Environmental Science Test - Unit 2

primary, secondary, tertiary producers

*** clarify w/ Mrs. King

how much of sun's energy is absorbed by plants?

0.06%

Herbivores

Consumers that only eat plants

Indicator species

a species used to measure pollution levels within an ecosystem

Ecotone

a transition or boundary between 2 ecosystems, a region of transition between two biological communities

Carnivore

a type of consumer that feeds on autotrophs or other heterotrophs, and is an animal that feeds on meat

GSP calculation

food eaten (g) - fecal loss

Net

the amount left after deductions for costs

Habitat

the environment in which a species normally lives - FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, SPACE

Competitive Exclusion

the inevitable elimination from a habitat of one of two different species with identical needs for resources.

Gross

total amount of something made as a result of an activity (what you eat - fecal loss)

Trophic Efficiency

trophic efficiency from one level to the next is about 10%

omnivore vs. carnivore

A carnivore eats just meat while an omnivore eats both plants and animals

Food Chain vs Food Web (state differences and benefits/disadvanatages)

A food chain illustrates one possible path of energy between a list of organisms, whereas a food web illustrates all of the possible paths of ENERGY TRANSFERS and FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS. Food chains are simplistic and easy to make/understand, but assumes that each organism only eats or is eaten by another one organism. Also, some species can occupy multiple trophic levels, which is not shown in a food chain Food webs are complex networks that show every feeding relationship in an ecosystem. It requires a lot of research to be comprehensive, but can be useful models to evaluate possible changes.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species, in the same area, at the same time CAPABLE OF INTERBREEDING

Species

A group of organisms sharing common characteristics that can INTERBREED and produce fertile offspring

transect vs. quadrat

A quadrat is a framed area used for estimating the abundance of plants and non-motile animals, while a transect is a line, market at regular intervals, that make field work easier

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the interaction. For example, the remora fish that attaches itself to reef sharks benefits by eating the leftovers of the sharks' messy meals, and in return, the shark gets cleaned by the remora fish/

Commensalism

A type of symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits from the relationship, and the other is neithor harmed nor benefited. For example barnacles living on a whale benefit from sharing the same diet (consisting of plankton), and they also gain protection from predators

Abiotic vs. Biotic factors

Abiotic - nonliving, physical factors that influence the organisms and ecosystem such as temperature, sunlight, pH, precipitation, and salinity Biotic - refers to how interactions between living things respond to other living things like predators and competitors, or availible resources. Biotic factors also determine where an organism lives and how it interacts with other biotic and abiotic factors

Advantages/Disadvantages of Pyramids of Productivity

Advantages: It is the most accurate system, Shows actual energy transferred and allows for rate of production, Allows comparison of ecosystem based on relative energy flows, and pyramids are not inverted Disadvantages: Very difficult to collect energy data, since the rate of biomass production over time is required. Still has the problem of assigning a species to only one trophic level (when it may be omnivorous)

Advantages/Disadvantages of Pyramids of Biomass

Advantages: Overcomes the disadvantage of pyramid of numbers, where one large organism is vastly outnumbered by myriad tiny organisms. Disadvantages: Only uses population samples, so not exact, Organisms must be killed to measure dry mass, Seasonal variations are significant, Similar biomass does not signify similar energy content

Advantages/Disadvantages of Pyramids of Numbers

Advantages: Simple, easy method, Provides quick overview, Easy to compare changes in numbers of species over time or season. Disadvantages: All organisms are included, regardless of size (inverted pyramid), Does not distinguish between adults and juveniles, Numbers can be too great to express accurately

What is secondary succession?

After an area has already gone through the long phases of primary succession, the process can be repeated again. The differences include the pre-existing seed bank within the soil, stages amd transistion times tend to be shorter, better devloped soils, etc.

Autotroph

Also known as primary producers, these are organisms like plants or algae that are able to produce their own food via photosynthesis

Climax community

An extremely stable environment at a balanced equilibrium, at max development.

Omnivore

An organism that eats both plants and animals

Stages of Succession

BCECSC - Bare surface, colonization, establishment, competition, stabilization, climax community

Bioaccumulation vs Biomagnification

BIOACCUMULATION is the build up of persistant pollutants or non-biodegradable pollutants within an organism or trophic level because it can't break down. it simpley accumulates in the tissue. BIOMAGNIFICATION is the increase in the concentration of a persistant or non-biodegradable polluntant as it moves up food chain.

