chapter 3 biology
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Created by:
x_BarryAllen_x on March 9, 2012
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Biosphere | the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the Earth (or other planet) where living organisms exist |
| population | a group of organisms of the same species populating a given area |
| species | (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed |
| community | (ecology) a group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other |
| ecology | the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment |
| ecosystem | a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment |
| biome | group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities |
| biotoc factor | biological influence on organisms within an ecosystem |
| abiotic factor | physical, or nonliving, factor that shapes an ecosystem |
| autotroph | plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances |
| primary producer | Organisms that produce energy available for other organisms to eat |
| Photosynthesis | synthesis of compounds with the aid of radiant energy (especially in plants) |
| Chemosynthesis | synthesis of carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water |
| Heterotroph | an organism that depends on complex organic substances for nutrition |
| Scavenger | any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter |
| Omnivore | a person who eats all kinds of foods |
| Decomposers | organisms that break down wastes and dead organisms and return raw materials to the environment |
| Detritivore | organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter |
| Food chain | (ecology) a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member |
| Photoplankton | small photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean |
| Food web | (ecology) a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains |
| Zooplankton | animal constituent of plankton |
| Trophic level | each step in a food chain or food web |
| Ecological pyramid | diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter within each trophic level in a food chain or food web |
| Biomass | the total mass of living matter in a given unit area |
| Biogeochemical cycle | process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another |
| Nutrient | any substance that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and build tissue |
| Nitrogen fixation | process in which bacteria convert nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds plants can use to make proteins |
| Denitrification | conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas |
| Limiting nutrient | single nutrient that either is scarce or cycles very slowly, limiting the growth of organisms in an ecosystem |
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