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46 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Ecology
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"The scientific study of relationships of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environment."
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Function of an ecosystem
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Energy flow and nutrient cycle.
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Energy flow 1
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Energy in nature, our main source of energy comes from the sun. Total amount of energy that flows through an ecosystem is the amount that is "fixed" by the plants. Energy transfer is a one way street. Energy is lost at each trophic level of the food chain.
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Nutrient cycle 1
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Nutrients are not lost, they are recycled through the process of decomposition.
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Ecosystem
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Consists of biotic and abiotic components, interacting together to produce an exchange of energy and nutrients.
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Environment
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Consists of all conditions and circumstances, which influence life, biotic: deer in a forest with a wolf, and abiotic: Temperature, pressure, climate.
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Habitat
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Place to live, general locale of an organism. (Fish-water, earth worm-soil).
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Niche
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Ecological function of an organism. (Earth worm - soil aerators, make pores in soil - O2 goes in the pores).
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Population
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Organisms of the same species living in a specific area. (pride of lions) (pack of wolves).
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Community
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All populations (plants & animals) in a specific area-(Grover Cleveland park-birds, deer, and trees).
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Food chain
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Consists of the flow of energy and nutrients from one tropic level to another.
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Food web
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A series of interrelated food chains. Provide feeding options.
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Producers
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Autotrophs green plants-->photosynthesis-->light. Autotrophs can also be bacteria -->chemosynthesis-how they produce food using food with no light.
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Consumers
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Use food, take in the food that the plants produce and rearrange food. Certain group that decompose the food.
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Autotroph
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Self-feeders.
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Heterotroph
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Other feeding. Depend on other components for their food.
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True consumers
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Primary-herbivores. Secondary-carnivores.
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Decomposer
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Bacteria-microscopic-break down organic matter. Fungi-(mushroom)-take in nutrients from decaying organisms.
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Abiotic
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Non-living environment. Conditions that are non-living-energy, climate, temperature, pressure, moisture.
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Energy flow 2
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Essential-energy flows from one trophic level to another in the food chain. Energy is lost through the food chain, at the decomposer level, all energy is gone.
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Nutrient cycle 2
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Move through the food chain-the quantity of nutrients is not diminished. Decomposition releases the nutrients, making them available for recycling.
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Herbivory
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Allow for 1 and 2 to happen. Consumption of plants.
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Carnivory
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Allow for 1 and 2 to happen. Consumption of animals.
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Photosynthesis
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Energy is fixed to allow for the first step to happen (CO2) incorporation of nutrients into active plant tissue-food is produced and used. Does not proceed at a constant rate all the time. Limits on the rates of photosynthesis-light important factor, temperature, too hot or too cold-no photosynthesis will happen-leaf area greater surface area-more photosynthesis.
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Decomposition
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Breakdown of food-reduce organic matter into inorganic matter. Final release of energy.
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Nutrient immobilization
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As long as nutrients are trapped in biomass they are unavailable for recycling.
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Nutrient mineralization
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Through time the bacteria and fungi work on breaking down the organic matter. When the organic nutrients are released, they are available for recycling.
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Vehicles
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The organisms through which the ecosystem works.
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First Vehicle
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No two ecosystems have the same biological components. But they do have ecological equivalents. Ex: Ocean - algae producer and Forest - trees producer (perform the same function.).
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Second Vehicle
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As environmental factors show gradations (change in temperature) species populations sensitive to these changes either increase or decrease.
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Law of Tolerance
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Only applies to the physical and chemical environment-(not biotic)-anything that affects life. Organisms live within a range of too much and two little environmental conditions.
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Zone of Intolerance
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No life.
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Zone of physiological stress
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Some life.
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Zone of optimum
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Life excels.
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Temperature
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Life receives temperature from solar, diffuse and reflected radiation thermal (metabolism). Life loses heat through evaporation. For homeostasis, the net heat gained much equal the net heat lost. Only applies for animals that get heat from the environment. When a plant is too cold or in a drought, guard cells close the stoma to keep heat and water in.
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Sun plant
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Shade intolerant. High photosynthesis, high respiration, high growth, and high metabolism. Adapted to high light, when put in the shade-they develop a fungal infection.
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Shade plant
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Shade tolerant. Low photosynthesis, low respiration, low growth, low metabolism. Resistant to fungal infections.
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Photoperiodism
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Response of animal behavior to changing light and dark situations. Ex: Bees, insects attracted to flowers during the say and they are closed at night.
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Biological factors
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Deal with life.
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Competition
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Compete for food, water and resources.
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Dependence of biotic factors
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Certain plants depend on animals for pollination.
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Symbiosis
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Interspecific association between different species.
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Mutualism
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Both members benefit. Ex: Lichen - algae and fungus (algae makes food for itself and fungus-fungus serves as a habitat).
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Commensalism
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One member benefits, the other is unaffected. Ex: Shark and remora fish.
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Parasitism
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One member is harmed, the other unaffected. Ex: Tape worms in humans.
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Antibiosis
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One organism produces a metabolite which is toxic to another. Ex: Fungus penicillium-produces penicillin which is toxic to bacteria.
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