Biology 20 Final Review Flashcards
What is a closed system?
Matter can not be exchanged, but energy is exchanged.
Is Earth a closed system? Why?
We get energy from the sun and stuff but matter is not exchanged
Dynamic Equilibrium definition
any system that has lots of changes occurring but the parts of the system adjust to these changes without messing up the whole system
What are the earth’s 3 basic structural zones
the lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere (air)
Whats the biosphere
any part of the earth that contains life, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere are all a part of the biosphere because they all contain living things
Biotic Definition
living parts of the biosphere/earth
Abiotic Definition
non-living parts of the biosphere/earth (including chemical and physical factors)
example of abiotic chemical and geological factors of the biosphere
rocks and minerals
example of abiotic physical factors of the biosphere
temperature and weather
levels of organization from simple to more complex (smallest to largest) (10)
cell - tissue - organ - system - organism - population - community - ecosystem - biome - biosphere
Population definition
group of the same species, at the same place, at a specific time
Community definition
multiple populations in an area/habitat
Ecosystem definition
a community with its biotic and abiotic factors (physical and chemical environment interacting with organisms)
biodiversity/biological diversity definition
the number of species in an ecosystem, the more species- the healthier the ecosystem
food-chain definition
a sequence linking organisms that feed on each other, starting with a food source (plants… producer) and continuing in order with each consumer
what do predators do for the ecosystem
keeps the population of its prey from getting out of hand, stops over population of a certain species
what do prey do for the ecosystem
important source of food
what happens when a predator goes extinct by humans
its prey over populates and takes over the ecosystem affecting a whole bunch of other stuff and it just creates a domino effect
definition of a producer
an autotroph; makes its own food
autotroph definition
makes its own food
consumer definition
heterotroph; must eat other things to live bc it cant make its own food
heterotroph definition
eats other things bc it cant make its own food
the health of top level consumers indicate what?
their health indicated whether toxins are entering the ecosystem because top level consumers rely totally on other members of the ecosystems food chain and the toxins in these organisms get passed down to the top consumer
Whats an endangered species
close to extinction in all parts of the country or very large location
whats an extirpated species
one that no longer exists in one part of the country but can be found in other parts
whats a threatened species
likely to become endangered if no help is provided
indicator species definition
species sensitive to small changes in an ecosystem and is used to provide early warning
if the populations of frogs decrease what happens
frogs eat large amounts of insects so there would be a LOT more insects
how many ecosystems are frogs and many other amphibians a part of
2, land and water - hydrosphere and lithosphere
herbivore definition
animal that eats only plants
carnivore definition
eats meat/other animals
omnivore definition
eats both plants and animals
detritus definition
wastes from plants and animals including their dead remains
what do detritus food chains do
recycling matter in ecosystems through decomposers
what are decomposers
ORGANISM that BREAKS DOWN DETRITUS (plant and animal waste) to get nutrients for themselves but also release some nutrients back into the soil or water which plants and algae use to grow
Habitat defintion
area that an organism or population can survive in
what causes habitat loss
humans; farming, industry, buildings, concrete, roads, housing… etc.
biome definition
large scale ecosystem
why are frogs disappearing (4)
loss of habitat, air and water quality, climate change, ultraviolet radiation
why is the amount of UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface increasing?
damage to the ozone layer surrounding the earth
Ultraviolet Radiation (UV Rays) defintion
electromagnetic radiation from the sun that causes sunburns and cellular mutation
ozone definition
an inorganic molecule; helps screen out UV rays
what is a big part of the damage of the ozone
CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) found in spray cans and refrigerators
what organism serves as an indicator species for the health of the planet
frogs; they are greatly effected by global warming, UV rays, pollution, climate change, air and water quality and habitat loss
What is photosynthesis?
