Term
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Definition
how well energy is passed from one system to another, say along a food chain or web ** as a rule, efficiency decreases as energy is moved along a food pathway or chain |
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Term
| biodiversity or biological diversity |
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Definition
the variety of life forms, the ecological roles they perform and the genetic diversity they contain
* # of species (life forms): 1.5 million identified & described;
Estimates of between 5 & 30 million species in all,
with some estimates as high as 110 million species in all |
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Term
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Definition
| the process of converting CO2 and H2O into carbohydrate and O2 using sunlight as the energy source * occurs in the cells of plants which contain chloroplasts, which contain the pigment chlorophyll 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy ------------> C6H12O6 + 6 H2O + 6 O2 (sunlight) (glucose) * the above process is broken down into several steps, the major two being the Light reactions & the Dark reactions(Calvin Cycle) |
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Term
| Controlling factors of photosynthesis |
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Definition
| * rate of respiration by the plant (where the plant uses some of the energy-food created in photosynthesis; also involves glycolysis, & the Krebs Cycle) * increase respiration ------à decreased photosynthesis * increase heat ---à increased respiration * availability of water * increase water à increase CO@ uptake by plant which increases photosynthesis * rate of evaporation & transpiration * increase evapotranspiration à decrease photosynthesis |
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Term
| Results of photosynthesis |
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Definition
** creation of Biomass (plant & animal)
* plant or phytomass created directly
* animal biomass created indirectly
* highest amounts of Biomass created in warm, wet areas
* lowest amounts created in cold and dry areas |
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Term
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Definition
* both within and between systems News Report 19.2
* within a system: the leaf uses some of the energy it converts from radiative to chemical form
* between: sunlight strikes a leaf of a plant, which turns radiative energy (sunlight)
into chemical energy (carbohydrate), which is energy (food) for another
organism, which may be the energy source (food) for yet another organism
· the idea of a food chain or food web: the pathways that energy may take from plants through various trophic levels (what eats what?)
· each step or stage of the food chain is termed a trophic level |
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Term
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Definition
Abiotic factor
(T°): certain species, plants & animals, will only thrive in
warm climates, OR only in cold climates; some in both
EX: * megatherm plants – adapted to high temperatures
* microtherm plants – adapted to within stand low temperatures |
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Term
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Definition
Abiotic
no water = no photosynthesis = no plants = no animals
EX: * xerophyte plants – adapted to low moisture conditions
* hygrophyte plants – adapted to high moisture conditions |
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Term
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Definition
Abiotic
increase light = increase photosynthesis
EX: * shade tolerant (base of rainforest) vs shade intolerant (need direct sunlight) |
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Term
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Definition
Abiotic
structure, texture both affect plant root systems and thus
plant survival and dispersal
root and plant support and water availability |
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Term
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Definition
Abi * elevation affects T° and moisture
* slope steepness affects water availability, & soil thickness
* slope aspect (compass direction a slope is facing) affects amount of
sunlight, and thus T° & moisture levels
N vs. S facing, slope of a mountain
(cooler/wetter) vs. (warmer/drier) |
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Term
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Definition
those species and individuals which can utilize the available resources more efficiently usually out compete (survive or live longer) other species and individuals
* ex.'s of resources: nutrients (food), water, space, mates, building supplies, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
the inhibition of one species by another through chemical means
EX: certain plants produce toxins & release them into the soil making the soil unusable by other plants, thus inhibiting the growth of competing plants
EX. Certain plants produce toxins and release them into the soil making the soil unusable by other plants; thus inhibiting the growth of competing plants |
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Term
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Definition
one organism consuming another as food
EX: grasshopper eating (preying on) grass or crops/coyote preying on rabbits or mice
* usually increases the biodiversity of the ecosystem: populations find new ways not to get eaten |
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Term
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Definition
the presence of one species is essential to the survival of another
species(sp.)., but is not detrimental to the first sp.;
usually both sp. benefit from the interaction
Also known as symbiosis |
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