Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
System
|
a network of relationships among parts, elements, or components
–Theyinteract with and influence one another –They exchange(input and output) energy, matter, or information Itis hard to fully understand _____; they connect to other systems and do nothave sharp boundaries |
|
|
Positive feedback loop
|
insteadof stabilizing a system, it drives it further toward one extreme or another. For example….exponential growth in human population,erosion, melting sea ice
Rarein nature….butiscommon in natural systems altered by humans. |
|
|
Negative feedback loop
|
•output from a system moving in onedirection acts as input thatmovesthe system in the other direction
•Input and output neutralize oneanother –Stabilizesthe system Example:predator – prey interactions |
|
|
Dynamicequilibrium
|
system processes move in opposing directions
–…balancing their effects |
|
|
Homeostasis |
a system maintains constant(stable) internal conditions ult |
|
|
Emergent properties |
•system characteristics are notevident in the components alone –…the wholeis more than the sum of the parts |
|
|
Ecosystem
|
•allbioticand abiotic entities that occur and interact ina particular area at the same time
|
|
|
Gross primary production (GPP) |
assimilationof energy by autotrophs |
|
|
Net primary production (NPP) |
•energyremaining after respiration which isused to generate biomass –Availablefor consumption by heterotrophs |
|
|
Primary Production |
•conversionofsolarenergy to chemical energy in sugars by autotrophs |
|
|
Eutrofication |
the process of nutrient enrichment, increased production of organic matter, and subsequent ecosystem degradation in a water body.
|
|
|
source |
a pool that releases more nutrients than it accepts
|
|
|
sinks |
a pool that accepts more nutrients than it releases |
|
|
k |
k |