when green plants use solar energy, water, and carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates (sugars) which can be used as food by other organisms
trophic level definition
a category of living things defined by how it gains its energy
what is placed in the first trophic level
producers/autotrophs, organisms that make their own food (example; from solar energy)…
some different types of producers
plants, algae, some bacteria
what is placed in the second trophic level
primary consumers; feed on producers… herbivores… rely directly on the autotrophs
what is placed in the third trophic level
secondary consumers; eat primary consumers… carnivore
animal that is a primary consumers
rabbit eats grass
animal that is a secondary consumer
snake eats rabbit
animal that is a tertiary consumer
owl eats snake
what is a tertiary consumer
eats secondary consumer
top carnivore definition
the final carnivore in a food chain, not eaten by other animals (while they are alive)
food web defintion
series of interlocking food chains, representation of the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem… represents energy pathways
what are the most stable ecosystems
those with the greatest biodiversity
why does a greater biodiversity result in a more stable ecosystem?
the food web is so complex that reduction or removal of one species will only have a small effect on the ecosystem because there are many other species to replace that species energy
what moves energy from the abiotic component of an ecosystem to the biotic component
photosynthesis!!!… uses sunlight (abiotic) and moves it to the biotic component of the ecosystem (plants)
cellular respiration definition
cells break down glucose into carbon dioxide and water, releasing energy
chemosynthesis
process in which non-photosynthetic organisms convert inorganic chemicals to organic compounds without solar energy
chemoautotroph
an organism that can make organic compounds from inorganic chemicals without using solar energy
what organisms undergo cellular respiration to use the energy in their food
ALL ORGANISMS
Basic Chemical Reaction for Photosynthesis
CO2+H2O+energy –> C6H12O6+O2
Basic Chemical Reaction for Cellular Respiration
C6H12O6+O2 –> CO2+H2O+energy
What two ecosystems use chemosynthesis instead of photosynthesis?
Caves or Deep Oceans
How does chemosynthesis work?
Bacter called chemoautotrophs use CO2, H2O and an energy source (Not solar) to make nutrients.. the energy can be taken from inorganic chemicals like; hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, ferrous ions or sulfur
How do hot springs work?
thermal energy from the earths crust heats the underground water, and is released through vents in rock
How do bacteria in sulfur hot springs produce food
some bacteria use thermal energy to convert dissolved hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide into organic compounds
As energy travels through the trophic levels/different organisms/ecosystem at each transfer some energy is lost… why?
each time energy is transferred 90% is lost as heat or waste
what are the LABELS for the trophic levels
producer - primary consumer - secondary consumer (top carnivore)
what are the two types of food chains
grazer: plant - herbivore - carnivore
detritus: organic waste - scavengers - decomposers
trophic levels demonstrate what
how far an organism is from the original energy source… orignal energy=sun first trophic level =plants
In ALL food chains the farther up the chain you go ___ energy is available
LESS
The loss of energy at each trophic level limits the trophic levels in a food chain to about what number
5
first law of thermodynamics
energy can be changed in form, but not created or destroyed
second law of thermodynamics
any change in energy results in a loss of energy as heat
Explain why only 10% of the energy available in a plant is transferred to primary consumer
90% of the energy is needed for photosynthesis, growth, and reproduction…
ecological pyramid definition
illustrate the energy loss through the trophic levels
what is a pyramid of numbers
total number of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem
what shape do pyramids of numbers take?
