Ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

Abiotic

A

Non-living organisms

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2
Q

Biotic

A

Living organisms

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3
Q

Niche

A

A comfortable or suitable position in the environment

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4
Q

Parasite

A

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

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5
Q

Host

A

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

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6
Q

Ecosystem

A

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

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7
Q

Predator

A

an animal that naturally preys on others.

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8
Q

Prey

A

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

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9
Q

Mutualism

A

symbiosis which is beneficial to both organisms involved.

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10
Q

Commensalism

A

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

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11
Q

Symbiosis

A

A relationship between 2 animals

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12
Q

Parasitism

A

One benefits and the other is harmed

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13
Q

Chemosynthetic

A

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

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14
Q

Food chains

A

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

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15
Q

Food web

A

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

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16
Q

Trophies level

A

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

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17
Q

First order

A

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

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18
Q

Primary consumers

A

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

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19
Q

Second order

A

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

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20
Q

Secondary consumer

A

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

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21
Q

Energy pyramid

A

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

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22
Q

Pyramid of numbers

A

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

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23
Q

Pyramid of biomass

A

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

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24
Q

Birth rate

A

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

25
Death rate
the number of organisms within a population that die within a particular period of time
26
Immigration
the number of individuals moving into an area
27
Emigration
the number of individuals leaving an area
28
Exponential growth
a rapid increase in number or size, represented by a J-shaped graph
29
Sigmoid
the shape of a graph that shows a population increasing in number then reaching a plateau
30
Steady state
see equilibrium
31
Plateau phrase
see equilibrium
32
Equilibrium
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
33
Zero population growth
the point at which birth and death rates balance each other out
34
Carrying capacity
the maximum population size that a particular environment can sustain
35
Producers
organism at the base of the food chain that does not need to feed on other organisms; also known as an autotroph
36
Autotrophs
Makes its own food
37
Photosynthesis
the food-making process in plants that takes place in chloroplasts within cells. The process uses carbon dioxide, water and energy from the sun.
38
Metabolism
the chemical reactions occurring within an organism that enable the organism to use energy and grow and repair cells
39
Cellular respiration
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.
40
ATP
a form of energy released during cellular respiration that provides cells with the energy needed to perform their functions
41
Aerobic respiration
the chemical breakdown of food using oxygen. The reaction needs enzymes, occurs in all body cells and releases energy.
42
Glycolysis
process by which glucose is converted into a simple form, during which energy is released
43
Cytosol
the fluid found inside cells
44
Krebs cycle
part of the aerobic respiration process in which carbon dioxide and ATP (energy) are produced
45
Electron transport chain reactions
part of the aerobic respiration process
46
Mitochondria
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.
47
Anaerobic respiration
the chemical breakdown of food without oxygen. The reaction needs enzymes, occurs in cells and releases less energy than aerobic respiration.
48
Lactic acid
an end product of anaerobic respiration in animals; also known as lactate
49
Lactate
See lactic acid
50
Ethanol
an end product of anaerobic respiration in plants; a form of alcohol
51
Eutrophication
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
52
Insecticides
a chemical used to kill insects
53
Fungicides
a chemical used to kill fungal growth
54
Herbicides
a chemical used to kill unwanted plants (weeds)
55
Fumigant
a chemical used in the form of smoke or fumes, to kill pests
56
Bioaccumulation
magnification of concentrations of a substance such as a nonbiodegradable pesticide along the food chain; also known as biological magnification
57
Biological magnification
see bioaccumulation
58
Introduced species
an organism that has been released into an ecosystem in which it does not occur naturally