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;
76 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Introduced Species |
a species that have become able to survive and reproduce outside the habitat where they evolved or spread naturally |
|
|
Invasive introduced species |
an organism that is not native to the ecosystem, and has a negative effect on the ecosystem. Example = zebra mussels |
|
|
Non-Invasive introduced species |
an organism that is not native to the ecosystem but doesn't have any negative effects on the ecosystem. Example = peaches and tomatoes |
|
|
Extinction |
the complete death of a species / the death of the last member of a species |
|
|
Global Extinction |
the total disappearance of a species. Examples are dinosaurs and dodo birds. |
|
|
Local Extinction |
the disappearance of a species in a certain ecosystem, but the species lives in a different ecosystem also. Examples = saltwater crocodiles. |
|
|
Cascade effect |
one trophic level affecting another trophic level and so on. |
|
|
Toxins |
substances that cause damage to biological systems by chemical means. Household examples = drain cleaner, gasoline, battery acid |
|
|
Biodegradable substances |
substances that are naturally broken down in the environment. Examples = feces, urine, dead organisms. |
|
|
Non-biodegradable substances |
substances that are broken down extremely slowly or not broken down at all by natural processes, once they enter an ecosystem they don't leave. Examples = plastics and pesticides |
|
|
Bioaccumulation |
occurs when the toxic substance is absorbed by the organism faster than its lost. Over time the pollutant accumulates. Examples = grass absorbing pesticides, mercury bioaccumulating in fish |
|
|
Dangers of bioaccumulation |
damages whole species and ecosystems each species plays a crucial role in an ecosystem if the numbers of a species decline due to bioaccumulation the species it consumes will thrive and the species that eats it will starve |
|
|
Keystone species |
a species that has a large impact on an ecosystem. Example = fish |
|
|
Biomagnification |
refers to the increase of pollutant concentration throughout the whole food chain. A.K.A. bioamplification |
|
|
How biomagnification works |
only 10% of energy is passed from one trophic level to another this means that a species has to eat a large amount of the species below it to live the species receives all of the pollutants contained in all of the organisms it consumed. The pollutant is therefore more concentrated in the bodies of the species |
|
|
Ecology |
the study of the interaction of living things with each other, and with the non-living parts of their environment |
|
|
Ecology root words |
Greek words oikos = the place where one lives logos = the study of |
|
|
Organism |
a single life form |
|
|
Biotic factors |
living things that affect other living things. Examples = plant life or other animals |
|
|
Abiotic factors |
non-living things that affect living things. Examples = sunlight, air, water, weather |
|
|
Population |
all the members of the same species that live in the same ecosystem or habitat |
|
|
Community |
All the populations of species in an ecosystem. |
|
|
Ecosystem |
a specific place defined by an ecologist where there is an interaction between populations of species and abiotic factors. |
|
|
Ecotone |
The transition area between two ecosystems High degree of biodiversity |
|
|
Biosphere |
thin layer of air, land, and water on or near Earth's surface where all living things on earth exist. |
|
|
Biome |
a large region within a biosphere that has similar biotic and abiotic components. |
|
|
Habitat |
the place in which an organism lives |
|
|
Trophic level |
a way of categorizing living things according to how they gain their energy |
|
|
Solar energy |
30% of suns energy is reflected by the air clouds and surface, 70% is absorbed |
|
|
Autotrophs / Producers |
Organisms that can make their own food from sunlight and nutrients in the air and soil. |
|
|
Primary consumers |
second trophic level contains organisms that feed on the producers herbivores |
|
|
Secondary consumers |
third trophic level animals that rely on the primary consumers as their source of energy carnivores |
|
|
Tertiary consumers |
fourth trophic level animals that eat secondary consumers to get their energy carnivores |
|
|
Detrivores |
AKA decomposers get their energy from eating detritus which is the bodies of small dead animals / dead plant matter |
|
|
Food chain |
a step by step sequence linking organisms that feed on each other, starting with a food source, such as a producer or detritus and continuing |
|
|
Food web |
a model of the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem |
|
|
Photosynthesis |
converts solar energy into chemical energy |
|
|
10% rule |
energy is measured in Joules when an animal eats a plant or another animal, it only absorbs 10% of its energy, the other 90% is lost. |
|
|
Pyramid of energy |
diagram that shows as you move up the trophic level, 90% of the energy is lost from the level below and only 10% is transferred up to the next level |
|
|
Pyramid of numbers |
a diagram that shows the number of organisms in each trophic level, as you go up the pyramid the number of organisms decreases |
|
|
Pyramid of Biomass |
the amount of organisms each level supports uses 10% rule |
|
|
Nitrogen |
an element essential to life makes up almost 80% of the Earth's atmosphere found in DNA and RNA |
|
|
Nitrogen fixing |
the nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is taken in by bacteria and converted to ammonia. |
|
|
Ammonification |
Turns the ammonia into ammonium because ammonia is unstable NH3 --> NH4 |
|
|
Nitrification |
the ammonium is taken in by the bacteria in the soil and it's converted into nitrites and then converted to nitrates NH4 --> NO2 --> NO3 |
|
|
Assimilation |
The nitrates are absorbed into the plants through assimilation. Animals then eat the plants and gain their nitrogen |
|
|
Denitrification |
when bacteria in the soil converts the nitrates into nitrogen gas, this completes the nitrogen cycle. |
|
|
Decomposition |
occurs when organisms are decomposed by bacteria, the bacteria converts the organic matter into ammonium. |
|
|
Natality |
birth rate |
|
|
Immigration |
the number of individuals of a species moving INTO a population |
|
|
Mortality |
death rate |
|
|
Emigration |
number of individuals of a species moving OUT OF an existing population. |
|
|
Biotic potential |
the maximum number of offspring that a species could reproduce. Includes 4 categories |
|
|
Birth potential |
the maximum number of offspring per birth |
|
|
Capacity for survival |
the number of offspring that reach reproductive age |
|
|
Procreation |
the number of times that a species reproduces each year |
|
|
Length of reproductive life |
the age of sexual maturity and the number of years the individual can reproduce. |
|
|
Carrying Capacity |
the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be supported by an ecosystem |
|
|
Population density |
the amount of organisms in an environment |
|
|
Ionic compounds |
formed when electrons are transferred from a positive ion to a negative ion. A.K.A. formula unit |
|
|
Covalent bond |
When 2 atoms share one electron rather than transferring |
|
|
Molecule |
the compound of 2 electrons sharing a covalent bond |
|
|
Octet rule |
when elements react with each other, they have 8 electrons in the outer shell. |
|
|
Diatomic molecules |
when 2 atoms come together to share electrons |
|
|
Methane |
CH4 |
|
|
Water |
H2O |
|
|
Ammonia |
NH3 |
|
|
Combining capacity |
the measure of how many covalent bonds it needs to form a stable molecule |
|
|
Hydrogen Peroxide |
H2O2 |
|
|
sucrose |
C12 H22 O11 |
|
|
Prefixes |
mono di tri tetra penta hexa hepta octa nona deca |
|
|
Rules of prefixes |
first element in formula uses full name, the second element shortens to -ide suffixx |
|
|
Acids |
have hydrogen in their formulas sour, pH level 0-7 Examples = citrus juices, soda, vinegar |
|
|
Bases |
have hydroxide int heir formulas slippery, bitter pH level 7-14 examples = bleach, cleaners, some soaps, baking powder |
|
|
Neutralization |
when acids and bases are combined, they neutralize each other |
|
|
Conductors |
An electric current will pass through an acid or a base |
