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EcologicalPrinciples
Environmental Science- Unit 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Abiotic | non-living factors |
| Algae | aquatic organisms without true roots, stems or leaves |
| Atmosphere | gases surrounding the earth, from the surface to space |
| Biomass | total mass of living organisms in a given area, often used as a source of food or energy |
| Biomes | large, naturally occurring ecological levels occupying a major habitat; include aquatic, forest, grassland and wetland |
| Biosphere | sum of the surfaces, atmosphere and hydrosphere of the earth which is occupied by living organisms |
| Biotic | any living organism |
| Bogs | wetland which accumulates dead plant material |
| Brackish | mixture of freshwater and saltwater |
| Carbon Cycle | continuous movement of carbon throughout the biosphere |
| Cellular Respiration | uses oxygen to break down glucose and release energy |
| Climax Community | development of vegetation in a community to a steady state over a period of time |
| Commensalism | when one species benefits while another is unaffected |
| Community | assemblage of different populations of flora and fauna species in an area |
| Competition | struggle between two organisms for the same resources, such as food, space or mates |
| Conservation Biology | focuses on conserving biodiversity through ecosystem management and other areas of conservation genetics |
| Consumers | organisms which obtain food and energy through the consumption of other organisms |
| Detritivores | consume decayed plants and animals |
| Domesticated | plants, animals or other living organisms tamed or bred by humans |
| Dominance | species or group of species which has the greatest influence on the community |
| Ecological Succession | process by which ecosystems advance toward a climax community through development of stages over time |
| Ecology | study of the relationship between an organism and its environment |
| Ecosystem | ecological level where biotic and abiotic elements interact within a biome |
| Ecosystem Management | effort by humans to manage organisms and their environments |
| Emissions | substances, such as gases or pollutants, released into the air |
| Erosion | process where natural forces, such as wind and water, wear away rock and soil and move them to new places |
| Evaporation | transformation of water into gas |
| Fauna | animals found in an area |
| Fens | wetland with grasses and mineral rich water |
| Fertile | capable of supporting plant growth due to rich nutrients in the soil |
| Fisheries | often managed by geographic areas where populations of fish are harvested for commercial and recreational use |
| Fitness | reproductive success |
| Flora | plants found in an area |
| Food Chain | linear representation which shows the flow of energy from one organism to another |
| Food Web | consists of many food chains interacting with one another in a community |
| Freshwater | defined by a very low concentration of salt |
| Habitat | any part of the earth suitable to support a species permanently or temporarily for migratory species |
| Harvested | caught, removed or extracted |
| Hydrosphere | all the bodies of water on the earth |
| Landscape | visible features of an area of land, including its physical layout and natural elements |
| Lichens | small, moss-like organisms formed by a fungus and algae or cyanobacteria living together |
| Lithosphere | solid, outer part of the earth |
| Management Plan | strategies to guide sustainable use of ecosystems and their components, such as wildlife populations and ecosystem goods |
| Marine | defined by a high concentration of salt, typically 30 to 50 ppt |
| Marshes | wetland dominated by emergent vegetation |
| Mutualism | when two species benefit from ecological interaction |
| Niche | describes how organisms match specific environmental conditions and respond to distribution of resources and competitors |
| Nitrogen Cycle | continuous movement of nitrogen among the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere |
| Nutrient | chemical substance required by an organism for growth, reproduction and maintenance |
| Nutrient Cycling | exchange or conversion of nutrients from one form to another through biological and chemical processes |
| Organic | relating to or derived from living organisms |
| Organism | individual members of a population |
| Oxygen Cycle | continuous movement of oxygen throughout the biosphere |
| Parts Per Thousand (ppt) | unit expressing a ratio of a solute in a solution |
| Phosphorus Cycle | continuous movement of phosphorus throughout the biosphere |
| Photosynthesis | process by which green plants and algae convert sunlight to sugar, creating plant tissue from carbon dioxide and water |
| Pioneer Species | lichens, such as fungi, algae and cyanobacteria, which begin colonization |
| Population | group of organisms of the same species occupying a particular space at the same time |
| Predation | when one species kills another for food |
| Primary Consumers | herbivores which consume only plants |
| Primary Succession | starts when rock is exposed from a geological or natural disturbance |
| Producer | organisms which produce food or biomass through the process of photosynthesis |
| Secondary Consumers | omnivores which consume plants and animals; carnivores which consume only animals |
| Secondary Succession | occurs on fertile, open soil where other communities once thrived |
| Species Diversity | variety of different species present within a community or ecosystem |
| Sustainability | responsibly using and conserving resources in a way which supports long-term ecological balance |
| Swamps | wetland dominated by trees |
| Topography | physical shape and features of the land's surface |
| Transpiration | occurs when plants release water vapor |
| Trophic Structure | organization of an ecosystem into feeding levels, such as producers, consumers and decomposers |
| Water Cycle | continuous movement of water throughout the biosphere; also known as the hydrologic cycle |
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