depending on the producer the shape can be like an actual pyramid or if the primary consumer is very tiny and the producer is large, then there will be small amounts of trees and very large numbers of tiny insects because thousands of insects can feed off of only one tree…
what is a biomass pyramid
mass of dry tissue of organisms at each trophic level (based on stored energy amounts… places with more sunlight have higher biomass bc more stored energy)… mass decreases as you move up the food chain
what are biomass pyramids measured in
grams (g)
what is an energy pyramid
based on the energy produced at each trophic level… gets smaller as you go up
what are energy pyramids measured in
kJ, J, Calorie…
the higher the trophic level the ___ energy is available
LESS
what are pesticides
used to kill pests; however they get eaten and the toxins accumulate in food chains … ex: DDT
What are organic compounds
substances that CONTAIN atoms of CARBON and HYDROGEN
What are inorganic compounds
substances that DO NOT contain CARBON and HYDROGEN
Are the chemicals that make up your body; proteins, sugars and fats, organic or inorganic
organic
what are amino acids used for
used to build proteins
what are sugars (glucose) used to do
store energy
what are fatty acids used for
fatty acids are combined to form fats which store energy and build cell membranes
why must matter be recycled
because there is no other source of matter so we need to keep using the stuff we have…. it must be recycled to maintain life on earth
what happens to organic molecules during digestion
complex organic molecules are broken down into simpler molecules
what do decomposers do to organic matter held in dead bodies and wastes
decomposers break down ORGANIC matter into small INORGANIC molecules
What happens to the inorganic molecules (nutrients) that are in the soil because of a decomposer breaking organic matter into those nutrients
these molecules enter the soil or water which is used by plants as nutrients to make food for themselves then an animal eats the plant and it just keeps going
what is the major component of the cell’s cytoplasm
water
what are the three states water is in
vapour(gas), solid (snow,ice), liquid
a list of the importance of water to organisms (6)
- absorbs/releases thermal energy
- metabolic reactions take place in water
- excellent solvent (dissolves things)
- makes up 60% of the cells mass
- supplies hydrogen during photosynthesis, supplies oxygen during cellular respiration
- reactant AND product in some metabolic activities
what is a polar molecule
molecule that has a positive and negative end
is water a polar molecule
yes
how is water held together
water molecules are held together by COVALENT bonds that join ONE OXYGEN and TWO HYDROGEN atoms…
how is water a polar molecule
water = one oxygen, two hydrogen … electrons attracted to oxygen (negative) …hydrogens (Positive) are at the other end.. negative end repels negative ends of other water molecules but attracts the other waters positive ends
what pulls water molecules together
hydrogen bonds
what are hydrogen bonds
type of bond formed between positive end of one water molecule and the negative end of another water molecule
definition of the hydrological cycle (Water cycle)
the movement of water through the environment from the atmosphere to earth and back
summarize the hydrological cycle
river -> ocean -> evaporation -> part of clouds -> precipitation (rain/snow/hail) -> back to ground, ocean, underground, river… wherever it ends up and then gets evaporated again…
transpiration definition
the loss of water through plant leaves
how do plants/trees play a role in the water cycle
through transpiration…
whats surface water
lakes, ponds, rivers
what two sources do we get our water from
ground water, and surface water
percolation definition
the movement of a liquid through porous material like soil (water moving through the soil)
water table definition
below ground that fills with water above bedrock or clay
leaching definition
removal of dissolvable minerals by percolation (filtering through soil)
wet acid deposition
also known as acid rain… sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides enter the atmosphere and combine with water droplets to form acids which return to the surface as rain or snow in the form of acid rain
dry acid deposition
sulfur and nitrous oxides may remain airborne and stay dry… they then combine with moisture on the earth surface like dew on a lawn, surface of a lake to form acids
what is the cause of sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides in the atmosphere
- when fossil fuels and metal ores containing sulfur are burn = sulfur dioxide (which is a poisonous gas)
- vehicles, fossil fuel burning power plants, processing nitrogen fertilizers produces various nitrous oxides
what is capillary action
the upward motion of water that goes against gravity… when water carries nutrients up plants stems etc…
why does the ocean store a lot of INORGANIC carbon
because water can dissolve carbon dioxide
what cycles inorganic carbon dioxide into more complex organic substances
photosynthesis
carbon cycle definition
cycle in which carbon atoms move from inorganic form to an organic form and then back to an inorganic form
what released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
combustion (burning things)
combustion definition
chemical reaction that occurs when a substance reacts very quickly with oxygen to release energy… burning
Most of the carbon in living organisms is returned to the atmosphere or water as _______ from _____ and _____
as carbon dioxide from wastes and decays
When carbon is in INORGANIC form what three places is it stored in
the atmosphere, the earth’s crust, the oceans
What is the largest storage for carbon… why
sedimentary rocks… carbon in oceans often get turned into rocks and then carbon stays locked in rocks for millions of years until people, volcanoes or acid rain burns the rocks up
peat definition
slowly decomposing plant matter produced in LOW-OXYGEN environments … like BOGS
Where is organic carbon held
the bodies of living things (but once they die and decay it is back to inorganic form), and organic carbon can be kept in peat in BOGS
What are bogs?
