Ecosystem Essentials
What are biotic factors?
The living components of an ecosystem.
What is the sun to plants?
The primary source of energy that powers photosynthesis.
What is a producer?
An organism that makes its own food using sunlight.
What is extinct?
The status of a species that no longer exists anywhere on Earth.
What are abiotic factors?
The non-living components of an ecosystem, such as soil, air, and temperature.
What is chlorophyll?
The green pigment in leaves that absorbs light energy.
What is a predator?
An animal that hunts and eats other animals for food.
What is an invasive species?
A non-native species introduced to an ecosystem that harms local wildlife.
What is a biome?
A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region, like Alberta's boreal forest.
What is carbon dioxide to plants?
The gas that plants absorb from the air to perform photosynthesis.
What is a food web?
The term for a diagram that shows multiple overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.
What is deforestation?
The clearing of forests by humans, which destroys habitats and reduces oxygen production.
What is a habitat?
The specific place where an organism lives and finds the food, water, and shelter it needs.
What are glucose (sugar) and oxygen?
The two main outputs or products created by a plant during photosynthesis.
What are decomposers?
Organisms like fungi and bacteria that recycle nutrients by breaking down dead matter.
What is reclamation (or reforestation)?
The process of restoring a damaged ecosystem, such as planting trees in a logged area.
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum population size of a species that a specific environment can sustainably support.
What are stomata?
The microscopic pores on the underside of leaves where gas exchange occurs.
What is mutualism?
A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit, such as bees pollinating flowers.
What is biomagnification?
The accumulation of toxins in organisms up the food chain, heavily impacting top predators.