Bioaccumulation vs. Biomagnification

Bioaccumulation is the build-up of persistent pollutants or non-biodegradable pollutants within an organism or trophic level because it can't break down, it just accumulates in the bodies of that species or trophic level. For example, if DDT is leaked into a lake and settles in the soil, an organism that feeds on nutrients in the sediment will be consuming DDT, and it will BIOACCUMULATE in the bodies of the organisms in that part of the trophic level. Biomagnification is the increase in concentration of persistent or non-biodegradable pollutants ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN. An organism higher up in the food chain might eat organisms in which pollutants bioaccumulated in, and the chemicals become more concentrated and move up the food chain

Decomposers vs. Detritivores

Both are types of CONSUMERS... Decomposers eat dead organisms, while detritivores, also known as saprotrophs are a type of decomposer, and they eat decomposing/decaying organic matter.

Heterotroph

Can only be a consumer, they are organisms that feed on autotrophs or other heterotrophs for nutrients

Community vs Ecosystem

Community: A community is a group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat. It refers to all the biotic components of a habitat, like a school community or an aquarium Ecosystem: is a community and the physical environment it interacts with, like a coral reef, or a rainforest

What is the largest carbon sink?

Deep ocean (not surface ocean)

Limiting Factors

Factors that slow down the growth of a populatino AS IT REACHES CARRYING CAPACITY. They may include shelter, food, physical space, etc.

NPP calculation

GPP - R

NSP calculation

GSP - R

what affects a biome

Insolation, precipitation and temperature are the main factors governing the distribution of biomes.

Interspecific vs. Intraspecific Competition

Interspecific competition is when individuals of DIFFERENT species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem (e.g. food or living space). Intraspecific is when there is Competition between members of the same species.

Desserts

Low NPP and NSP (fer primary producers), highly adapted species, nutrient rich - soils, short food chains, little vegetation, evaporation is greater than precipitation

Temperate Grassland

Low rainfall, high temp. range, precpitation is greater or equal to evaporation, flat mid continent, dominanted by grasses and herbacious plants, low NPP, Las pampas and the Russian steepes are examples.

Ecosystem

Made up of the living organisms and the physical environment and the interactions/actions between them. Examples include schools, a coral reef, Kawainui marsh

Process of nitrogen cycle

Nitrites in the soil need to be converted to nitrates for the plants to be able to utilize the nitrogen. nitrifying bacteria convert the nitrites to nitrates for the plant to access nitrogen in a useable form.. As the leaves of the plants fall, or as plant mass starts to decompose into the soil, nitrogen is release back into the ground with the process repeating itself again. nitrogen can also enter the cycle through lightning and the fecal matter of animals.

Predation

One organism preys upon and eats the other, in a + / - relationship

Parasitism

Parasites consume parts of their hosts, giving the parasite nutrients, but negatively affecting the host

Consumers - Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Primary Consumers eat autotrophs in the second level of the food chain, Secondary and Tertiary Consumers eat heterotrophs and other autotrophs

Chemosynthetic Organism

Primary producers / chemoautotrophs that are able to produce their own food (convert energy in inorganic molecules into organic compounds).

Photosynthesis

Primary producers in most ecosystems convert light energy into chemical energy in the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that plants containing chloroplasts on the leaves can convert light energy into glucose and oxygen.

Pyramid of Numbers

Pyramid of Numbers --> -Shows the number of organisms per unit area at each trophic level. Usually the organisms are counted with reference to the lincoln index or Simpson index. -Can display different patterns, such as inverted pyramids - when individuals at lower trophic levels are relatively large.

Pyramid of Biomass

Pyramids of biomass can show greater quantities at higher trophic levels because they represent the biomass present at a fixed point in time, although seasonal variations may be marked.

r-strategists vs k-strategists

R - strategists have many offspring, a short lufe span, a higher mortality rate earlier on in life. Parents abandon young, and can be represented by a J - curve on a graph. Examples include cockroaches and mosquitos K - strategists have way fewer offspring, parents expend energy to raise and protect their young, they live longer, and they tend to be predators. Examples include lions, and the CA condor

Pyramid of Productivity

Refers to the flow of energy through a trophic level, and In accordance with the second law of thermodynamics, there is a tendency for numbers and quantities of biomass and energy to decrease along food chains; therefore, the pyramids become narrower towards the apex.

