Ap Environmental Science Chapter 3

Front 1

93. Ecosystem

Back 1

A particular location on Earth distinguished by its particular mix of interacting biotic and abiotic components

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94. Producers / autotrophs

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Plants, algae, and other organisms that use the sun's energy to produce useable forms of energy

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95. Photosynthesis

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Producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and form a potential energy

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96. Cellular respiration

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A process that unlocks the chemical energy stored in the cells of organisms

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97. Consumer / heterotrophs

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Incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain their energy by consuming other organisms

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98. Primary consumers

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heterotrophs that consume producers such as zebras

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99. Secondary consumers

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Carnivores that eat primary consumers such as lions or Hawks

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100. Tertiary consumers

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Carnivores that eat secondary consumers such as Eagles and algae

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101. Trophic levels

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Successive levels of organisms consuming one another

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102. Food chain

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The sequence of consumption of producers through tertiary consumers

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103. Food web

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An account of the complexity of nature, that all species in ecosystem are connected to one another

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104. Scavengers

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Are carnivores such as Walters that consume dead animals

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105. Detritivores

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Organisms such as dung beetles that specialize in breaking down dead tissue and waste products the smaller particles

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106. Decomposers

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The fungi and bacteria that come delete the breakdown process by recycling the nutrients from dead tissue and waste back into the ecosystem such as worms

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107. Gross primary productivity GPP

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The total amount of solar energy that the producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

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108. Net primary productivity NPP

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The energy captured minus the energy respired by producers

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109. Biomass

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The total mass of all living matter in a specific area

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110. Standing crop

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The amount of biomass presented in an ecosystem at a particular time

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110. Ecological efficiency

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The portion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another

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111. Trophic pyramid

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The distribution of biomass among trophic levels

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112. Biosphere

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The region of our plants where life resides

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113. Biogeochemical cycles

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The movement of matter within and between ecosystems involve biological geological and chemical processes

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114. Hydrologic cycle

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The movement of water through the biosphere

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115. Transpiration

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Solar energy also provides the energy for photosynthesis during which plants release water from the leaves into the atmosphere

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116. Evapotanspiration

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The combined amount of evaporation and transpiration

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117. Run off

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Extra water

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118. Macronutrients

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Six key elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sulfur

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119. Limited nutrient

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A lack of nutrient such as nitrogen

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120. Nitrogen fixation

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The first step in the nitrogen cycle

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121. Leaching

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Nitrate is readily transported through the soil with water

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122. Disturbance

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An event caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents that results in changes in population size or community composition

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123. Watershed

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All of the land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland

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124. Resistance

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How much a disturbance can affect the flows of energy and matter

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125. Resilience

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The rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

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126. Restoration ecology

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Restoring damaged ecosystems

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127. Intermediate disturbance hypothesis

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States that ecosystems experienced intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels

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128. Instrumental value

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Worth as an instrument or tool that can be used to accomplish a goal

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129. Intrinsic value

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It has worth independent of any benefit it may provide to humans

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130. Provisions

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Goods that humans can use directly such as lumber or food crops