Flashcards
ECOSYSTEMS
Cards in this deck (35)
- 1Ecology is...the study of organisms and the environments they live in
- 2Abiotic factorsare the physical and chemical elements in an ecosystem, which affects living organisms.
- 3Biotic factorsare the effects which other organisms have on a living being in its environment.
- 4Biosphereis the live zone of the Earth. It includes all living organisms and all organic matter
- 5An individualis any living thing or organism.
- 6PopulationIs a group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time.
- 7CommunityIt includes all the populations in a specific area at a given time.
- 8Ecosystemincludes more than a community of living organisms (biotic) interacting with the environment (abiotic).
- 9BiomeIt is a set of ecosystems sharing similar characteristics with their abiotic factors adapted to their environments.
- 10Food chainIt is the order in which animals and plants eat each other in order to survive
- 11Tertiary consumersThey feed on primary and secondary consumers. Some of them are omnivores that eat both plants and animals.
- 12Secondary consumersUsually eat animal material - they are carnivores.
- 13Primary consumersUsually eat plant material - they are herbivores
- 14ProducersOrganisms that make their own food by photosynthesis.
- 15FOOD WEBSThey show how plants and animals are connected in many ways to help them all survive.
- 16DecomposersThey release nutrients, that return to the soil, when they break down dead organisms.
- 17In the cycle of energythe energy has a unidirectional flow.
- 18In the cycle of matterMatter has a cyclical flow, it is recycled.
- 19Interspecific relationsare interactions among organisms of different species.
- 20Mutualismboth species benefit from their relationship.
- 21DepredationA predator is an organism that eats another organism. The prey is the organism which the predator eats.
- 22Parasitism...is a relationship in which one organism (the parasite) benefits while the other (the host) is harmed.
- 23Commensalismis a symbiotic relationship between two organisms of different species in which one derives some benefit while the other is unaffected.
- 24Inquilinismis a specific form of commensalism in which one organism uses another organism for housing.
- 25An adaptation ...is a special feature or behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment.
- 26Say 3 examples of adapations to humidity in a terrestrial ecosystemstomata, spines, exoskeleton, substances, scales
- 27Say 3 examples of adapations to light in a terrestrial ecosystemheight, large leaves, nocturnal activity
- 28Say 2 examples of adapations to TEMPERATURE in a terrestrial ecosystempoikilotherms
homeotherms - 29Say 3 examples of adapations to light in an aquatic ecosystempigments, shape, bioluminiscense
- 30Say 3 examples of adapations to water movement in an aquatic ecosystemfixed to surfaces, shelter, round shape, ways fish swim
- 31Say 3 examples of adapations to pressure in an aquatic ecosystemflat body shape, swim bladder, hydrodynamic shape
- 32Freshwater ecosystems• Relatively small in area ~ 1.8% of earth's surface.
• Support many species of life including fish, amphibians, insects and plants.
• Examples: rivers and lagoons. - 33Terrestrial Ecosystems• Many & diverse types of ecosystems. There are seven major types.
• Location usually dependent on the latitude of the area, and amount of precipitation
• Examples: forest and grassland. - 34Ocean Ecosystems• Very large amount of Earth is covered by ocean (~75%)
• 40% of all photosynthesis occurs in oceans.
• No photosynthesis can occur in deep ocean because light cannot penetrate deeply into water. - 35Biodiversityis a word that is used to describe the differences between individuals, species and environments