Bio: 3
About this set
Created by:
tuckerkirven on May 19, 2009
Description:
ch 3
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
41 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 ecology | scientific study of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment |
| biosphere | all portions of the planet where life exists; land, water, air/ atmosphere |
| levels of organization within the biosphere | individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome and biosphere |
| species | a group of organisms so similar that they can breed and produce fertile offspring |
| populations | groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area |
| communities | assemblages of different populations within a defined area |
| ecosystem | an assemblage of all the organisms that live together in a certain place, along with the nonliving, or physical, environment |
| biome | a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities |
| 3 basic modern ecological research methods | observing, experimenting and modeling |
| main source of life on earth | sunlight |
| autotrophs | use energy from the sun or inorganic chemical compounds to change simple inorganic compounds into complex organic compounds. they make their own food |
| producers | make their own food. essential in the flow of energy through the biosphere |
| photosynthesis | autotrophs use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and into energy rich carbohydrates, such as sugar and starches |
| chemosynthesis | process when organisms use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates |
| heterotrophs | organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply |
| consumers | rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply |
| herbivores | organisms that obtain energy by eating only plants |
| carnivores | organisms that eat only animals |
| omnivores | organisms that eat plants and animals |
| energy flow | energy in an ecosystem goes only one way, sun to producers to consumers, when those die the detritivores and decomposers eat and break down the remains |
| detritivores | feed on plant and animal remains, and other dead matter |
| decomposers | obtains energy by breaking down organic matter |
| food chain | series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten. ( only one species eats and is eaten by only one other species) |
| food web | links all the food chains together in an ecosystem. ( includes decomposers and detritivores) |
| trophic level | each step in a food chain or food web. ( in a food web an organism is categorized by its highest level) |
| ecological pyramid | shows relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web |
| energy pyramid | only 10% of energy is carried over to the next trophic level, the rest is lost as heat |
| biomass | the total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level |
| biomass pyramid | shows how much potential food is available for each trophic level in an ecosystem( base of the pyramid id the largest and tip is the smallest) |
| pyramid of numbers | shows how many organisms are in each trophic level ( it doesn't have to be a pyramid) |
| biogeochemical cycles | elements, chemical compounds and other forms of matter are passed between organisms and parts of the biosphere in a cycle |
| evaporation | process when water changes from a liquid to a gas |
| transpiration | evaporation from the leaves of plants |
| water cycle | evaporation and transpiration > sky > condensation> precipitation > run off > to seepage, root uptake & ocean. and reapeat |
| nutrients | chemical substances that an organism needs to sustain life. ( build tissue and carry out essential life functions) |
| carbon cycle | photosynthesis, respiration, human activity, decomposition, feeding, volcanic activity and erosion/ uplift |
| nitrogen fixation | when bacteria turn nitrogen gas into ammonia, so it can be used by plants |
| denitrification | converts nitrates into nitrogen gas and releases them back into the atmosphere |
| primary productivity | the rate at which organic matter is created by producers |
| limiting nutrients | a nutrient that that limits the population by being scarce or cycles slowly |
| algal bloom | occur when there is an abundance of a limiting nutrient,( disrupt equilibrium of an ecosystem) |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.