an ecosystem with very little oxygen… decomposition is VERY SLOW creating peat
how is coal made
carbon is locked away under peat and get covered in sediment and eventually the carbon can be trapped between layers of rock = carbon containing fossil fuel = coal
biogeochemical pathways
when matter cycles through the biosphere following its specific pathways = the cycles of matter
what are the three major cycles
carbon/oxygen cycle
nitrogen cycle
phosphorus cycle
the carbon/oxygen cycle has a lot to do with the interrelations between __________ and ___________
photosynthesis and cellular respiration
carbon dioxide is released during what activities
volcanoes, automobiles, combustion, uplifting and weathering
uplifting definition
tectonic plates move together creating volcanoes, mountains etc..
whats weathering
erosion; something wearing away because of wind, water, etc…
how have humans changed the carbo cycle
- mining and burning stored carbon = more carbon dioxide in atmosphere
- clearing away vegetation to build/farm = more carbon dioxide in inorganic reservoir (bc less photosynthesis.. more and more is being kept in the atmosphere bc the oceans can only hold so much)
albedo definition
the extent a surface reflects light that hits it… albedo of 0.08 means 8% of light is reflected
snow and ice have a high or low albedo… why
high, the white strongly reflects the light and does not absorb much energy keeping cool temps while no snow covered surfaces absorb more light and energy and reflect less light
nitrogen cycle definition
cycle of matter in which nitrogen atoms move from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to inorganic form in soil, to organic forms in living things and back to inorganic forms in the soil and then once again as nitrogen gas in the atmosphere
nitrogen fixation/nitrification definition
atmospheric or dissolved nitrogen gets turned into nitrate ions
why are nitrogen atoms required in organisms
cells need nitrogen to make proteins and DNA
what makes up 79% of the atmopshere
nitrogen (N2)
what form must nitrogen be in for it to be usable to organisims
nitrate ions (NO3)
what are the two ways nitrogen can be converted into nitrates
- lighting
- bacteria in soil
how does lighting make nitrogen into nitrates
energy from lighting causes nitrogen gas to react with oxygen in the air producing nitrates.. end up in the soil through rain or something and then move into plants through their roots
where is nitrogen fixing bacteria found
on the roots of legumes (such as clover, soybeans, peas and alfalfa)
what happens to nitrogen containing chemicals in dead organisms or their wastes when they decay
decomposers break down the nitrogen containing chemicals into ammonia (NH3)
what happens to ammonia produced by decomposers
bacteria convert ammonia into nitrites and then other bacteria convert the nitrites into nitrates and it is now able to be used once again
what is denitrification
when nitrates get turned into nitrites and then back to nitrogen gas which goes back to the atmosphere
what carries out denitrification
bacteria that dont need no oxygen
fertilizer definition
material used to restore nutrients to plants
what happens when nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers are carried by spring runoff to streams then lakes??
a whole bunch of algae grows = a ton of decomposers = less oxygen = less fish
what happens when too much nitrates is in our water (especially for babies)
in small humans nitrates end up in their stomach and something converts the nitrates to nitrites which then attach to hemoglobin in blood, reducing the ability to carry oxygen to tissues… this isn’t so bad in adults bc their stomachs are more acidic and the nitrates cant even get to the stomach without being destroyed
phosphorous cycle
cycling of phosphorus between biotic and abiotic components of the environment; consists of a biological and geochemical cycle
what is phosphorus a key element in
- cell membranes
- making DNA
- bones
- molecules that help release chemical energy
what are the two parts to the phosphorus cycle
long term cycle; rocks (geological)
short term cycle; living organisms (biological)
what are nutrients
chemical essential for living things
what two things are both nutrients
nitrates and phosphates
describe the long term/geological/rock cycle in the phosphorus cycle
phosphate in rocks -> weathering -> dissolved inorganic phosphate in soil/river ->runoff to ocean ->build up in ocean sediments -> uplifting -> phosphate in rocks….
