APES Chapter 3 Flashcards

11250963289	Ecosystem	Particular location on Earth distinguished by its particular mix of interacting biotic and abiotic components.	0
11250963290	Producers	Also known as autotrophs. They use solar energy to produce usable forms of energy with photosynthesis.	1
11250963291	Autotroph	An organism that makes its own food via photosynthesis or chemosynthesis	2
11250963292	Photosynthesis equation	Solar energy + 6 H20 + 6 CO2 turns into C6H12O6 + 6 O2.	3
11250963293	Cellular Respiration	Process by which organisms produce ATP energy by breaking down Sugar. Glucose + Oxygen --> Water + ATP Energy + CO2	4
11250963294	Consumers/Heterotrophs	Organisms incapable of photosynthesis. Must get energy from consuming other organisms.	5
11250963295	Primary Consumers	Organisms that consume producers (typically herbivores)	6
11250963296	Secondary Consumers	Organisms that eat primary consumers (typically carnivores or omnivores)	7
11250963297	Trophic Levels	Feeding levels.	8
11250963302	Decomposers/Detritivores	Fungi and bacteria that complete the breakdown process by recycling the nutrients from dead tissues and wastes back into the ecosystem.	9
11250963303	Gross Primary Productivity	Total amount of solar energy that the producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time.	10
11250963304	Net Primary Productivity	Energy captured minus the energy respired by producers.	11
11250963305	Biomass Pyramid	Diagram that shows the amount of biomass at each trophic level. Pyramid in shape.	12
11250963306	Numbers Pyramid	Diagram that shows the number of organisms that occupy each trophic level in a given ecosystem. Pyramid in shape.	13
11250963307	Ecological Efficiency	Proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to the next	14
11250963308	Trophic Pyramid	Diagram that represents the amount of energy at each trophic level. Decreases by about 10% each time	15
11250963309	Biogeochemical Cycles	Movement of matter within an between ecosystems.	16
11250963310	Hydrologic Cycle	The pathways water takes as it travels through Earth's spheres/systems.	17
11250963311	Evaporation	Transformation of liquid water into water vapor	18
11250963312	Condensation	Water vapor goes from a gas to liquid often to form clouds	19
11250963313	Transpiration	Plants release water from their leaves into the atmosphere	20
11250963315	Runoff	Water moving across land surface and into water bodies, eventually reaching ocean.	21
11250963316	Carbon Cycle	The movement of carbon through Earth's spheres/systems. Largest reservoir is rock/geosphere. Largest sink is the ocean.	22
11250963317	Photosynthesis	Process by which producers/autotrophs capture the energy of sunlight and store it in sugars.	23
11250963319	Limiting Nutrient	A nutrient whose amount available limits growth of organisms.	24
11250963320	Nitrogen Fixation	Process by which bacterial organisms convert N2 into ammonia NH3.	25
11250963321	Assimilation	Process where an organism takes up or consumes a nutrient.	26
11250963322	Ammonification	Process by which bacteria (decomposers) in soil and water break down biological nitrogen compounds into ammonia.	27
11250963323	Nitrification	Process by which Bacteria convert ammonium NH4+ into nitrite NO2- and then into Nitrate NO3-	28
11250963324	Denitrification	Process by which bacteria in oxygen poor soil and stagnant water convert nitrate into nitrous oxide N2O and nitrogen gas N2	29
11250963325	Nitrogen Cycle	The movement of nitrogen through Earth's spheres/systems. Largest reservoir is the atmosphere.	30
11250963326	Leaching	Process by which nitrates or other minerals are transported through the soil with water.	31
11250963327	Phosphorus Cycle	The movement of phosphorus through Earth's spheres/systems. Largest reservoir is rock/geosphere. Weathering of uplifted rocks contribute phosphates to the land and some phosphate make their way back to the ocean. It is NOT found in the atmosphere.	32
11250963328	Eutrophication	Caused by excessive phosphates and nitrates in bodies of water. Leads to overgrowth of producers (usually algae), followed by decomposers, and low oxygen conditions.	33
11250963329	Algal Bloom	An immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from a large input of a limiting nutrient - typically nitrogen or phosphorus.	34
11250963330	Hypoxic	An area that is deficient in oxygen. Typical during algal bloom/eutrophication.	35
11250963331	Watershed	All of the land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland.	36
11250963336	Tertiary consumer	Carnivores that eat secondary consumers.	37
15321999884	Carbon Sink	anything that absorbs more carbon that it releases (plants, ocean, soil)	38
15322007259	Carbon Source	Anything that releases more carbon than it absorbs (Forest fires, animal respiration, burning of fossil fuels)	39