ecology
the study of living things
environmental science
the study of how we interact with our environment
positive feedback
situation in which change in certain direction provides info that causes system to change further in same direction (giving birth)
negative feedback loop
change in certain direction that provides system to change in less in that direction (ac)
homeostasis
maintenance of favorable internal conditions
synergy
result when two people work together to accomplish a task
70/percent of growth rate
equation for doubling time
(births+immigration) - (death+emigration)
growth rate formula
china and india
2 countries with largest populations
hunting and gathering nomads
1st agricultural communities
kinetic energy
energy that matter has because of its mass and speed or velocity (ex: heat)
potential energy
energy stored in an object because of the position or position of its parts (rock in hand)
1st law of thermodynamics
law that states "in all physical and chemical changes energy is neither created nor destroyed but may be converted to different forms of ea." (ex:nature)
1st law of thermodynamics
law that states "whenever energy is changed from 1 form to another they end up with less usable energy than at the start" (ex: using battery until its dead)
energy cycles, matter flows in one direction
dif between energy and matter
nitrogen cycle
nutrient cycle that has no atmospheric component
percolation
passage of a liquid through the spaces of a porous material such as soil
transpiration
water is absorbed by root systems of plants, moves up through plants, posses through pores and leaves or other parts, evaporated into the atmosphere as water vapor
water table
upper surface of zone of saturation, which all available pores in soil and rock in earth's crust are filled with water
cellular respiration
process used to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP then release waste
combustion
occurs when any organic material is reacted (burned) in the presence of oxygen to give off products of carbon dioxide and water
decomposition
process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter
nitrogen fixation
conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas into forms useful to plants by lightning, bacteria, etc-> part of nitrogen cycle
assimilation
absorption of nitrogen into plants and animals
nitrification
the oxidation of ammonium compounds in dead organic material into nitrates and nitrites by soil bacteria (making nitrogen available to plants)
ammonification
process in a nutrient cycle where decay breaks down dead organic matter to release ammonia (NH3) into the soil.
denitrification
process in which fixed nitrogen compounds are converted back into nitrogen gas and returned to the atmosphere
linear growth
2,4,6,8,10
exponential growth
2,4,8,16,32,64
logistic growth
growth pattern in which a population's growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth
commensalism
interaction between organisms of different species; 1 benefits while the other is neither hurt nor harmed
primary consumer
An organism that eats producers
secondary consumer
An organism that eats primary consumers
detritus feeder
Organism that extracts nutrients from fragments of dead organisms and their cast-off parts and organic wastes. Examples are earthworms, termites, and crabs.
macroevolution
large-scale evolutionary changes that take place over long periods of time
microevolution
evolution on the smallest scale�a generation-to-generation change in the frequencies of alleles within a population
coevolution
the process in which species exert selective pressure on each other and gradually evolve new features or behaviors as a result of those pressures("arms raid") ex: bats and moths
convergent evolution
process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve similarities when adapting to similar environments
gene pool
all of the alleles in all the individuals that make up a population
limnetic zone
In a lake, the well-lit, open surface waters farther from shore.
littoral zone
a shallow zone in a freshwater habitat where light reaches the bottom and nurtures plants
profundal zone
zone in a freshwater habitat that is below the limits of effective light penetration
benthic zone
bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms
euphotic zone
Upper layer of a body of water through which sunlight can penetrate and support photosynthesis. (where phytoplankton carry out photosynthesis)
coastal zone
Warm, nutrient-rich, shallow part of the ocean that extends from the high-tide mark on land to the edge of a shelflike extension of continental land masses known as the continental shelf.
bathyl zone
(ocean) middle region with insufficient light for photosynthesis
abyssal zone
The portion of the ocean floor where light does not penetrate and where temperatures are cold and pressures intense.
