
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primary producers
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autotrophs
fix light energy into chemical energy as organics |
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consumers
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heterotrophs
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores |
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decomposers
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fungi, bacteria
feed on wastes and decaying matter |
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10% rule
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10% of energy entering a trophic level is available to the next level
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nutrient cycling
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the use of mateirals by organisms
(substances like carbon, oxygen, water, phosphorous, nitrogen compounds, etc.) cyclical- reuse of nutrients by organisms the role of decomposers is crucial: releases nutrients into the environment for reuse |
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resevoir
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makes nutrients available to organisms
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source
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does no make nutrients available to organisms
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types of nutrient cycles
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gaseous
geological combined |
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gaseous nutrient cycling
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reservoir is atmosphere
ex: carbon cycle |
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geological nutrient cycling
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reservoir is soil
ex: calcium and phosphorous |
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combined nutrient cycling
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resevoir is both atmosphere and soil
ex: nitrogen |
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biological magnification
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may occur as substances move up the food chain
occurs with substances that are observed by organisms and do not break down/excreted rom the body |
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biomes
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major vegetation zones of the earth
there are characteristic life forms in each biomes |
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major biomes
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tundra
tiaga (northern coniferous forest) grasslands temperate forests tropical forests deserts |
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biomes are determined by interactions of (3 things)
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climate
geography soils |
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climate
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average weather of the course of several years
major factors are temperature and precipitation affected by latitude, positions of continents, and geographical features such as mountains and plains. |
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causes of climate
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1) directness of isolation
2) tilt of earth at 23 degrees on axis 3) prevailing winds 4) ocean currents 5) geography |
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directness of isolation
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how direct the incoming sunlight is at a particular point on Earth
due to the earth being a sphere |
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tilt of earth at 23 degrees on axis
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leads to seasonality
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prevailing winds
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due to uneven heatin of earth's surface and rotation of earth
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ocean currents
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circulates in huge circular gyres
carry heat from equator to poles |
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What coast is warmer? east or west? why?
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east- water goes from equator to pole
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geography
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positions of continents direct ocean currents
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rain on windward side of mountain
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moist air forced upward
adiabatic cooling wet climate |
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rain on leeward side
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adiabatic warming
dry climate rain shadow |