Chapter 20 - Systems And Cycles Of The Biosphere

Front 1

Biogeography

Back 1

a branch of geography that focuses on the distribution of Earth's plants and animals

Front 2

food chain/ food web

Back 2

organization of an ecosystem into steps or levels through which energy flows as the organisms at each level consume energy stored in the tissues of organisms of the next lower level

Front 3

primary producers

Back 3

organisms that use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates through photosynthesis

Front 4

consumers

Back 4

organisms that ingest other organisms as their food source

Front 5

Omnivores

Back 5

can feed on both plants and animals

Front 6

Decomposers

Back 6

organisms that feed on dead organisms from all levels of the food chain; most are micro-organisms and bacteria that feed on decaying organic matter

Front 7

Photosynthesis

Back 7

the production of carbohydrates

Front 8

Gross photosynthesis

Back 8

the total amount of carbohydrates produced by photosynthesis

Front 9

Net photosynthesis

Back 9

the amount of carbohydrates remaining after respiration has broken down enough carbohydrates to meet the plant's own needs

Front 10

Biomass

Back 10

dry weight of living organic matter in an ecosystem within a designated surface area, units are kilograms of organic matter er square metre

Front 11

Net primary production

Back 11

rate at which carbohydrates is accumulated in the tissues of plants within a given ecosystem, units are kilograms of dry organic matter per year per square metre

Front 12

Biogeochemical cycle

Back 12

substances that follow this cycle, consists of various pools interconnected by flow pathways

Front 13

Macronutrients

Back 13

are secondary nutrients and micronutrients including nitrogen, calcium, potassium, magnesium sulphur and phosphorus