Unit 1-2: The Living World Ecosystems & Biodiversity

production of ammonia/ammonium compounds in the decomposition of organic matter, esp via bacteria

process where plants absorb thru roots
1) ammonium(NH3)
2) ammonia ions(NH4+)
3) nitrate ions(NO3)

producers = organisms that can produce own organic compounds from inorganic compounds
- get energy from
1) sun
2) oxidation of inorganic substances

characteristics:
1) long
2) relatively narrow
3) running parallel to mainland

formed by: actions of waves & currents

purpose: protect coast from erosion by surf & tidal surges

middle region of ocean
characteristics:
- less density of orgs cus not enough sunlight to support photosynthesis

surface/sub-surface layers of river, lake, pond, streambed
chacteristics
- low temp
- low O2 levels

number/variety of orgs in specified geographic region/ecosystem
types:
1) species diversity
2) ecosystem diversity

cycles where nutrients move thru environ
nutrients
1) carbon
2) O2
3) nitrogen
4) phosphorus
5) sulfur
6) water

true extermination of species, none left on planet

ecosystems based on land

living/derived from living things

scrub forest/shrubland
characteristics:
- moderate precipitation
- shallow/infertile soil
- small trees w large evergreen leaves & spiny shrubs

autotrophic bacteria that use chemosynthesis to produce energy in anaerobic environments

stable mature community in successive series that has reached equilibrium after having evolved thru stages and adapted to environ

ocean zone where water closest to land, between shore & continental shelf(edge of tectonic plate)
characteristics:
- abundant sunlight
- lots of O2

burned

symbiotic relationship where one org benefits and other is unaffected

few individuals exist but effort needed to locate/harvest isnt worth expense

formed from diff populations in same geographic area

2 individuals(same or diff species) compete for resources in same environ

process that occurs when 2 diff species in same region compete --> better adapted species wins

characteristics:
- moderate precipitation
- acidic soil
- coniferous trees

orgs that must obtain food energy from secondary sources(e.g. eating plant/animal matter)

erosion resistant marine ridge/mound

made of:
1) compacted coral(created by cnidarian animals)
2) agal material
3) biochemically deposited magnesium & calcium carbonates

use of nature for science and education, recreation, spritual uses

charcteristics:
- adequate precipitation
- rich soil w high organic content
- hardwood trees

orgs that consume dead plant/animal material
- process of decomp returns nutrients to environ

process where specialized bacteria(anaerobic) convert ammonia to NO3, NO2, and N2 which are released back to atmosphere
- last step of nitrogen cycle

charcteristics:
- low precipitation
- coarse sandy soil
- cactus & other low-water adapted plants

orgs that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter(dead animals/fallen leaves)
- diff from decomposers cus both nonliving & dead consumed

condition where there are so few individuals of species that cant perform eco function

transition in species of composition of a biological community following ecological disturbance of community
- establishment of biological community in area barren of life

see commercial extinction

smaller regions within ecosystems that share similar physical features

system of interconnected elements; community of living orgs and its environ

benefits that humans receive from ecosystems in nature when they function properly

regions where diff biomes overlap, lots of biodiversity

greater species diversity & biological density at ecosystem boundaries than there is in heart of ecological communities

structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers & consumers in ecosystem by kilocalories/meter^2 from largest to smallest
- more energy at lower levels

uppermost most oxygenated layers of freshwater

part of wide lower course of river where its current is met by the tides
- tide meets stream

photic, upper layers of ocean water

charcteristics:
- warmest region of ocean water
- highest levels of dissolved O2

warm water becoming overly enriched w minerals & nutrients
--> excessive growth of algae/other phytoplankton(agal blooms)

conversion of liquid into gas(vapor)

change in genetic composition of population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on genetic variation among individuals resulting in development of new species

better-adaptedness of individual orgs for their environ that allows them to live and reproduce --> genes live on to next population

site where nutrients sits for short period of time

death of entire species aka permanent inactivity

succession of orgs in an ecological community that constitutes continuation of food energy from one org to another as each consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by higher member

complex of interrelated food chains in ecological community

niche a species would have if no competition

no two species can occupy same niche at same time
--> less fit species will
1) relocate
2) die out
3) occupy smaller niche

total genetic make up of population

species w broad niche, highly adaptable, can live in varied habitats

random fluctuations in appearance of gene in small isolated population
- chance not natural selection

characerstics
- moderate precipitation
- rich soil
- sod-forming grasses

amount of sugar that plants produce in photosynthesis

any water that comes from below ground(duh)
- e.g. wells & aquifers

area or environ, where org or eco community normally lives/occurs

a) when size of org's natural habitat is reduced
b) development occurs that isolates habitat/part of one

an org that cant synthesize own food and dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition

in food chain only about 10% of energy is transferred from one level to the next

related to factors/things that are separate from living aka nonliving

deepest region of ocean
charcteristics:
- extremely cold temp
- low dissolved O2
- high levels of nutrients bcus of decaying plant/animal matter that sinks from zones above

w out O2

ecosystems in aqueous environs

lower, colder, denser layer of freshwater

species used as a standard to evaluate rest of ecosystem

species that originates, lives or occurs naturally in environ

competition between individuals of diff species

competition between individuals of same species

introduced, non native species

presence contributes to ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would lead to extinction of others

matter cant be created or destroyed

living orgs will continue to live consuming all available materials until supply is exhausted

describes degree to which living orgs are capable of tolerating changes in environ

any factor that controls population growth

types
1) density dependent
2) density independent

surface of open ocean, extends to the depth at which sunlight can penetrate

ocean zone w very shallow water at shoreline and extending to depth at which rooted plants stop growing

large scale patterns of evolution within biological orgs over long periods of time

coastal wetlands(areas of land covered in fresh water, salt water, or combo of both) found in tropical and subtropical regions

small-scale evolutionary changes over short periods of time

symbiotic relationship where both benefit

Darwin's Theory of Evolution
- only best adapted orgs survive and transmit genes to next generation

amount of energy that plants pass on to community of herbivores in ecosystem
- amount of sugar plants produce in photosynthesis minus amount of energy needed for maintenance

total sum of species' use of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment

process where soil bacteria converts ammonium(NH4) to form that can be used by plants nitrate(NO3)

conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds(ammonia) by natural agencies or various industrial processes

symbiotic relationship where one member is helped and other is harmed

cycle which phosphorus moves thru environ in diff forms

process in green plants and other orgs where carbohydrates are synthesized from CO2 and water using light as an energy source
- releases O2 as byproduct

branching diagram used to model evolution and describe the evolutionary relationships between species

orgs that take root and adapt to conditions of habitat in first stages of eco succession

group of orgs of same species that live in same area

water that condenses in the atmosphere and falls to Earth's surface in liquid/solid form

when one species feeds on another

species that feeds on anotehr species

species subject to predation by another species

orgs that consume producers

when eco succession begins in a virtually lifeless area