Levels of Ecology
A large geographic region identified by its climax vegetation and distinctive animal life
biome
The maximum population size that the ecosystem can currently support
carrying capacity
Hottest and driest biome
desert
Three major processes include precipitation, evaporation, and condensation
hydrologic cycle
The classification used to describe one organism's feeding relationship to other organisms in its ecosystem
trophic level
An ecosystem's ability to withstand and recover from changes
stability
Living factors in the environment
biotic factors
Includes prairies, plains, African savannas, Russian steppes, and Argentinian pampas
grassland
Found near the equator and characterized by abundant rainfall
tropical rainforest
This type of organism feeds on detritus by breaking it down into molecules that become part of the soil
decomposer
The place where an organism lives
habitat
These are usually on the first trophic level of a food chain
plants
Characterized by long, harsh winters with freezing temperatures, snow, ice, high winds, short summers, and permafrost
Arctic tundra
The biome characterized by harsh winters, fairly long summers, and little or no permafrost
northern coniferous forest
Man's God-given authority to use nature to meet his physical needs
dominion
The study of how living things interact with one another and with their physical environment
ecology
A model showing all possible feeding relationships at each trophic level
food web
Found at high mountain altitudes
alpine tundra
Example cycles include hydrologic, phosphorus, and carbon-oxygen
biogeochemical cycles
The first organisms that colonize a disturbed ecosystem
pioneer species
The two categories all ecosystems fall into
terrestrial aquatic
An organism's function or "occupation"
niche
Has well-defined seasons and sufficient precipitation to support large trees and diverse animal species
temperate deciduous forest
The area between the highest and lowest tides along the coast
AND
The type of marine ecosystem where nutrient-rich fresh water from rivers and streams meets and mixes with seawater
intertidal zone
estuary
Organisms that feed on decaying organic matter but cannot break it down into soil components
AND
The relatively shallow ocean zone that extends to the edge of the continental shelf
detritivores
neritic zone