Species and Populations
A group of organisms sharing common characteristics that interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Define species
Define a community
a group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat
Define productivity
Conversion of energy into biomass over a given period of time
Define biome
a collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions
Primary Succession
occurs from the bare ground where soil formation starts the process
Define intraspecific competition
competition between members of the same species
Define primary producers
Autotrophs (make their own food)
provide the energy requirements of all the other trophic levels
The total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time
What is gross productivitiy?
Biosphere
The part of the earth inhabited by organisms; extends from the upper part of the atmosphere down to the deepest parts of the oceans which support life
What changes can cause zonation
Altitude, latitude, tidal level or distance from shore/ coverage by water
What are 3 factors that affect population?
1. Natality (birth rate)
2. Mortality (death rate)
3. Migration (immigration and emigration)
What is the equation for photosynthese?
6CO2 + 12H2O --> C6H12O6 + 6O2
Carbon dioxide + water --> Glucose + oxygen
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
the total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time by green plants
How an ecosystem changes overtime involving pioneer, intermediate, and climax communities
What is Succession?
Maximum Sustainable Yield
The largest crop or catch that can be taken from a stock of a species without depleting the stock
What are 4 types of species interactions?
1. Competition
2. Predatation
3. Parasitism
4. Mutualism
What are trophic levels?
the position that an organism occupies in a food chain, or a group of organisms in a community that occupy that same position in food chains
What does 'Gross' refer to
the total amount of something made as a result of an activity
Define Zonation
the change in a community along an environmental gradient due to factors
Define detritivores
break down dead organisms which release nutrients back into the cycle (eg. nitrogen, carbon)
Distinguish between S-curves and J-curves
S-curves start with exponential growth and once an ecosystem reaches its carrying capacity, slows down gradually resulting in a population of constant size (one a graph looks like a s shape)
J curves start with exponential growth at first but suddenly collapses also known as 'diebacks' this occurs when a population exceeds its carrying capacity on a long term or continuous basis before it collapses, they do not show gradual slowdown of the population growth with increasing population size
Distinguish between a pyramid of numbers and pyramid of biomass
Pyramid of numbers- show the number of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain at one time (number per unit area)
Pyramid of biomass- contains the mass of each individual x individual numbers for each trophic level
The living mass of an organism of organisms but sometimes referred to as 'dry mass'
Biomass
Define R selected species
small size, short life cycles, rapid growth and produce many offspring
Who is the best teacher in the school
Mrs. Simpson