Simpson's vs Lincoln's Diversity Index

Simpon's is for sleepers, lincoln is for leapers. These are the categories of ways to measure biological diversity in an area. WIth simpson's index, it is used for sessile species, while Lincoln's catch, tag, and release method is used for motile organisms

Impact of climate change on biomes.

Since a biome is defined as a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra, and the biome is hugely dependent on temperature, weather patterns, etc., climate change can hugely impact biomes. It can cause the temperatures and weather patterns to change dramtatically, and encouraging many animals to leave the area. This disrupts food webs and ecosystems as well.

Top Carnivore

The apex predator at the top of the food chain

Dieback

The collapse of a population as shown in the dramatic decrease in population on a graph

Niche --> Fundamental vs Realized Niche

The fundamental niche is the full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive and reproduce The realized niche is the portion of the fundamental niche that is actually filled For example, someone moving to HI has a fundamental niche of the whole island, but their realized niche might be only the town of Kailua.

Respiration

The process of respiration is the conversion of organic matter into ATP. It involves the breakdown of food like glucose to release energy to be used in living processes.

Population Dynamics

The study of the factors that can changes to population dynamics (it is the x-axis of a graph)

Tri - Cellular Model

The tri-cellular model helps us understand the distribution of biomes in relation to air circulation. This model shows the 3 main cells, the hadley cell, the ferrel cell, and the polar cell.

Trophic Level

The trophic level is the position that an organism occupies in a food chain, or the position of a group of organisms in a community that occupy the same position in food chains.

J Curve vs S Curve

These are two types of graphs that describe a generalized response of a population to a particular set of conditions (including abiotic and biotic factors) S curve shows logistic growth, while a J curve marks exponential growth. J curve also displays exponential growth, and then the collapse of a population as it exceeds carrying capacity, during a phase called dieback. This typically pertains to r-strategists. S curve shows slow and steady growth that plataus as it reaches or meets carrying capacity, or K

Why are top carnivores at risk?

They are vulnerable to changes all the way down the chain, the magnitude and concentration of persistent pollutants that potentially bioaccumulated in the bodies of previously eaten organisms are biomagnified, They often have a limited diet, and They tend to have lower populations and reproductive rates.

Overshoot

When a population exceeds carrying capacity

Exponential Growth

When resources are abundant and desireable, a species can thrive and grow exponentially, leading to a dramatic increase in population

Zonation vs. Succession

Zonation refers to CHANGE IN LOCATION/PHYSICAL SPACE: changes in a community along an environmental gradient due to factors such as changes in altitude, latitude, distance from the shore, and tidal level Succession refers to CHANGES OVER TIME: it involves changes in species composition, patterns of energy flows, gross and net productivity, and biodiversity

Biome

a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra.

Do all creatures assimilate equally?

many carnivores have to hunt for their pray, and use a lot of energy to catch their meals causing them to assimilate only about 80%. Herbivores don't have to move as much and use as much energy, causing them to assimilate less

Temperate forests

medium biodiversity and productivity, well-developed food chain, precipitation if greater than evaporation,

Competition

neither groups benefit from this type of symbiotic relationships, it can lead to competitive exclusion

Carrying Capacity

represented by the letter K, carrying capacity is the maximum number of a species that can be sustained or supported by a given area. They are a part of S curve graphs that show logistic growth

Sustainable Yield vs. Maximum Sustainable Yield

sustainable yield is the ideal amount of yield/catch that can be taken from a species' stock over an indefinite period to avoid threatening the species (overfishing for example). Max sustainable yield is usually higher than sustainable yield amount, and is the largest yield that can be taken from a species.

survivorship curve

type 1 - k type 3 - r

biodiversity

variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Arctic Tundra

very low NPP, lots of permafrost, low precipitation, no trees, oil and climate change are threats

Tropical Rainforests

warm, equitorial, high-biodiversity, shallow roots, INflude the Amazon, Borneo, and African Congo