Ch 18, 19, 20.2, 22 Flashcards
(27 cards)
The study of the interactions between organisms and the living and non living components of their environment
Ecology
All organisms interact with other organisms in their surroundings and with the non living portion of their environment
Interdependence
A way to represent or describe the components of an ecological system
Ecological models
Biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, organism
Levels of organization
Living components of the environment. Include all of the living things that affect the organism
Biotic factors
Non living factors
Abiotic factors. Physical and chemical characteristics of the environment
Trophic levels
Producers. Herbivores. Small carnivores. Large carnivores. 10% of total energy consumed in one trophic level is incorporated into the organism in the next
Indicates the organisms position in a sequence of energy transfers
Trophic level
Single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer
Food chain
Interrelated food chains in an ecosystem
Food web
The movement of water between various reservoirs
Water cycle 1. Precipitation 2. Runoff 3. Evaporation, Transpiration 4. Water vapor
Death and decomposition, cellular respiration, combustion, photosynthesis = CO2 in the atmosphere
Carbon cycle
The complex pathway that nitrogen follows in an ecosystem
Nitrogen cycle
The movement of phosphorus from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment
Phosphorus cycle
A group of organisms that belong to the same species and live in a particular place at the same time
Population
Measures how crowded a population is
Population density
Spatial distribution of individuals within a population
Dispersion
Number of births occurring in a period of time
Birthrate
The number of deaths in a period of time
Death rate
How long on average an individual is expected to live
Life expectancy
Distribution of individuals among different ages in a population
Age structure
These show the probability that members of a population will survive to a certain age
Survivorship curves
A pattern of increase in number due to a steady growth rate
Exponential growth
Builds on the exponential model but accounts for the influence of limiting factors also includes a new term called the carrying capacity
Logistic model
