Download unit 6 vocabulary: ecology

unit 6 vocabulary: ecology
1. Note cards must include full definition AND a sentence for each
word.
2. Note cards must be numbered in upper right hand corner.
3. Note cards are due Friday, January 8th.
4. A copy of this sheet is available on Schoolnotes2.0.
1. Carbon-oxygen cycle- the continuous movement of carbon dioxide and
oxygen between living things and the environment
2. Nitrogen cycle-the circulation of nitrogen; nitrates from the soil are
absorbed by plants which are eaten by animals that die and decay returning
the nitrogen back to the soil
3. Water cycle- cycle in which water moves through the environment,
through the processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation
4. Water table- beneath the Earth’s surface, the upper limit of soil that is
saturated with groundwater
5. Water shed- area of land that drains water from higher land to lower
land and into a stream
6. Transpiration- loss of water through a plant’s leaves
7. Precipitation –water falling in any form, such as snow, ice, or rain
8. Evaporation- change of matter from a liquid state to a gaseous state
(vapor) at a temperature below its boiling point
9. Ecology- The study of interactions between organisms and their
environment
10. Population-a group of organisms of the same type, or species, living in
the same area.
11. Habitat- the place in an ecosystem where an organism lives
12. Community- all the populations of different species that share a
particular area or region
13. Biosphere- the part of the Earth that can support life
14. Ecosystem- all the living populations in an area along with the
nonliving parts of that environment
15. Abiotic- living factors
16. Biotic- nonliving factors
17. Biosphere – the part of Earth that supports life. It extends several
kilometers up into the atmosphere and deep into the ocean.
18. Biome – a large region characterized as having a distinct climate and
specific types of plant and animal life.
19. Biodiversity- The variety of organisms in a specific environment, or on
Earth as a whole; bio means “life” and diversity means “variety”
20. Coniferous trees – Trees that remain green throughout the year, have
needle-like leaves, and produce seeds in cones.
21. Boreal/Coniferous forest – Winter temperatures average about 10°C. Summer temperatures average about 14°C. Receives about 50 cm of
precipitation each year, usually as snow in the winter and as rain during the
warmer seasons.
22. Deciduous Forests – Located in the temperate climates. Long
growing season. Temperatures range from 6°C to 28°C. Annual rainfall
averages between 75cm and 125cm.
23. Desert – dry environments that generally receive less than 25cm of
rainfall each year. Temperatures can reach over 38°C in the day, therefore
many animals are nocturnal.
24. Freshwater ecosystem – includes lakes, ponds, swamps, streams,
rivers and estuaries..
25. Grassland – Mild summer temperatures of about 30°C. Cool winter
temperatures of about 0°C. Average yearly rainfall is 25-75cm.
26. Marine - Saltwater ecosystem
27. Tropical rain forest – Home to more species than any other ecosystem
on Earth (greatest biodiversity). Warm temperature around 25°C and
abundant rainfall (more than 150 cm per year.) Divided into vertical layers:
ground, in the trees, canopy.
28. Tundra – Cold, dry, mostly treeless land biome. Short growing season.
Temperatures are below freezing most of the year. Most of the ground is
covered in permafrost. Only 20-50 cm of precipitation fall here each year.
Average winter temperature is about -26°C
29. Niche- the way in which an organism fits into a community or
ecosystem; the organism’s job within that ecosystem.
30. Adaptation – structure, behavior, or other trait in an organism that
helps it survive in its environment
31. Specialization - Adaptation, as of an organ or organism, to a specific
function or environment.
32. Diversity - Variety
33. Behavioral adaptation- an activity or action that generally helps an
organism survive in its environment
34. Physical adaptation-a structure of a living organism that helps it
survive in its environment
35. Food Chain-the path of food energy from the sun to the producer to a
series of consumers, in an ecosystem
36. Food Web- in an ecosystem, arrangement of several overlapping food
chains
37. Producer- organism that makes its own food, such as a plant or a
photosynthetic alga
38. Consumer-an organism that feeds on other organisms
39. Decomposer- simple, organism, such as bacteria or fungus, that breaks
down dead organisms and waste, returning important nutrients to the
environment
40. Omnivore- an animal that feeds on both plants and animals; for
example, a raccoon
41. Herbivore- an animal that feeds only on plants, such as a deer; a
primary consumer
42. Carnivore- an animal that feed on other animals, such as a wolf
43. Primary consumers- animals that eat green plants
44. Secondary consumers- meat-eaters that eat herbivores
45. Tertiary consumers- carnivores that eat other carnivores
46. Trophic- feeding
47. Energy pyramid- diagram that demonstrates the flood of energy
through a food chain
48. Symbiosis- a close relationship between species
49. Mutualism-a relationship in which both species benefit
50. Commensalism- a type of symbiosis in which one species benefit while
the other seems unaffected
51. Parasitism- a relationship between species in which (parasite) benefits
and the other (host) is harmed but not killed