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71 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Environment |
A sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life. |
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Biotic / Abiotic |
Biotic: the living part of the Earth Abiotic: the non-living part of the Earth |
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Ecosystem |
The interacting living and non-living components of a particular place on Earth. |
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Primary Succession |
Occurs on surfaces that are initially devoid of soil |
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Secondary succession |
Occurs in areas that have been disturbed but have not lost their soil |
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Ecosystem services |
Environments provide life supporting services such as clean water, timber, fisheries, crops, and oxygen production by plants |
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Environmental indicators |
Describe the current state of the environment |
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Types of Biological Diversity |
Genetic diversity: a measure of the genetic variation found among individuals in a population. Species diversity: the number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat Ecosystem diversity: a measure of the variety of ecosystems or habitats that exist in a particular region. |
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Define Genes / Chromosomes |
Genes: are physical locations on chromosomes within each cell of an organism. Genes are composed of DNA. Chromosomes: a grouping of genes |
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Sustainability |
The practice of living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use resources without depriving future generations of those resources |
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Theories, Natural Laws, and hypotheses |
Hypothesis: an educated guess Theory: a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed Natural law: when a theory has been tested and there are no known exceptions |
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Replication, Sample Size and control |
Replication: taking repeated measurements Sample size: number of times the measurement is repeated Control: an experiment conducted under controlled conditions, such as in a laboratory. |
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Matter |
Anything that occupies space and has mass. It is the "stuff" that makes up the universe |
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Mass |
A measure of the amount of matter an object contains. |
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Elements |
A substance composed of atoms of one type that cannot be broken down into smaller, simpler components |
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Compounds |
Molecules that contain more than one element |
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Atomic number / mass number |
Atomic number: the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular element Mass number: the total number of protons and neutrons in an element. |
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Isotopes |
Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons and therefore have different atomic masses |
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Types of Radiation |
Alpha particles Gamma ray Beta particles |
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Chemical bonds |
An attraction between atoms that allows the formation of a substance |
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Ionic / Covalent / Hydrogen bonds |
Covalent bons: elements that form compounds by sharing electrons Ionic bonds: elements that form compounds by transferring electrons from one element to another. Hydrogen bonds: a weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to one atom are attracted to another atom on a different molecule |
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Properties of water |
Surface tension: results from the cohesion between water molecules at the surface of a body of water Capillary action: occurs when adhesion of water molecules to a surface is stronger than cohesion between the molecules |
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pH scale |
Ranges from 0 to 14, Neutral at 7, more basic above and more acidic below |
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Physical laws |
Conservation of matter: matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form First law of thermodynamics: energy can neither be created nor destroyed |
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Kinetic and potential energy |
Kinetic: energy of motion Potential: stored energy |
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Entropy |
All systems move toward randomness rather than toward order |
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Different types of macro molecules |
Carbs: compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms Proteins: made up of long chains of nitrogen-containing organic molecules called amino acids Nucleic Acids: organic compounds found in all living cells. |
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Closed and open system feedback groups |
Open: exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries Closed: matter and energy exchanges across system boundaries do not occur |
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Formula for photosynthesis |
Solar energy + 6h2o + 6co2 ==> c6h12o6+6o2 |
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Formula for respiration |
Energy+6h2o+6co2<== c6h12o6+6o2 |
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Net primary productivity |
The energy captured minus the energy respires by producers |
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Gross primary productivity |
The total amount of solar energy that the producers in an ecosystem capture by photosynthesis over a given amount of time |
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Food chains |
Producers: are able to use the suns energy to produce usable energy through photosynthesis Consumers: obtain energy by consuming other organisms Primary consumers: consume prpducers Secondary consumers: eat primary consumers Tertiary consumers: eat secondary consumers (top carnivores) Decomposers: bacteria and fungi that break down dead animal and plant material, thereby releasing nutrients Detritivores: consume dead organisms and organism parts |
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Food webs |
A more realistic sequence of consumption that takes into account interacting food chains plus detritvores and decomposers |
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Biomass |
