Biology

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Ecosystem

Back 1

All the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment

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sustainability

Back 2

Capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to organisms

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biotic

Back 3

Living

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abiotic

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Non living

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nutrients

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A chemical that is essential to living things and is cycled through ecosystems

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eutrophication

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Process where population of primary producers in an aquatic ecosystem will increase because of higher nutrient levels.

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Nitrogen cycle

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Takes up 78% of atmosphere,starts in atmosphere.must first be converted before being used by organisms. Terrestrial: Nitrogen to Ammonium to Nitrate Aquatic: Nitrogen to Ammonium

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Water cycle

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Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, run-off

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Phosphorus cycle

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Stored in lithosphere, absorbed by plant roots, eaten by animals, decomposed, etc.

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Carbon cycle

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Plants use air containing carbon and other gases to create sugar (glucose) and carbon is released as waste after organisms break it down. Organisms decompose, returning it.

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competition

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Two species that compete for the same food source

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predation

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When one organism uses another as a food source

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symbiosis

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Two organisms living in close proximity to the advantage of both

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photosynthesis

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A process that changes solar energy to chemical energy.6Co2 + 6H2o = c6h12o6 + 6o2

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Trophic level

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A category of organisms that is defined by how the organisms gain their energy.

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Trophic efficiency

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A measure of the amount of energy or biomass transferred from one trophic level to the next higher trophic level.

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1st trophic level

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Primary producers, plants, etc.

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2nd trophic level

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Primary consumers, herbivores.

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3rd trophic level

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Secondary consumers, carnivores

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4th trophic level

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Tertiary consumers, top carnivores.

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Factors that affect trophic efficiency

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Some energy is used by the animals for everyday life functions Consumers won’t consume the entire body of another living organism Not all eaten parts are digested (fur) Energy is lost from body heat

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biomass

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The total mass of living organisms in a defined group or an area

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Food chain

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A series of organisms dependent of each other

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Food web

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A series of interdependent food chains

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Energy pyramid/food pyramid

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An energy pyramid is a pyramid that shows the different groups that represent groups of organisms that could be in the same food chain.

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bioaccumulation

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A process in which the materials, especially toxins are ingested by an organism at a rate greater than they are eliminated

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biomagnification

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A process that is in some ways related to bioaccumulation. Biomagnification is the increase in the concentration of a toxin as it moves from one trophic level to the next through the food chain.

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herbivores

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Plant consumers

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carnivores

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Consumers of other organisms

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omnivores

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Consumers of both other organisms and plants

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decomposers

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Organisms that decompose

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pesticide

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Chemicals used to rid unwanted organisms

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Cellular respiration

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A process that releases energy from organic molecules, especially carbohydrates in the presence of oxygen.

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fermentation

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A process that releases energy from organic molecules, especially carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen.

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Greenhouse gases

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Atmospheric gases that prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere thus increasing the temperature of the atmosphere

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Greenhouse effect

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Co2 released into the atmosphere from human/man made pollutants including cars causing the gases in the ozone layer to heat

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population

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All the individuals of a species that occupy a particular geographic area at a certain time.

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Exponential growth

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Accelerating growth that produces a J-shaped curve when the population is graphed against time.

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Carrying capacity

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The size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the available resources and services of an ecosystem

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Limiting factor (biotic and abiotic)

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A factor that limits the growth, distribution or amount of a population in an ecosystem

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equilibrium

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The balance between opposing forces; e.g. polar bears and pack ice

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mutualism

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A symbiotic relationship between two species in which both species benefit from the relationship

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parasite

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An organism whose niche is dependent on a close association with a larger host organism

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Invasive species

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A species that can take over the habitat of native species.

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Dominant species

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Species that are so abundant that they have the biggest biomass of any community member

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Doubling time

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The amount of time it takes for a population to double

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extinction

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The state of a species completely being wiped out

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endangered

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The state of a species seriously at risk of

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Biodiversity crisis

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The current accelerated rate of extinction

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Restoration ecology

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The renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention

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stewardship

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The active assumption of a responsibility for the welfare of the environment