APES UNIT 1B

plankton

weekly swimming, free floating organism, important because they form the basis on food chains

phytoplankton

unicellular, plants

produce 50% of atmospheric oxygen and much of the dissolved oxygen for aquatic ecosystem

zooplanktons

animal, from unicellular consumer up to large animals like jellyfish

nekton

can swim, are consumers

benthos

live on the bottom on ocean

euphoric zone

upper layer in deep water habitats aka ‘‘photic zone’’ where sunlight can penetrate and photosynthesis can occur

aphotic zone

lower layer in deep water habitats, no photosynthesis

3 main aquatic biomes

marine, estuary, freshwater

example of estuary

costal wetlands, salt marshes, mangrove swamps

pelagic zone

open sea

benthic zone

on the bottom

intertidal zone

area of shoreline between hide and low tides

estuaries

where fresh and salt water meet

brackish

description of water that is fresh and salty mix

eco services of estuaries

filter toxic pollutants, excess plant nutrients, etc

reduce storms by absorbing waves and access water

that provide food, habitat, and nursery sites for organisms

how are mangroves being destroyed

seaside property, aquaculture, salt farming

barrier islands

low, narrow sandy islands that form offshore from costal line

swamps

wetland with trees

marshes

no trees

bogs

acid present, cranberries

littoral zone

shallow area of soil and water near the shore where plants can grow

limnetic zone

open water zone w algae but no plants

profundal zone

below limnetic zone, no photosynthesis

oligotrophic lakes

deep, nutrient poor, rocky bottom lakes

eutrophic lakes

shallow, increase nutrients

biosphere

the region of our planet on where life resides

geochemical cycle

elements and compounds cycling through the atmosphere and earth

biogeochemical cycle

nutrients cycling in a continuous flow in various forms from the environment to organisms and back

Major biogeochemical cycle

hydrologic cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle

carbon sinks

atmosphere, ocean, land

phosphorus cycle

The phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the Earth's ecosystems. It involves the transfer of phosphorus from the lithosphere (rock and soil) to plants, then to animals, and eventually back to the environment through decomposition and weathering processes. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for living organisms and plays a crucial role in processes such as DNA and RNA synthesis, energy transfer, and bone formation.

transpiration

water vapor from the surface of the leaves

evatranspiration

describes all water vapor, mostly from evaporation

infiltration

water entering soil

percolation

water filtering downwards

topography

changes in elevation

why do organisms need carbon

to provide energy

why do organisms need phosphorus

needed for DNA; component for ATP

why do organisms need nitrogen

needed both for DNA and amino acids which were the building blocks of protein

why do organisms need sulfur

needed for amino acids

gross primary productivity

total amount of energy (glucose) produced by photosynthesis in an area

net primary productivity

total amount of photosynthesis-cellular respiration