The amount of living material in an ecosystem |
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Ecological efficiency |
The proportion of energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another |
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Biogeochemical cycles |
The movement of matter within and between ecosystems including the non-living environment. |
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Biosphere |
The combination of all ecosystems on earth. It forms a layer around the surface of the Earth |
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Hydrological cycle |
The movement of water through the biosphere |
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Phosphorous cycle |
Reservoir is rock and soil |
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Transpiration and evapotranspiration |
Transpiration: the process where plants release water from their leaves into the atmosphere Evapotranspiration: the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration |
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Weather |
The short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area |
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Upwelling |
Winds can push away surface waters allowing deeper cool waters to rise and replace the water that has moved away. |
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Rainshadow |
When air moving inland from the ocean meets the windward side of a mountain range, it rises and begins to cool. Water vapor condenses as the air cools, clouds form and precipitation falls. Dry air on the leeward side of the mountain range produces arid conditions. |
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Gyres |
The large-scale patterns of water circulation. |
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Choreolis effect |
The deflection of an objects path due to earth's rotation produces prevailing winds |
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Convection currents |
Intertropical convergence: the area of earth that receives the most intense sunlight and where the two Hadley cells converge Polar cells: the convection currents that are formed by air that rises at 60° north and south and sinks at the poles |
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Types of biomes |
Tundra Boreal Forest Temperate rainforest Temperate seasonal forest Woodland/shrub land Temperate grassland/cold desert Tropical forest Savanna Subtropical desert |
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Types of marine biomes |
Coral reefs Intertidal zone Open ocean |
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Wetlands |
Aquatic biomes that are submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year,but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation |
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Genotype / phenotype |
Genotype: the complete set of genes in an individual Phenotype: the set of traits actually physically or biochemically expressed in an individual |
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Mutation |
A random change in the genetic code. These happen in an unpredictable manner. |
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Microevolution and macroevolution |
Micro: evolution below the species level Macro: evolution that gives rise to new species or larger groups, such as new genera, family, class, or phyla |
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Natural selection |
The environment determines which individuals are most likely to survive and reproduce |
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Artificial selection |
Humans select which individuals will breed |
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Species evenness |
The measure of whether an ecosystem is numerically dominated by one species or if numbers are evenly divided among several species |
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Species richness |
The number of species in a given area |
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How many global mass extinctions have occured? |
5 |
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Niches / niche generalist / niche specialist |
Ecological niche: a species total way of life including where it lives, it's ranges of tolerance, how it lives, and what it eats. Niche generalist: species that live under a wide range of conditions Niche specialist: species that live only in specific habitats, which tends to make them more vulnerable to extinction. |
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Range of tolerance |
All species perform best under certain environmental conditions. |
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Population distribution |
How individuals are distributed spatially |
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Population age structure |
How many individuals fit into particular age categories |
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Population size / density / sex ratio |
Size: the total number of individuals within a defined area at a given time Density: the number of individuals per unit area at a given time Sex ratio: the ratio of males to females |
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Models of population growth |
Logistic: occurs when a population whose growth is initially exponential slows as the population approaches the carrying capacity Exponential: a population that grows continuously and at a fixed percentage rate |
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Carry capacity |
Is the maximum population size that can be sustained by the limited resources, especially food |
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Density dependent / independent |
Density dependent: population density influences an individuals probability of survival Independent: the size of the population has no effect on the individuals probability of survival |
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Intrinsic growth rate |
Under ideal conditions, with unlimited resources, the maximum potential for growth for a population |
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R selected and k selected species |
K selected: population size grows slowly until it reaches the carrying capacity R selected: population size grows quickly, and is often followed by overshoot and die-offs |
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Keystone species |
A species that plays a role in its community that is far more important than its relative abundance might suggest |
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Resource partitioning |
Two species Co evolve to divide a limiting resource through differences in species behavior or form |
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Symbiosis |
Two species live in close association |