describe the short term/biological/living organisms cycle of the phosphorus cycle
dissolved inorganic phosphate in soil/rivers -> enters plants -> enters animals/decomposes -> animals decompose -> dissolved inorganic phosphate in soil…
3 other examples of nutrients
potassium, calcium, magnesium
ecology definition
the study of interactions between organisms and their living and non-living environment
abiotic factor
a non-living factor that influences an organisms
biotic factor
a living factor that affects/influences an organism
ecotone definition
transition area between two ecosystems… great biodiversity because there are organisms from both of the ecosystems
ecological niche
an organisms role in an ecosystem, its place in the food web, its habitat, its breeding area, and the time of day its most active… everything it does to survive and reproduce
What helps reduce competition between species
organisms niche’s because then they feed off of the same plant at different times of day, etc.
whats the problem with exotic species
they need to compete for an already existing niche, killing off either the original organism with this niche or it dies because it cant compete with the original niche holder
what is one of the main causes of extinction
humans introducing exotic species to new places…
biome definition
large area with a specific climate, that has plants and animals adapted to this climate … each biome contains many ecosystems
terrestrial ecosystems
ecosystems that are found anywhere on earth thats not covered by water…
Alberta’s terrestrial ecosystems are found within what two biomes?
taiga and grassland
conifers
cone-bearing trees that have needles instead of leaves
what weather is conifer trees (part of taiga) adapted to?
warm moist summers, and cold dry winters… needles stop water loss during the winter because of small surface area and wax covering that also protects it from frost
how does the shape of a conifer help it
the cone shape keeps snow from piling on top of it … the needles do not hold snow… it doesnt get crushed by the snow basically
canopy definition
the upper layer of vegetation in a forest.. top of trees.. etc
what affects sunlight in taiga biome
the canopy stops the sunlight from reaching the forest floor… the most sunlight is hit by the top of conifers
because of such little sunlight in taiga biome of forest floor what grows there
shade loving plants like: shrubs, moss, ferns
what animals survive off of the shade loving plants of the taiga biome
deer, moose, voles
what types of animals like to eat conifers aka they thrive in taiga
50 species of birds … thick strong beaks capable of cracking the cones… also squirrels can feed on the pine seeds
what are the predators of the taiga biome
black, grizzly bears, weasels, owls and wolverines
in taiga the soil is very acidic.. why? and what grows in acidic soil?
the needles from the conifers are very acidic so when they decompose it makes the soil acidicy… black spruce trees grow in acidic soil
permafrost definition
a layer of permanently frozen soil under the normal soil
muskeg definition
soil above permafrost that is swampy or boggy in the summer
what biome is muskeg and permafrost found in
tundra… these affect the types of organisms that will live in this biome
decomposition is slow in tundra/ muskeg… why?
the low temperatures limit the reproduction of soil bacteria and fungi… limits the amount of organic matter in soil
plants that live in the slow decomposition soil in tundra are
lichens, mosses, tall grass, small shrubs, stunted conifers
pools of water that collect in muskeg/tundra are suitable for what organisms
black flies and mosquitoes…
where are caribou found
muskeg ecosystems of taiga!!!
