Chapter 3: Ecology

Question 1

biosphere

Answer 1

region of Earth where life resides, combination of all ecosystems

Question 2

producer/autotroph

Answer 2

organism that uses energy of sun to produce usable forms of energy

Question 3

photosynthesis

Answer 3

process by which producers use solar energy to convert to carbon dioxide and water into glucose

Question 4

cellular respiration

Answer 4

process by which cells unlock energy of chemical compounds

Question 5

aerobic respiration

Answer 5

process which cells convert glucose/water/oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

Question 6

anaerobic respiration

Answer 6

process by which cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen

Question 7

consumer/heterotroph

Answer 7

organism that needs to get energy from consuming other organisms

Question 8

herbivore/primary consumers

Answer 8

consumer that eats producers

Question 9

carnivore

Answer 9

consumer that eats other consumers

Question 9

secondary consumer

Answer 9

carnivore that eats primary consumers

Question 9

food chain

Answer 9

sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers

Question 9

food web

Answer 9

complex model of how energy moves between trophic levels

Question 10

trophic levels

Answer 10

successive levels of organisms consuming one another

Question 10

tertiary consumers

Answer 10

carnivore that eats secondary consumers

Question 11

scavenger

Answer 11

organism that consumes dead animals

Question 12

detritivore

Answer 12

organism that breaks down dead tissue and waste into smaller particles

Question 13

decomposer

Answer 13

fungi/bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements that can be recycled back to the ecosystem

Question 14

GPP

Answer 14

total amount of solar energy producers can capture with photosynthesis over a certain time

Question 15

NPP

Answer 15

energy captured by producers minus energy producers respire

Question 16

biomass

Answer 16

total mass of all living matter in an area

Question 17

standing crop

Answer 17

amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time

Question 18

ecological efficiency

Answer 18

proportion of consumer energy that is passed from one trophic level to another

Question 19

trophic pyramid

Answer 19

representation of distribution of biomass, numbers, energy among trophic levels

Question 20

biogeochemical cycle

Answer 20

movements of matter within and between ecosystems

Question 21

hydrologic cycle

Answer 21

movement of water through biosphere

Question 22

transpiration

Answer 22

release of water from leaves during photosynthesis

Question 23

evapotranspiration

Answer 23

combined amount of evaporation and transpiration

Question 24

runoff

Answer 24

water that moves across land surface and into streams/rivers

Question 25

carbon cycle

Answer 25

movement of carbon around the biosphere

Question 26

macronutrient

Answer 26

one of 6 key elements that organisms need it large amounts
nitrogen
phosphorus
potassium
calcium
magnesium
sulfur

Question 27

limiting nutrient

Answer 27

nutrient needed for growth but less available than other nutrients

Question 28

nitrogen cycle

Answer 28

movement of nitrogen around the biosphere

Question 29

nitrogen fixation

Answer 29

when some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules into ammonia

Question 30

nitrification

Answer 30

conversion of ammonia into nitrate, nitrite

Question 31

assimilation

Answer 31

producers incorporating elements into their tissues

Question 32

mineralization

Answer 32

when fungal and bacterial decomposers break down dead organic matter to waste products, convert to inorganic compounds

Question 33

ammonification

Answer 33

fungal and bacterial decomposers break down organic nitrogen, convert to inorganic ammonium

Question 34

denitrification

Answer 34

conversion of nitrate into gases nitrous oxide then nitrogen gas

Question 35

leaching

Answer 35

transportation of dissolved molecules through soil via groundwater

Question 36

phosphorus cycle

Answer 36

movement of phosphorus through biosphere

Question 37

algal bloom

Answer 37

rapid increase in algal population

Question 38

sulfur cycle

Answer 38

movement of sulfur through the biosphere

Question 39

eutrophication

Answer 39

when a body of water becomes progressively enriched with nutrients and minerals