click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
7th Unit 5b
Ecology Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Equilibrium | State of ballance |
| Homeostasis | The process of maintaining a stable, balanced internal envionment |
| Feedback Mechanism | A process used by organisms to maintain homiostasis |
| Insulin | A chemical hormone that lowers the level of glucose in the blood |
| Stomata | Tiny openings in the leaves of plants that regulate water loss |
| Turgor Pressure | The pressure of water within plant cells that allows them to maintain their shape. |
| Photosynthesis | The process by which some organisms use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make their own food |
| Autotroph | An organism that makes its own food; another name for a producer |
| Glucose | A simple sugar produced by plants; this is a plants food |
| Chloroplast | A plant cell organelle where photosynthesis takes place |
| Product | A chemical substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction |
| Radiant Energy | Energy from the sun |
| Pyramid | A three-dimensional shape with triangular sides that meet in a point |
| Producer | An organism that makes its own food; also known as an autotroph |
| Consumer | An organism that takes in or consumes food; also known as a heterotroph |
| Trophic | Relating to the feeding habits of different organisms in a food chain or web |
| Transfer of Energy | The changing of energy from one form to another |
| Food Chain | A model that shows how matter and energy move through an Ecosystem |
| Ecosystem | A system formed by interaction of a community of organisms and their environment |
| Therrestrial | Living on or having to with land |
| Marine | Living in or having to do with a salt water environment |
| Estuary | Where fresh water meets salt water |
| Environment | The surroundings in which an organism lives |
| Prevailing | Most common |
| Diverse | Varied , assorted |
| Adaptation | A modification or change that meets a need |
| Deciduous | Shedding leaves annually |
| Precipitation | Falling rain, snow, or hail formed from the condensation of moisture in the atmosphere |
| Transpiration | The evaporation of water from the leaves of plants |
| Tundra | Cold treeless plains in the arctic region |
| Varying | Different |
| Disperse | To spread material arround |
| Dormant | A temporary state of inactivity |
| Topsoil | The upper fertile layer of soil that plants grow in |
| Weathering | The breaking down of rocks by environmental forces |