whats the soil like in grassland biome
very good decomposition its very good healthy soil… all the grass with deep roots is good for decomposition.. the warm temperatures = rapid decay and makes a rich layer of humus
whats humus
decaying plant and animal matter
abiotic limiting factors of terrestrial ecosystems (ANY AREA OF LAND)
- soil
- available water
- temperature
- sunlight
Soil as a limiting factor for terrestrial ecosystems
the quality and amount of soil are critical factors in determining the size and health of the plant community and the biodiversity of an ecosystem
Available water as a limiting factor for terrestrial ecosystems
the amount of water available in an ecosystem helps determine the size and health of populations and biodiversity of an ecosystem… (rains a lot: lots of biodiversity.. rains a lil: only plants that can survive wit small amounts of water
temperature as a limiting factor for terrestrial ecosystems
temperature affects both abiotic and biotic factors.. can vary significantly throughout the year… what animals survive in constant heat, constant cold… something that constantly changes… how does the soil reacts to very cold temperatures… makes it pretty shitty huh?
sunlight as a limiting factor for terrestrial ecosystems
the amount of sunlight determines what types of plants will grow there.. closer to the equator the amount of sunlight in a day is constant.. southern or northern places have different amounts of sunlights at different times of the year… how does this affect things?
Taiga biome and limiting factors
sunlight: tree canopy stops sunlight from hitting the floor year round; making shrubs moss ferns, etc which brings deer and moose and birds in the conifers
temperature; warm moist summers, cold dry winters = like conifers.. animals must be able to adapt in the cold and summer like bears and deer
available water: less precipitation, most of the precipitation is snow
soil; soil is acidic bc of the needles of conifers, . water in the soil ok but acidic soil
Animals in taiga
50 species of birds bc of conifers.. primary consumers: moose, voles, deer… secondary; black/grizzly bears, weasels, owls, wolverine
Grassland biome and limiting factors
sunlight; so much sunlight bc no trees all grass = good soil/ decomp.. no trees bc too dry.. sun all year round
temperature: very warm, no shade, very dry = no trees, warm temp = good decomp
available water; doesnt get much rain bc the grass doesnt really need it = no trees or green plants
soil; GREAT soil.. warm temp, sunlight, grass = good decomposition - amazing soil
animals in grassland biome
lots of ground animals: snakes, mice, weasels
big grazers: bison, deer,
some randoms: rabbits, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, grasshoppers
LOTS of herbivores
predatory birds bc no nuts/seeds or berries:. hawk
Limiting factors in tundra/muskeg biome
sunlight; not very much sunlight… short growing season… the days are often very short
temperature; very cold, permafrost, dry
available water; low precipitation
soil; permafrost = VERY slow decomp… always cold…
All of this = not a lot of plants or trees in general… lowest energy flow
All the biomes and their energy flows
energy flow 2 (low): Tundra (frozen desert)
energy flow 7 (good): grassland
energy flow 10 (good): taiga (lots of snow.. mixed season)
energy flow 16 (great): deciduous (lil bit of everythang)
Limiting factors in Deciduous biome
sunlight; spring-sun reaches forest floow where the plants at the bottome grow - then summer the trees grow and the plants at the bottom are already fully grown so their is sunlight available for canopy and the understory = good sunlight - lots of photosynthesis goin on from the trees = rapid growth throughout the biome
temperature; high temp = good decomp, rich topsoil good for all the plants deciduous trees need lots of energy from temp and sun and decomp etc.
available water; high precipitation, lots of rain = rich topsoil, good for plants, lots of humus,
soil; lots of decomp from leaves, high temp, high precipitation, sunlight, lots of detritus, litter, bacteria … all these factors make very good soil for all of the plants that need it
deciduous biome has the highest energy flow
The basic flaws of each biome
tundra: cold, dry, permafrost, less decomp, less sunlight
grassland: too dry for anything but grass lol
taiga: acidic soil, less light, less precipitation
deciduous: less light in summer for forest floor
Animals in tundra biome
black bear; caribou (muskeg = great for caribou), black flies and mosquitoes bc of the pools of water
Animals in Deciduous biome
black bear (trees); weasels, moose (litter/plants), deer (litter/plants), woodpecker (trees). thick layer of leaf litter = lots of insects, = lots of insect eating birds and mammals… all the vegetation = moose n deer, large canopy = bird and climbing mammals WOODPECKER
understory definition
below the canopy layer, usually shrubs and small trees
litter definition
upper layer of soil composed of mainly partially decomposed leaves or grass
what are the most common trees in deciduous biome
aspen, balsam poplar, and birch
abiotic limiting factors in aquatic ecosystems
- chemical environment
- sunlight
- temperature
when talking about limiting factors of an aquatic ecosystem what is the chemical environment factor?
