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104 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Ecosystem Diversity |
The variety of ecosystems within a given region |
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Species Diversity |
Variety of species within a given ecosystem; measured by species richness and evenness |
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Species |
A group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in its morphology (body form and structure), behavior, or biochemical properties |
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Genetic Diversity |
Variety of genes within a given species |
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Population |
Group of interacting individuals of the same species occupying an area |
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Species Richness |
Measure of species diversity, the number of species in a given area |
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Species Evenness |
Measure of species diversity, the relative proportion of different species within a given area |
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Phylogeny |
Branching patterns of evolutionary relationships |
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Evolution |
Change in the genetic composition of a population over successive generations |
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Artifical Selection |
Humans can breed plants and animals to get desired traits |
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Natural Selection |
Some diversity of life has evolved because the most fit organism in an environment survives and is able to pass on these fitness traits |
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Microevolution |
Small genetic changes that a population undergoes |
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Macroevolution |
Long-term, large-scale, evolutionary changes among groups of species |
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Deductive Reasoning |
Broad to specific |
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Inductive Reasoning |
Specific to broad |
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Fitness |
An individual's ability to survive and reproduce |
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Adaptation |
Inherited trait that increases a population's chances of survival or reproduction |
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Mutation |
A random change in the genetic code produced by a mistake in the copying process |
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Genetic Drift |
A change in the genetic composition of a population over time as a result of random mating |
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Bottleneck Effect |
A reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by a reduction in its size |
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Founder Effect |
A change in a population descended from a small number of colonizing individuals |
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Speciation |
Idea that when a species is isolated from other populations, two distinct species may be able to form |
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Reproductive Isolation |
Two populations within a species forming their own exclusive groups. They will eventually no longer be able to interbreed and produce viable offspring |
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Geographical Isolation |
Physical seperation of a group of individuals from others of the same species |
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Allopatric Speciation |
The idea of speciation that occurs with geographic isolation |
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Sympatric Speciation |
The idea of speciation without geographic isolation |
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Genetic Engineering |
When scientists copy genes from a species with desirable traits |
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Genetically Modified Organisms |
Organisms produced by copying genes from a species with a desirable trait and inserting them into another species |
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Range of Tolerance |
The limits to abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate |
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Limiting Factor |
Any abiotic factor that limits or prevents the growth of a population |
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Tolerance Curve |
Illustrates range of survival for a species |
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Generalist Species |
Tolerate a wide range of conditions |
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Specialist Species |
Can only tolerate a narrow range of conditions |
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Habitat |
The place where an organism lives |
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Ecological Niche |
The role an organism fulfills in an ecosystem; its way of life |
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Law of Competitive Exclusion |
Two species cannot occupy the exact same niche for long |
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Fundamental Niche |
The full range of resources or habitat an organism could use in the absence of competition |
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Realized Niche |
The range of resources or habitat an organism does occupy due to the constraints of competition |
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Endemic Species |
Found in only one area |
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Exotic Species |
A species introduced into a new geographic area |
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Weather |
The state of the atmosphere at a particular place for a short period of time |
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Climate |
Weather conditions over a long period of time |
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Factors that affect climate |
•temperature •precipitation •altitude |
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Troposphere |
Is where weather occurs |
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Stratosphere |
Second layer of atmosphere |
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Air Pressure |
The force exerted downward on a surface by the weight of air above that surface |
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Thermal Stratification |
Vertical temperature layers |
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Albedo |
The percentage of incoming solar energy that is reflected from a surface |
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Solar Energy |
The Earth receives energy from the Sun in the form of infrared waves, visible light waves, and UV waves |
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Convection |
