Chapter 46 - Ecology of Ecosystems Flashcards
(28 cards)
Define Ecology
the study of interactions between living organisms and their environment, such as competition for limited resources and components of the physical environment
What can change an ecosystem?
Disturbances
What are the 2 types of Disturbances?
- Natural, cyclic: fire, rain, drought
- Unnatural, anthropogenic (human-caused): deforestation, pollution, burning fossil fuels
How can an ecosystem be healthy?
when it’s in equilibrium with all organisms and is in balance with the abiotic and biotic components
Ecologists measure what 2 things in response to a disturbance?
- Resistance - the ability to remain in equilibrium despite disturbance
- Resilience - the speed of recovery after a disturbance
What is a Food Chain
a linear sequence of energy movement through organisms
What makes up a Food Chain?
Primary Producers (photosynthetic organisms) → Primary Consumers (herbivores) → Secondary Consumers (carnivores) → Tertiary Consumers
The length of a food chain is limited by what?
energy
Energy is ______ as heat at each trophic level, which results in fewer top predators because the amount of energy available is ________.
lost; reduced
A ________ model is more descriptive
holistic (food webs)
What are the 2 different types of Food Webs?
- Grazing - photosynthetic organisms at the base
- Detrital - decomposers at the base
A ________ accounts for all interactions between different species within the ecosystem and is more accurate and descriptive
Food web
Ecosystem Dynamics is the study of what?
studies the changes in ecosystems due to disturbances
What are the 3 types of Ecosystem Dynamic Models?
- Holistic Model - quantifies competition, interactions, and dynamics of an ecosystem
- Mesocosm Model - partitions off part of the ecosystem
- Microcosm Model - recreates ecosystem
What are the 3 types of Ecosystem modeling?
- Conceptual - flow charts to show the interaction between organisms and the environment
- Analytical - uses mathematical formulas to predict how an ecosystem will respond to disturbances
- Simulation - uses complex computer algorithms to model ecosystem
Energy is acquired in 3 ways:
- Photosynthesis - solar energy to chemical energy
- Chemosynthesis - inorganic molecules to chemical energy
- Heterotrophy - consuming in order to obtain energy
What is Ecosystem Productivity?
the percent of energy entering the ecosystem as biomass at each trophic level
What is biomass?
the measurement of living and dead organisms within a trophic level
________ bring energy into an ecosystem
primary producers
(gross primary productivity)
What is net primary productivity?
the amount of energy available to the next trophic level after accounting for energy requirements of the current level
What is Biological Magnification?
the increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms at each trophic level
Higher trophic level → greater concentration of toxic substances (bioaccumulation)
What are the chemicals that make up living organisms cycles through their ecosystem?
- Carbon
- Oxygen
- Hydrogen
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorous
- Sulfur
______ and ______ play a role in ______ ______ between biotic and abiotic components
chemistry | geology | nutrient recycling
_____% of water on Earth is saltwater
Of the remaining ____%, 99% is unavailable as ____________ and only ____% is available as _______ _______ on the surface of the Earth
97.5%
2.5%
ice or groundwater
1%
liquid water