the type of water (fresh or salt), the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, and any other dissolved substances in the water (minerals or pollutants, etc)
when talking about limiting factors of an aquatic ecosystem what is sunlight do?
may vary throughout the year, the amount of sunlight can also depend on how deep a body of water is.. ecosystems near the top of the surface get more sunlight = higher temps and more photosynthesis = more organisms near the top
when talking about limiting factors in aquatic ecosystems what does temperature do?
temperature may vary throughout the year, and the temperature can also depend on how deep the water is and how much sunlight can reach and warm it up..
what is a fourth abiotic factor in the aquatic ecosystem
water pressure
littoral zone definition
area from the shore of the lake or pond to the point where no more plants grow in the lake bottom
limnetic zone definition
the area of lake or pond in which there is open water and sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur
profundal zone definition
the region of a lake beneath the limnetic zone, in which there is insufficient light for photosynthesis to occur
what part of the lake is most productive
littoral, most plants and algae
what organisms are found in the limnetic zone
PLANKTON both autotrophic and heterotrophic … food for fish, tadpoles and birds
what is the (Mostly) only source of nutrients in the profundal zone of lakes
the rain of dead plants and animals that fall from the limnetic zone… this detritus (animal/plant matter including dead corpse) is slowly broken down by bacteria or consumed by bottom dwelling weirdo fish called detritus feeders
what problems occur with breaking down detritus that falls to the profundal zone
the bacteria uses oxygen to break it down, lowering the amount of oxygen in the water.. bc theres no sunlight or plants to replace this used up oxygen.. there is now VERY low levels of oxygen very few fish can survive in these environments.. one example that can is carp
topsoil definition
the soil layer beneath the litter, composed of small particles of rock mixed with humus (decaying plant and animal matter)
subsoil definition
the soil layer beneath the topsoil, usually containing more rock particles and less organic matter than top soil
bedrock definition
the layer beneath the soil, composed of rock or clay
layers of soil in order
- litter
- topsoil
- subsoil
- bedrock
what can affect the pH of the soil
the rock in which the soil comes from and the types of plants that grow in it and the acidity of rain, snow and groundwater that enters the soil
groundwater definition
water in the soil or rock below the Earth’s surface
pure water becomes less dense below ______ degrees… thats why _____ floats
4 degrees… thats why ice floats
the lowest layer of a lake often has a temperature of what?
4 degrees… most dense
how lake temperatures work in the winter n how they affect the fishies
layer of ice, then near the surface is slightly above 0 degrees, at the bottom the water is 4 degrees.. if the ice gets too thick light wont shine through and levels of oxygen dissolved will drop and the organisms will die
how lakes work in the spring
ice melts, oxygen gets through, wind stirs the water = increases SA = amount of dissolved oxygen.. cold surface water warms reaching 4 degrees oxygen sinks .. basically the oxygen is mixed throughout the lake called spring turnover
how lakes work in the summer (oxygen, density, temp, organisms)
water is warmer than 4 degrees and the oxygen stops sinking :(.. layers of water are set up, most dense at the bottom, least at the top.the layers don’t mix so theres little movement of oxygen.. organisms in the low level of lake (hypolimnion) must rely on oxygen reserved from spring turnover .. at the top level of lake (epilimnion) the warmer it is the less oxygen can be held so if it gets really hot they can lose their oxygen and those organisms can die
how lakes work in the fall
the lake cools and once the temp reaches 4 degrees oxygen falls down again mixing throughout the lake the fall turnover renews oxygen levels
epilimnon definition
the upper level of a lake which warms up in summer
hypolimnion definition
the lower level of a lake which remains at a low temperature year round
thermocline definition
the zone between the epilimnion and hypolimnion, in which temperatures change rapidly
the solubility (ability to dissolve) of _____ in water INCREASES as temperatures DECREASE
OXYGEN
biotic potential
the maximum number of offspring that a species could produce with unlimited resources
the 4 factors that regulate biotic potential
birth potential: max # of offspring per birth
capacity for survival: # of offspring that reach adulthood
breeding frequency: # of times a species reproduces each year
length of reproductive life: age of sexual maturity and # of years the individual can reproduce
biotic limiting factors
- amount of food
- predators
- disease or parasite
- competition
amount of food as a limiting factor
has an organisms food supply just gone extinct?!?! is there enough food for everyone in the species?!?!
