Biology Chapter 4: Ecosystems and Communities – Flashcards

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weather
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Condition of the atmosphere at a specific time and place
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climate
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Overall weather in an area over a long period of time
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greenhouse effect
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Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earths atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases
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greenhouse effect
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Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earths atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases
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polar zones
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cold areas where the suns rays strike Earth at a very low angle
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temperate zones
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the zone that sits between the polar zones and the tropics and has a climate that ranges from hot to cold, depending on the season
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tropical zones
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The area between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer and between the Tropic of Capricorn where the climate is generally hot.
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biotic factors
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Biological influences on organisms within an ecosystem. These include the entire living cast of characters with which an organism might interact.
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abiotic factors
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nonliving parts of an ecosystem
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habitat
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A place where organisms live
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niche
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Full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions
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resource
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Any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food, or space.
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competitive exclusion
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Ecological rule that states that no two species can occupy the same exact niche in the same habitat at the same time
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predation
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An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism
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symbiosis
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A close relationship between two or more species where at least one benefits
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mutualism
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A relationship in which both species benefit
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commensalism
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A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
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parasitism
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A relationship in which one organism lives on or in a host and harms it.
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ecological succession
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Series of predictable changes that occurs in a community over time
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primary succession
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Succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists.
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pioneer species
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First species to populate an area
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secondary succession
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Life recovering from either partial or total destruction - soil remains ex. forest fire
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biome
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A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
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tolerance
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Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under circumstances that differ from their optimal conditions
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microclimate
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Climate within a small area that differs significantly from the climate of the surrounding area
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canopy
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Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain forest trees
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understory
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A layer of shorter plants that grow in the shade of a forest canopy
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deciduous
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Trees and shrubs that shed their leaves at the end of the growing season
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coniferous
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Cone-bearing trees with year-round leaves that are long, thin, and needle-like.
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humus
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Decayed plant and animal remains which provide nutrients to plants
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taiga
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Biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw
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permafrost
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Layer of permanently frozen subsoil in the tundra
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plankton
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Tiny organisms that float in the water
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phytoplankton
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Unicellular algae supported by nutrient in the water
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zooplankton
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Animal plankton that feed on phytoplankton
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wetland
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An ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface for at least part of the year.
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estuaries
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Wetlands formed where rivers meet the sea
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detritus
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Made up of tiny pieces of organic material that provides food for organisms at the base of the estuary and food web
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salt marshes
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temperate zones, estuaries dominated by salt tolerant grasses above the low tide line and by sea grasses under the water.
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mangrove swamps
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Coastal wetlands that are widespread across tropical regions
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photic zone
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well-lit upper layer of the oceans
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aphotic zone
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Permanently dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone
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zonation
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Prominent horizontal banding of organisms that live in a particular habitat
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coastal ocean
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marine zone that extends from the low-tide mark to the end of the continental shelf
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kelp forests
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Coastal ocean community named for its dominant organism-kelp, a giant brown alga
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coral reefs
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Diverse and productive environment named for the coral animals that make up its primary structure
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benthos
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organisms (plants and animals) that live at or near the bottom of a sea
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