Flashcards in Ecology Test Deck (58)
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1
ecology
the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, or surroundings
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biosphere
the combined portions of the planet in which all life exists, including land, water, and air
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How do ecologists understand relationships within the biosphere?
they ask questions about events and organisms that range in complexity from a single individual to the entire biosphere
4
species
a group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring
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populations
groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
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communities
assemblages of different populations that live together in a defined area
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ecosystem
a collection of all organisms that live in a particular place together with their nonliving environment
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biome
a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities
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What do scientists use to conduct modern ecological research?
three basic approaches: observing, experimenting, and modeling. All of these approaches rely on the application of scientific methods to guide ecological inquiry.
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sunlight
the main energy source for life on earth
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what do organisms who don't obtain their energy from sunlight use?
they rely on the energy stored in inorganic chemical compounds
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autotrophs
plants, some algae, and certain bacteria. They can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use that energy to produce food
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producers
make their own food
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photosynthesis
carbon dioxide + Water, (light energy) = carbohydrates + oxygen
6CO2 + 6H2O , (light energy) = 6CH12O6 + 6O2
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chemosynthesis
when organisms use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates
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heterotrophs/consumers
organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply
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herbivores
obtain energy by only eating plants
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carnivores
obtain energy by eating meat/animals
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omnivores
eat both plants and animals
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detritivores
feed on plant and animal remains and other dead animal matter, called detritus
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how does energy flow through an ecosystem?
in one direction, from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to various heterotrophs (consumers)
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food chain
a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
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food web
links all the food chains in an ecosystem together
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trophic level
each step in a food chain or food web
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ecological pyramid
a diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained in each trophic level in a food chain or web
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how much energy is available at each trophic level?
only 10 percent is transferred to organisms at the next level
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biomass
the total amount of living tissue within each given trophic level
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pyramid of numbers
shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level
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biome
a complex of terrestrial communities that covers a large area and is characterized by certain soil and climate conditions and particular assemblages of plants and animals
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