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Ecology Flashcards

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4432352889BiomeA large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities.0
4432352890SavannaA tropical / subtropical grassland biome with scattered individual trees, large herbivores, and three distinct seasons based primarily on rainfall, maintained by occasional fires and drought.1
4432352891DesertA region of little vegetation, either cold or hot, that receives ten inches or less of precipitation each year, long periods without rain, deserts have extreme temperatures.2
4432352892TundraBiome that surrounds the north and south poles; treeless landscape with short, cool summers, and long, very cold winters with short periods of winter sunlight, beneath the topsoil is a layer of permafrost.3
4432352893Temperate Deciduous ForestCharacterized by warm summers, cool winters, has all four seasons, year-round precipitation and fertile soil.4
4432352894ConiferCone-bearing trees (ie: pine, or fir tree) of middle and high latitudes that are mostly evergreen and that have needle-shaped or scale like leaves. Conifers are able to withstand the long, cold winter season.5
4432352895Coniferous ForestForest populated by cone-bearing evergreen trees; mostly found in the colder northern latitudes.6
4432352896FloraAll the plant life in a particular region, or period.7
4432352897FaunaAll of the animal life in a particular region, or period.8
4432352898SteppeA climate with partly dry grassland often found on the edges of a desert. It receives less than 20 inches of rain per year.9
4432352899PampasFlat grassland regions in the southern part of South America: A region similar to the Great Plains in the United States.10
4432352900PrarieA large area of flat land, or rolling hills covered by grasses and wild flowers but few trees.11
4432352901TemperateClimate zones with moderate (warm) temperatures that are located between the tropics and the polar zones.12
4432352902PermafrostA layer of permanently frozen subsoil found in the tundra13
4432352903Alpine Tundrabiome at high mountain altitudes, which has vegetation & climate similar to those of the Arctic tundra (though no permafrost)14
4432352904MarineBiome that includes open ocean, seashore, and it covers 75% of the planet. There is a very high salinity level, and a wide variety of animals15
4432352905PlanktonA general term for the tiny, free-floating or weakly swimming organisms that live in both freshwater and saltwater environments.16
4432352906EstuaryAn area where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from an ocean; are productive ecosystems because they constantly recieve fresh nutrients from the river and the ocean.17
4432352907ForestLarge tree and plant filled area that covers 30% of Earth's land surface. Provide habitats, maintain soil, air, and water quality, acts as a carbon sink in biogeochemical cycle.18
4432352908Intertidal ZonePart of the shoreline that is under water at high tide and exposed to the air at low tide.19
4432352909Neritic ZoneArea of ocean that extends from the low-tide line out to the edge of the continental shelf.20
4432352910Benthic ZoneAt the bottom of all aquatic biomes, deep or shallow. Made up of sand and organic and inorganic sediments.21
4432352911Oceanic ZoneAll the water the covers the sea floor except for the continental shelf -water temperature is colder and pressure is greater -strange looking animals live in the dark deeper areas. (Ex. Giant Squid).22
4432352912Coral ReefA structure of calcite skeletons built up by coral animals in warm, shallow ocean water.23
4432352913Open Water ZoneThe zone of a lake or pond that extends from the littoral zone out across the top of the water, and that is only as deep as light can reach through the water.24
4432352914Deep Water ZoneThe zone of a lake or pond below the open water zone where no light reaches.25
4432352915WetlandAn ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface of the soil for at least part of the year.26
4432352916MarshA type of wetland featuring grasses, reeds and other plants in shallow water.27
4432352917TributaryA stream or river that flows into a larger river.28
4432352918FreshwaterAquatic ecosytem that does not contain any saltwater, can be rivers, lakes, streams,ponds, and wetlands.29
4432352919Littoral ZoneShallow water near shore that receives enough sunlight to support photosynthesis. May be marine or freshwater; often flowering plants are present.30
4432352920Brackish WaterMore salty than fresh water, and less salty than marine saltwater. It is found in estuaries where freshwater and saltwater mix.31
4432352921BiosphereConsists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.32
4432352922OrganismIndividual living thing.33
4432352923SpeciesA group of organisms that are closely related, who can mate to produce fertile offspring. All of the cats are feline, but each cat is a different species.34
4432352924BiodiversityThe number, and variety of living organisms in a given area, during a specific period of time.35
4432352925EcosystemA system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment.36
4432352926HabitatPlace where an organism lives.37
4432352927NicheAn organism's particular role in an ecosystem, or how it makes its living.38
4432352928AbioticAll of the non-living parts of an ecosystem.39
4432352929BioticAll of the living parts of an ecosystem.40
4432352930BiomassTotal amount of living tissue within a given trophic level.41
4432352931HerbivoreA consumer that eats only plants.42
4432352932CarnivoreAn animal that eats other animals A consumer that eats only animals.43
4432352933OmnivoreA consumer that eats both plants and animals.44
4432352934ProducerAn organism that can make its own food.45
4432352935ConsumerAn organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms.46
4432352936AutotrophAn organism that makes its own food.47
4432352937HeterotrophAn organism that cannot make its own food, it gets food by consuming other living things, or their by-products.48
4432352938TaigaA biome in which the winters are cold, but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw, it contains mostly coniferous forests.49
4432352939PreyAn organism that is hunted, killed and eaten by another organism.50
4432352940PredatorAn animal that hunts, and kills other animals for food.51
4432352941PopulationA group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.52
4432352942CommunityA group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other.53
4432352943Food WebA diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem; it contains multiple overlapping food chains.54
4432352944Food ChainA diagram that represents how energy in food flows from one organism to the next in an ecosystem.55