Warm air/water rises, cold air/water sinks |
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Atmospheric Convection Currents |
Uneven heating of Earth's surface causes warmer air to rise and cooler air to sink. Air closer to the surface warms and rises, then cools and sinks. Primary cause of wind |
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Intertropical Convergence Zone |
Area of the Earth with the most intense sunlight |
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Hadley Cells |
Convection currents that cycle between the equator at 30N and 30S. Cause "trade winds" |
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Ferrell Cells |
Convection currents that rise at 60N and 60S and sink at 30N and 30S |
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Polar Cells |
Convection currents that rise at 60N and 60S and sink at the poles |
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Coriolis Effect |
Deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of the Earth |
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Jet Stream |
Fast flowing narrow current of air flowing 150 to 300 mph high in troposphere. Usually blows from West to East |
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Gyres |
Large scale patterns of water circulation. Move clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere |
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Upwelling |
Upward movement of water towards the surface |
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Thermohaline Circulation |
An oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water |
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Weather Fronts |
A boundary between two air masses of different density and temperature. Warm air is less dense and cold air is more dense |
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Warm Fronts |
Occur when a warm air mass advances on a cooler air mass |
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Cold Fronts |
Occur when a cold dense mass of air advances on a warmer mass |
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Tropical Cyclones |
Are generated when a low pressure system develops over warm ocean water |
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Hurricanes |
In Eastern Pacific |
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Typhoons |
In Western Pacific |
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Tornadoes |
Occur when a strong, dry cold front collides with warm, humid air |
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Monsoons |
Seasonal winds and heavy rains |
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El Niño Southern Oscillation |
El Niño and La Niña combined. Causes major changes in "normal" weather patterns |
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El Niño |
Warmer than normal surface waters of tropical Eastern Pacific |
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La Niña |
Cooler than normal water in tropical Pacific |
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Rain Shadow |
Desert-like conditions on the east side of mountains |
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Biome |
Regions characterized by a particular climate, soil, and vegetation |
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Marine |
Saltwater |
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Estuary |
Wetlands, salt marshes, mangrove swamps |
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Freshwater |
Streams/rivers, lakes/ponds, wetlands |
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Plankton |
Group of weakly swimming, free-floating organisms |
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Phytoplankton |
Unicelluar producers |
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Zooplankton |
"Animals." Range from unicellular to large |
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Nekton |
Can swim and are consumers |
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Benthos |
Live on the bottom of the aquatic biome |
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Euphotic Zone |
Upper layer in deep water habitats. AKA "photic zone" |
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Aphotic Zone |
Lower layers in deep water habitats |
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Coastal Zone |
Warm, nutrient-rich, shallow water that extends from the high-tide mark on land to the gently sloping |
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Continental Shelf |
Shallow part of the ocean right off the coast of the continents |
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Pelagic Zone |
Meaning "open sea," water in a sea or lake that is neither close to the bottom nor near the shore. Water column that goes from the surface of the sea almost to the bottom |
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Benthic Zone |
On the bottom |
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Open Sea |
Part of an ocean that is beyond the continental shelf |
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Water Column |
A conceptual column of water from the surface to the bottom sediments |
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Intertidal Zone |
Area of shoreline between high and low tides |
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Coral Reefs |
"Rainforest of the ocean" |
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Bleached Coral Reef |
Warming and/or polluted water killing algae/coral |
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Estuaries (Coastal Wetlands) |
Where fresh and salt water meet |
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Wetlands |
Area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either seasonally or permanently |
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Mangrove Swamps |
Coastal areas mostly compromised of mangrove shrubs and trees |
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Barrier Islands |
Low, narrow, sandy islands that form offshore from a coastline |
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Swamps |
Wetlands with trees |
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Marshes |
No trees, wet only part of year |
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Bogs |
Acidic rain-fed wetland; sphagnum moss (peat moss) and cranberries |
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Littoral Zone |
Shallow area of soil and water near the shore where plants can grow |
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Limnetic Zone |
Open water zone with algae but no plants |
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Profundal Zone |
Region of water below the limnetic zone. No photosynthesis |
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Oligotrophic Lakes |
Deep, nutrient-poor lakes with rocky bottoms |
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Eutrophic Lakes |
Shallower and have increased nutrients |