eutrophic lakes
Lakes which are oxygen-poor and nutrient-rich, and have high amounts of organic matter
oligotrophic lakes
lakes with nutrient poor and oxygen rich, with low amounts of decomposing matter
savanna
an area of grassland with scattered trees and bushes
temperate grassland
biome characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species
temperate deciduous forest
forest in a temperate region, characterized by trees that drop their leaves annually
taiga
biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw
chaparral
type of vegetation made up of dense forests of shrubs and short trees, common in mediterranean climates
endemic species
species native to or confined to a certain region
keystone species
a species whose impact on its community or ecosystem are much larger and more influential than would be expected from mere abundance
generalist
a species with a broad niche that can tolerate a wide range of conditions and can use a variety of resources
specialist
a species with a narrow niche that can tolerate a narrow range of conditions and can use only a few specific resources
r-strategist
Species characterized by rapid growth, high fertility, short lifespan, and exponential population growth
k-strategist
species characterized by slow maturation, few young, slow population growth, and reproduction late in life
O-horizon
a soil layer that consists primarily of organic matter, which serves as a precursor for soil formation
A-Horizon
The Transition Zone also called top soil. Dark in color and has rich organic compounds.This area is disrupted by plows.
B-Horizon
subsoil horizon the rock has been weathered into fine grains, but no living things are present.
C-Horizon
horizon made of rock fragments on top of unweatered bedrock
chlorinated hydrocarbon
Organic compound made up of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine. Examples are DDT and PCBs.
organophosphate
class of inexpensive pesticides that are extremely effective against a broad range of insects but are extremely toxic to agriculture workers
carbamate
toxic substance found in garden herbicides and fungicides, a salt (or ester) of carbamic acid
eutrophication
rapid growth of algae in bodies of water, due to high levels of nitrogen and often phosphate (depletes oxygen)
crust
the outer layer of the earth
lithosphere
the solid, outer layer of the earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle
asthenosphere
The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it
mantle
thickest layer of the Earth, part liquid part solid where convection currents are found
outer core
a layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth
inner core
a dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of the earth
mineral
solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition
rock
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
igneous rock
produced by fire, great heat, or the action of a volcano; solidified from a molten state;is formed by the cooling and solidification of magma.
Metamorphic rock
A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions
Sedimentary rock
rocks fromed from sediment derived not only from rock fragments but also from plant and animal remains
sustainable yield
an amount of a renewable recourse that can be harvested regular with out reducing the future supply
J-Curve
a growth curve that depicts exponential growth
S-Curve
a curve that depicts logistic growth
gravity, flow of energy, cycling of water
what 3 things does life on earth need
net primary productivity
the rate at which biomass accumulates in an ecosystem
ocean
largest "Co2 sink
geographic isolation
form of reproductive isolation in which two populations are separated physically by geographic barriers such as rivers, mountains, or stretches of water
precipitation and temperature
determines climate
el nino
no upwelling, hot/extreme (w->e)
normal (not el nino)
upwelling productive (e->w)
microclimates
Local climatic conditions that differ from the general climate of a region
mimicry, chemicals, color
defensive strategies
primary succession
mostly rock
secondary succession
new join old
dependent
depend on how big or small a population is (ex: getting sick during school because being around others germs)
independent
doesn't need cause to have effect (human interaction, natural disasters)
replacement level fertility
total fertility rate needed for a population to remain constant
biomagnification
accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain
bioaccumulation
the build up of a substance (usually a toxin) as it passes through a food chain
demographic transition
change in a population from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates
intercropping
Growing two or more different crops at the same time on a plot.
clean water act
set maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways..aim to make surface waters swimmable and fishable
biological controls
use of natural predators, pathogens, or competitors to regulate pest populations
IPM
integrated pest management. the use of several different methods of control to reduce the p[population of a particular pest, minimizing the use of pesticides
monocultures
large areas of land with a single plant variety (very vulnerable)
rock cycle
sequence of events in which rocks are formed, destroyed, altered, and reformed by geological processes