Ecosystems
the process by which plants and algae use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen
photosynthesis
species that can live under a wide range of biotic or abiotic conditions
generalists
the limit to the number of individuals that can be supported by an existing habitat or ecosystem, an dis denoted as K
carrying capacity
the theory that the lithosphere of Earth is divided into plates, most of which are in constant motion
plate tectonics
the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted if it is not regulated in some way
tragedy of the commons
an interaction in which one animal typically kills and consumes another animal
predation
the processes by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced
ecosystem services
a visual representation of the number of individuals within specific age groups for a country, typically expressed for males and females
age structure diagram
the breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both of these processes
chemical weathering
a form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods
waterlogging
represents Earth's most diverse marine biome, and are found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline in tropical regions
coral reef
the suite of abiotic conditions under which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce (also known as fundamental niche)
ecological tolerance
total fertility rate required to offset the average number of deaths in a population in order to maintain the current population size
replacement-level fertility
all the land in an area that drains into a particular stream, river, lake or wetland
watershed
the process by which water from precipitation percolates through the soil into groundwater
groundwater recharge
the conversion of ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate
nitrification
a disruption occurring regularly, such as the cycles of day and night or the daily and monthly cycles of the moon's effect on ocean tides
periodic disruption
a conceptual representation of the three major factors that influence environmental impact - population of humans, affluence, technology
IPAT equation
the latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge
Intertropical convergence zone
a trait possessed by certain individuals that are exposed to a pesticide and survive
pesticide resistance
of the total biomass available at a given trophic level, only about 10 percent can be converted into energy at the next higher trophic level
10% rule
a species that demonstrates a particular characteristic of an ecosystem
indicator species
a method that dictates that by dividing the number 70 by the percentage population growth rate, we can determine a population's doubling time
rule of 70
a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds form the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side
rain shadow
the largest quantity of a renewable resource that can be harvested indefinitely
maximum sustainable yield