Ecosystem Ecology
This term describes a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
What is an ecosystem?
This law states that energy transformations are inefficient, with some energy lost as heat.
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
This cycle involves the movement of phosphates through rocks, water, and organisms.
What is the phosphorus cycle?
Burning of these is leading to a large increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
What are fossil fuels?
This species has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.
What is a keystone species?
This process converts sunlight into chemical energy, while this other process releases energy from food. (2 answers)
What are photosynthesis and respiration?
This process leads to the formation of new species over time (speciation).
What is evolution through natural selection?
This acronym is used to remember the different elements that make up life.
What is CHNOPS?
This process breaks down organic matter and releases carbon back into the atmosphere.
What is decomposition?
This type of niche is limited by competition and environmental pressures.
What is a realized niche?
Only about this percentage of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
What is 10%?
Greater biodiversity generally makes ecosystems more this.
What is resilient or stable?
Unlike energy, this is recycled through ecosystems.
What is matter?
These marine structures store carbon and are part of the long-term carbon cycle.
What are shells or calcium carbonate deposits?
This phenomenon occurs where two ecosystems transition into each other.
What is the edge effect?
This is the total amount of energy captured by producers, while this is the energy available to consumers after respiration. (2 answers)
What are GPP and NPP?
Pollination, and water filtration are examples of this type of ecosystem service.
What is regulating?
This cycle includes volcanic emissions and the formation of acid rain.
What is the sulfur cycle?
These geological features release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere naturally.
What are volcanoes?
Biomes with a low number of this ecological concept, tend to have low levels of biodiversity.
What is a niche?
This concept explains why higher trophic levels have less biomass.
What is ecological efficiency?
This process increases genetic diversity and ecosystem resilience
What is speciation?
This process results from nutrient overload in aquatic systems, leading to algal blooms.
What is eutrophication?
This environmental concept, was introduced by fossil fuel companies to move the focus of environmental change to the individual, rather than the companies themselves.
What is a Carbon Footprint?