Isat Final Definitions

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sensible heat transfer

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the temperature of the cooler matter increases while that of the warmer matter decreases

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latent heat transfer

Back 2

when heat energy is used to change the state of matter from solid to liquid at its melting point or liquid to gas at its boiling point

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Genes

Back 3

distinct pieces of DNA that determine the characteristics an individual displays

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population

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all the organisms of the same kind found within a specific geographic region

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species

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a population of all the organisms potentially capable of reproducing naturally among themselves and having offspring that also reproduce

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speciation

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the production of new species from previously existing species

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polyploidy

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a condition in which the number of sets of chromosomes in the cells of the plant is increased

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community

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an assemblage of all the interacting populations of different species of organisms in an area

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producers

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organisms that are able to use sources of energy to make complex, organic molecules from the simple inorganic substances in their environment

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consumers

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organisms that require organic matter as a source of food

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primary consumers

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herbivores

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secondary consumers

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carnivores

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Decomposers

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organisms that use nonliving organic matter as a source of energy and raw materials to build their bodies

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biomass

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the weight of living material in a trophic level

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food chain

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is a series of organisms occupying different trophic levels through which energy passes as a result f one organism consuming another

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detritus

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small bits of nonliving organic material

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carbon cycle

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includes the processes and pathways involved in capturing inorganic carbon containing molecules, converting them into organic molecules that are used by organisms, and the ultimate release of inorganic carbon molecules back tot the abiotic environment

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Nitrogen Cycle

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involves the cycling of nitrogen atoms between the abiotic and biotic components and among the organisms in an ecosystem

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nitrogen-fixing bacteria

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able to convert the nitrogen gas that enters the soil into ammonia that plants can use

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nitrifying bacteria

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able to convert ammonia to nitrate

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denitrifying bacteria

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able to convert nitrate or other nitrogen-containing compounds to nitrogen gas, which is ultimately released into the atmosphere

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Deserts

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areas that generally average less than 25 centimeters of precipitation per year

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Temperate Grasslands

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generally receives between 25-75 centimeters of rain.

Windy with hot summers and cold-to-mild winters

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Savanna

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Receive 50-150 centimeters of rain distributed unevenly

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Mediterranean Shrublands (Chaparral)

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climate with wet, cool winters and hot, dry summers

Rainfall between 40-100 centimeters per year

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Tropical Dry Forest

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many tropical dry forests have a monsoon climate

rainfall may be as low as 50 or as high as 200 centimeters

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Tropical Rain Forest

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temp is normally warm and relatively constant

Most areas receive in excess of 200 centimeters while some receive over 500

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Temperate Deciduous Forest

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Areas generally receive 75-100 centimeters of rain

Winters are relatively mild

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Temperate Rain Forest

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Typically receives at least 130cm of rain each year

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Taiga, Northern Coniferous Forest, or Boreal Forest

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short, cool summers and long winters with abundant snowfall

25-100 cm of rain

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Tundra

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less than 25cm of rain per year

Short summer is generally wet because the winter snow melts

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Freshwater ecosystems

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those that have little dissolved salt

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Pelagic organisms

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organisms that are not attached to the bottom of an ocean or water body

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phytoplankton

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carry on photosynthesis and are the base of the food web in a pelagic ecosystem

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zooplankton

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small, floating or weakly swimming protozoa and animals of many kinds that feed on the phytoplankton

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benthic organisms

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organisms that live on the ocean bottom

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Coral Reef ecosystems

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produced by coral animals that build cup-shaped external skeletons around themselves

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Mangrove Swamp Ecosystems

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tropical forest ecosystems that occupy shallow water near the shore and the adjacent land

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abyssal ecosystem

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a benthic ecosystem that occurs at great depths in the ocean

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estuary

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a special category of aquatic ecosystem that consists of shallow, partially enclosed areas where freshwater enters the ocean

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Littoral Zone

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the region with rooted vegetation near the waters edge

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limnetic zone

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portion of the lake that does not have rooted vegation

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oligotrophic lakes

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deep, clear, cold, nutrient-poor lakes are low in productivity

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eutrophic lakes

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shallow, murky, warm, nutrient-rech lakes

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Periphyton

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the collection of attached algea, animals, and fungi

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Swamps

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wetlands that contain trees that are able to live in places that are either permanently flooded or flooded for a major part of the year

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Marshes

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wetlands that are dominated by grasses and reeds

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Natality

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the number of individuals added to the population through reproduction over a particular period of time

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biotic potential

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inherent reproductive capacity, which is its biological ability to produce offspring

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environmental resistance

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all of the different limiting factors that act on a population

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extrinsic limiting factors

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factors that control populations from outside the population

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intrinsic limiting factors

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many kinds of organisms appear to be regulated by factors from within the populations themselves

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density dependent limiting factors

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those that become more effective as the density of the population increases

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Density-independent limiting factors

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population controlling influences that are not related to the density of the population

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Demography

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the scientific study of human populations, their characteristics, how these characteristics affect growth, and the consequences

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Gross National Income

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an index that measures the total goods and services generated within a country as well as income earned and sent home by citizens of the country who are living in other countries

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Biodiversity

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the diversity of genes and species and ecosystems in a region

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genetic diversity

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the number of different kinds of genes present in a population for a species

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species diversity

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a measure of the number of different species present in an area

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ecosystem diversity

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a measure of the number of kinds of ecosystems present in an area