Chapter 1 - Ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

The function or position of a species within an ecological community. A species’s niche includes the physical environment to which it has become adapted as well as its role as producer and consumer of food resources.

A

Niche

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2
Q

relating to or resulting from living organisms.

A

Biotic

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3
Q

physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms.

A

Abiotic

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4
Q

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

A

Ecosystem

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5
Q

an animal that naturally preys on others.

A

Predator

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6
Q

an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.

A

Prey

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7
Q

an organism which lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense.

A

Parasite

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8
Q

symbiosis which is beneficial to both organisms involved.

A

Mutualism

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9
Q

an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

A

Commensalism

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10
Q

the practice of living as a parasite on or with another animal or organism.

A

Parasitism

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11
Q

interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both.

A

Symbiosis

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12
Q

an animal which feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus.

A

Detrivore

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13
Q

an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.

A

Decomposer

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14
Q

describes organisms that produce organic material using energy released from chemical reactions rather than light.

A

Chemosynthetic

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15
Q

diagram that shows how the energy stored in one organism is passed to another.

A

Food chain

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16
Q

diagram showing several food chains joined together to demonstrate that animals eat more than one type of food.

A

Food web

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17
Q

a level within a food chain, food web or food pyramid.

A

Trophic level

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18
Q

organism that is within the second trophic level of a food chain (herbivores); also known as a primary consumer.

A

First-order

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19
Q

the first consumer in a food chain; also known as a first-order consumer.

A

Primary consumers

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20
Q

organism that is within the third trophic level of a food chain (carnivores); also known as a secondary consumer.

A

Secondary-order

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21
Q

the second consumer in a food chain; also known as a second-order consumer.

A

Secondary consumers

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22
Q

a representation of the level of food energy at each level within a food chain.

A

Energy pyramid

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23
Q

a representation of the population, or numbers of organisms, at each level within a food chain.

A

Pyramid of numbers

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24
Q

a representation of the dry mass of organisms at each level within a food chain.

A

Pyramid of biomass

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25
Q

the number of organisms within a population that are born within a particular period of time.

A

Birth rate

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26
Q

the number of organisms within a population that die within a particular period of time.

A

Death rate

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27
Q

the number of individuals moving into an area.

A

Immigration

28
Q

the number of individuals leaving an area.

A

Emigration

29
Q

a rapid increase in number or size, represented by a J-shaped graph.

A

Exponential growth

30
Q

the shape of a graph that shows a population increasing in number then reaching a plateau.

A

Sigmoid

31
Q

The term ‘steady state’ means a stable condition that does not change over time or in which change in one direction is continually balanced by change in another. The Steady State Theory of the origin of the universe is also referred to as the infinite universe theory or continuous creation.

A

Steady state

32
Q

a state in which conditions are balanced and there is neither growth nor a decrease in number.

A

Plateau phase

33
Q

a state in which conditions are balanced and there is neither growth nor a decrease in number; also known as steady state or plateau phase.

A

Equilibrium

34
Q

the point at which birth and death rates balance each other out.

A

Zero population growth

35
Q

the maximum population size that a particular environment can sustain.

A

Carrying capacity

36
Q

organism at the base of the food chain that does not need to feed on other organisms; also known as an autotroph.

A

Producers

37
Q

organism at the base of the food chain that does not need to feed on other organisms.

A

Autotrophs

38
Q

the food-making process in plants that takes place in chloroplasts within cells. The process uses carbon dioxide, water and energy from the sun.

A

Photosynthesis

39
Q

an organic substance that is solid at room temperature and is made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

A

Fat

40
Q

the chemical reactions occurring within an organism that enable the organism to use energy and grow and repair cells.

A

Metabolism

41
Q

the chemical reaction involving oxygen that moves the energy in glucose into the compound ATP. The body is able to use the energy contained in ATP.

A

Cellular respiration

42
Q

a form of energy released during cellular respiration that provides cells with the energy needed to perform their functions.

A

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

43
Q

the chemical breakdown of food using oxygen. The reaction needs enzymes, occurs in all body cells and releases energy.

A

Aerobic respiration

44
Q

process by which glucose is converted into a simple form, during which energy is released.

A

Glycolysis

45
Q

the fluid found inside cells.

A

Cytosol

46
Q

part of the aerobic respiration process in which carbon dioxide and ATP (energy) are produced.

A

Krebs cycle

47
Q

part of the aerobic respiration process.

A

Electron transport chain reactions

48
Q

small rod-shaped organelles that supply energy to other parts of the cell. They are usually too small to be seen with light microscopes. Singular = mitochondrion.

A

Mitochondria

49
Q

the chemical breakdown of food without oxygen. The reaction needs enzymes, occurs in cells and releases less energy than aerobic respiration.

A

Anaerobic respiration

50
Q

an end product of anaerobic respiration in animals; also known as lactate.

A

Lactic acid

51
Q

an end product of anaerobic respiration in animals.

A

Lactate

52
Q

an end product of anaerobic respiration in plants; a form of alcohol.

A

Ethanol

53
Q

organisms that can respire only anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen).

A

Obligate anaerobics

54
Q

a form of water pollution involving an excess of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphorus, resulting in algal blooms and possible death of fish and other organisms.

A

Eutrophication

55
Q

Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.

A

Transpiration

56
Q

a chemical used to kill insects.

A

Insecticides

57
Q

a chemical used to kill fungal growth.

A

Fungicides

58
Q

a chemical used to kill unwanted plants (weeds).

A

Herbicides

59
Q

a chemical used in the form of smoke or fumes, to kill pests.

A

Fumigants

60
Q

magnification of concentrations of a substance such as a nonbiodegradable pesticide along the food chain; also known as biological magnification.

A

Bioaccumulation

61
Q

magnification of concentrations of a substance such as a nonbiodegradable pesticide along the food chain.

A

Biological magnification

62
Q

an organism that has been released into an ecosystem in which it does not occur naturally.

A

Introduced species

63
Q

central part of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons; roundish structure inside a cell that acts as the control centre for the cell. Plural = nuclei.

A

Nucleus

64
Q

positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

A

Protons

65
Q

particles with no electrical charge that are found in the nucleus of an atom.

A

Neutrons

66
Q

negatively charged, very light particles in an atom. Electrons move around the nucleus of the atom.

A

Electrons