predators as a limiting factor
lots = killing all the prey .. few = overpopulation of prey
disease or parasite as a limiting factor
lots of disease… sick and die, very little = healthy living organisms
competition as a limiting factor
can an organism compete against another for its resources… one or the other will die.. wins = food/habitat/resource… loses = death
carrying capacity
the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be supported by an ecosystem (determined by availability of resources)
when is stability achieved in an ecosystem
when its in equilibrium
deforestation
humans cutting/burning down trees
what are the two kinds of lakes
oligotrophic and eutrophic
oligotrophic lakes
deep and cold
low nutrient levels
only a few kinds of organisms
very clear water
eutrophic lakes
shallow and warmer good supply of nutrients lots of biodiversity murky, cloudy water.. bc of decomp and producers etc many photosynthetic organisms
eutrophication
oligotrophic lakes slowly fill in because of erosion or drought, minerals falling to the bottom of the lake the lake fills in and then becomes eutrophic and then eventually dry land
as the lake gets shallower oxygen levels ___ and _____ increases
decrease and temperature increases
stromatolite
a banded limestone structure containing fossilized bacteria
artificial ecosystem
an ecosystem that is planned or maintained by humans… a park, a zoo, etc.
natural ecosystem
ecosystem in which the interactions are not changed purposely by humans
two types of biodiversity
species diversity and genetic diversity
species diversity
describes the number of different species
genetic diversity
the amount of variation in inherited traits between individuals of the SAME SPECIES
taxonomy definition
the science of classifying organisms … done by taxonimists
binomial nomenclature
a method of naming organisms by using two names - genus and species (genus, species is the order)
genus definition
the first part of a binomial name; a genus includes several species ALWAYS FIRST LETTER CAPITALIZED AND IT CAN BE WRITTEN ALONE… species always needs its genus and is never capitalized
species definition
a group of organisms that look alike and can breed with each other under NATURAL circumstances to produce FERTILE offspring
binomial nomenclature uses what language for the names
latin
taxa definition
categories used to classify organisms
8 taxa of classification system
Domain Most inclusive to least inclusive Kingdom aka general to more specific Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species
How to remember 8 taxa of the classification system
Dumb Kid Plays Chess On Freeway Gets Slaughtered
Phylogeny
the history of the evolution of organisms.. relationships shown in a phylogenetic tree
Protista Definition
a kingdom originally meant for only unicellular organisms … now multicellular algae is included in protista
Monera definition
in the 5 kingdom system its a kingdom that includes organisms that dont have a true nucleus
archaebacteria
in the six kingdom system; its a kingdom that has prokaryotic microorganisms , heterotrophs, live in salt lakes, hot springs and animal guts .. it has a cell wall does not contain peptidoglycan
prokaryote
A prokaryote is a single-celled organism that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus, mitochondria, or any other membrane-bound organelles.
eubacteria
in a six kingdom system; its a kingdom consisting of prokaryotic microorganisms that contain a peptidoglycan cell wall
A six kingdom system of classification
- Eubacteria
- Archaebacteria
- Protista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Animalia