4432352945Energy PyramidA diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one trophic level to another in an ecosystem.56
4432352946Limiting FactorA biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the number, distribution, or reproduction of a population within a community.57
4432352947Carrying CapacityLargest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support.58
4432352948PredationAn interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism to gain energy.59
4432352949CompetitionEcological relationship in which organisms compete for available resources. There are 2 types: between organisms within a population, and between different populations.60
4432352950SymbiosisA close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.61
4432352951MutualismA relationship between two species in which both species benefit.62
4432352952ParasitismA relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed.63
4432352953CommensalismA relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.64
4432352954Co-evolutionRelationship in which 2 organisms change or adapt together over time.65
4432352955CooperationRelationship in which behavior by two or more individuals leads to mutual benefit.66
4432352956DecompositionThe breaking down of matter into simpler molecules. Typically performed by bacteria.67
4432352957Carbon CycleThe movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back.68
4432352958CombustionBurning of fossil fuels and wood, releasing energy and carbon dioxide.69
4432352959Nitrogen CycleThe movement of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere.70
4432352960Water CycleThe movement of water from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back.71
4432352961PhotosynthesisProcess used by plants to capture and convert the sun's energy, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose (sugar).72
4432352962TranspirationThe evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant into the atmosphere.73
4432352963SuccessionThe sequence of biotic changes that regenerate a damaged community or create a community in a previously uninhabited area.74
4432352964Primary SuccessionBiotic growth on newly exposed areas (bare,rocky) that were not previously occupied by soil and vegetation.75
4432352965Secondary SuccessionA type of ecological succession that occurs where a disturbance has destroyed an existing biological community but left the soil intact.76
4432352966Pioneer SpeciesCreates soil in primary succession (lichen/moss) first species to appear on bare or rocky area.77
4432352967Nitrogen FixationProcess in which bacteria in the soil change nitrogen gas into materials that plants can use during photosynthesis.78
4432352968EvaporationA physical change from a liquid to a gas at a temperature that is lower than the boiling point.79
4432352969CondensationA physical change from a gas to a liquid at cooler temperatures (the opposite of evaporation).80
4432352970PrecipitationAny form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface.81
4432352971NitrificationThe process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil.82
4432352972DenitrificationDenitrifying bacteria converts nitrates into gaseous nitrogen that re-enters the atmosphere.83
4432352973RespirationThe exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between living cells and their environment; this includes breathing and cellular respiration.84
4432352974AquiferAn underground area of sediment and rocks that is filled with groundwater.85
4432352975PollutionAn unwanted change in the environment caused by the introduction of harmful materials, or the production of harmful conditions (chemical, biological, heat, cold, sound).86
4432352976Renewable ResourceA natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed.87
4432352977Non-Renewable ResourcesA resource that cannot be reused or replaced as quickly as it is used (ex. gems, iron, copper, fossil fuels).88
4432352978OverpopulationTerm used when the number of people in an area exceeds the capacity of the environment to support life at a decent standard of living.89
4432352979ConservationThe preservation, wise use, and protection of natural resources.90
4432352980RecycleThe process of recovering valuable or useful materials from waste or scrap; the process of reusing, or remanufacturing some items.91
4432352981PercolationThe downward movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.92
4432352982InfilrationProcess of water seepage into the ground becoming ground water.93
4432352983RunoffPart of the water cycle where an excess of water runs down and does not sink into the soil and eventually makes it to the rivers, lakes, and oceans.94
4432352984BiodegradableCapable of being broken down by bacteria and other decomposers.95
4432352985ReduceTo cut down / back on the consumption of; or to use less of a resource.96
4432352986ReuseInvolves using a resource over and over in the same form.97
4432352987DeciduousFalling off or shed at a particular season, stage of growth, etc., as leaves, horns, or teeth; not permanent; transitory.98
4432352988PolarA cold air mass that forms north of 50° north latitude or south of 50° south latitude and has high air pressure99
4432352989FrigidIntensely cold temperatures; cold in manner; Ex. frigid zone100
4432352990TropicalBiome near the equator with warm temperatures, wet weather, and lush plant growth.101
4432352991ClimateSeasonal pattern of weather conditions in a large geographic area over many years; it does not change rapidly.102
4432352992Climate ZoneA region in which yearly patterns of temperature, rainfall, and the amount of sunlight are similar throughout.103
4432352993GrasslandA biome found in the dry temperate interiors of continents. This biome is characterized by rich soil, moderate rainfall, a hot, dry climate, thick grasses, and herds of grazing animals.104
4432352994CanopyDense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rainforest trees.105
4432352995Tropical Rain ForestBiome characterized by hot temperatures, large amounts of rainfall, and high biodiversity,that grows near the equator; it receives large amounts of rain, and has dense growths of tall, leafy trees; the weather is warm and wet year-round; few plants live on the dark forest floor.106
4432352996SwampA type of freshwater wetland that consists of spongy, muddy land full of water.107
4432352997HoldfastsRoot like structures that some organisms have to help them hold on to rocks.108
4432352998Sargasso SeaAn area in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in which green seaweed grows thick.109
4432352999TreelineThe limit of the area that trees can grow in on Earth. Above it, it's too cold for trees to grow.110

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