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Ms. Bolotta Science > Ecology Unit > Flashcards

Ecology Unit Flashcards

(64 cards)

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1
Q

Autotroph

A

A producer

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2
Q

Atmosphere

A

The layer of gases extending upwards for hundreds of kilometres.
Made of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen gases.
Remaining one percent included argon, water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases
Provides insulation for earth that moderates the temperature.
Blocks most ultraviolet rays from the sun.

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3
Q

Lithosphere

A

The rocky outer layer of Earth. (Made of Montaigne, ocean floors and all other solid landscape.

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4
Q

Hydrosphere

A

All the water on, above and below the Earths surface. (Ex/ oceans, lakes, groundwater, ice, clouds)

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5
Q

Biosphere

A

The area when the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere mix to create an area where life can exist.

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6
Q

Ecosystem

A

All the living organisms that share a specific region and interact with each other and with abiotic their arts of their environment.

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7
Q

Community

A

Formed from the interaction of many population. Ex/ the community of a forests may include different populations of birds, squirrels, trees,etc.

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8
Q

Biotic factor

A

All living organisms in an ecosystem and their remains, their wastes or products.

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9
Q

Abiotic factors

A

All the non living things in an ecosystem

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10
Q

Habitat

A

The place an organism lives

Ex/ bears live in dens, owls live in trees, beavers live in dams, sharks live in water.

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11
Q

Niche

A

The role of job that an organism does in its ecosystem (how it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors)

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12
Q

Population

A

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area

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13
Q

Individual

A

A single member of a species. Ex/ a single moose

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14
Q

Sustainability

A

The ability to maintain ecological balance.

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15
Q

Producer

A

A plant or created that creates energy for itself through photosynthesis.

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16
Q

Photosynthesis reaction

A

Water + carbon dioxide + light energy —> glucose + oxygen

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17
Q

Consumers

A

An organism that cannot make their own food do they depend on eating plants and animals for survival.

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18
Q

What are consumers classified as?

A

Herbivores- only eat plants
Carnivores- only eats meat
Omnivores- eats both meat and plants
Scavengers- eats dead or decaying plant and animal matter

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19
Q

Decomposers

A

Decomposers are the most tropic level because the chemically break down organic matter to its nutrients. The nutrients are then returned to the soil so they can be recycled.
Ex/ moulds, yeast, mushrooms, earthworms, bacteria

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20
Q

Limiting factor

A

Any factor that restricts the size of a population. It can be biotic or abiotic.

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21
Q

Competition

A

Two individuals going after the same resource.

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22
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

Competition between members of the same species

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23
Q

Interspecific competition

A

Competition between members of different species.

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24
Q

Predation

A

One individual feeds on another.

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25
Symbiosis
A close relationship between species when members of one species live in, on, or near another species.
26
Mutualism
Two individuals benefits from each other. | Ex/ bee gets pollen from a flower.
27
Parasitism
One individual lives in or on another organism and feeds on it. Ex/ leech sucks blood from human
28
Commensalism
One individual Benedict’s and the other neither benefits nor is harmed. Ex/ bird nests in tree
29
Tolerance range
The conditions within which a species can survive.
30
Carrying capacity
The maximum population size of a particular species that a given ecosystem can sustain.
31
Primary succession
Occurred on newly exposed ground (such as following a volcanic eruption)
32
Secondary succession
Occurred in a partially disturbed ecosystem (such as a following a forest fire)
33
Clear cutting
Removal of all or most of the trees in an area. It is economic and efficient. The regeneration can occurs naturally or by planting seedlings.
34
Shelterwood cutting
Mature trees are harvested in a series of two or more cuts. Regeneration occurred under the shelter of the remaining trees.
35
Selective cutting
Harvesting if selective trees. It is the most costly but has the least impact on the environment.
36
What are the impacts of clear cutting
Nutrients are often lost from the soil. Erosion increases because the soil no longer has tree roots. The tree roots trap soil. Sediment entering streams harm fish spawning areas and nutrients increase the growth of algae. Only planting one or two species of trees during regeneration reduces biodiversity.
37
Greenhouse effect
When Solar energy enters the atmosphere, it bounces off the surface of the Earth. Some of the heat energy escapes back into space but some of it is trapped by CO2. This heats the atmosphere and increases global temperatures.
38
Greenhouse gas
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere
39
Climate change/global warming
Climate change is the increase of temperatures worldwide. It is caused by the overload of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
40
Transpiration
Water that is taken by plant roots is from leaves and sent back into the atmosphere as water vapour.
41
Carbon sink
Carbon deposits that carbon can enter and leave river short time periods. Ex/ plant tissues, dissolved as carbon dioxide in the ocean.
42
Denitrifying bacteria
The process through which nitrate in the soil is converted into nitrogen had in the atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria.
43
Pest
Pests are organisms that might compete with others in the ecosystem and damage crops/other resources. Ex/ weeds, mosquitos, mice
44
Pesticide
A chemical that is designed to kill pests.
45
Broad spectrum pesticides
A pesticide that is effective against many types of pests.
46
Narrow spectrum pesticide
A pesticide that is effective against only a few types of pests.
47
Bioaccumulation
The concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, in the body of an organism.
48
Non target species
Pesticides sometimes kill species that they were not means to kill.
49
Bioamplification
The increase in concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, as it moved higher up the food web (from producer to primary consumer to secondary consumer)
50
Biodiversity
The variety of plant and animal life in the world or a specific habitat. A lot of biodiversity is good for an environment.
51
Biomass
The total amount of organisms in a given area.
52
Biome
A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat.
53
Heterotroph
An organism that can not produce its own food through photosynthesis
54
Nitrifying bacteria
Bacteria that takes nitrogen from the atmosphere and turns it into ammonium and then to nitrate.
55
Pollution
The introduction or presence of harmful chemicals to the environment.
56
Trophic level
The level of an organism in an ecosystem depending on its feeding position along a food chain.
57
Top carnivore
Consumer that is positioned on the top of the food chain because it has no predators in its ecosystem.
58
What is the difference between an algal bloom and eutrophication?
Eutrophication occurs in freshwater while an algal bloom occurs in salt water
59
What is the difference between climate change and global warming.
Global warming is the gradual heating of the earths climate, while climate change is the effect of global warming.
60
Biome
A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat.
61
What are the biomes in Canada?
``` Tundra Boreal forest Grassland Temperate deciduous forest Freshwater Marine ``` (Totally Bearable Green Tiny Fish Men)
62
Pyramid of numbers
Shows the amount of each species in each trophic level. Organized from bottom to top from highest population to lowest population.
63
Pyramid of biomass
Shows the amount of mass though each trophic level. Organized with the species with the most mass at the bottom and the species with the least mass at the top.
64
Pyramid of energy
Shows the amount of energy as it moves through each trophic level. Organized with the producer at the bottom and moves up through the food chain from there. Should have a fixed shape of a pyramid.

Ms. Bolotta Science (4 decks)

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