Apes Ch 3 Vocab free essay sample

Ecosystem- A particular location on Earth distinguished by its mix of interacting biotic and abiotic components. †¢ Producers/ Autotrophs-organisms that use the energy of the Sun to produce usable forms of energy †¢ photosynthesis- the process by which producers use solar energy to convert CO2 and water into glucose. †¢ cellular respiration- the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water. Consumers/ Heterotrophs- An organism that must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms †¢ primary consumers-an individual incapable of photosynthesis; must obtain energy by consuming other organisms †¢ secondary consumers-a carnivore that eats primary consumers †¢ tertiary consumers-a carnivore that eats secondary consumers †¢ trophic levels-levels in yhe feeding structure of organisms. Higher trophic levels consume organisms from lower trophic levels †¢ food chain- The sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers. †¢ food web- A complex model of energy and matter move between trophic levels. Scavengers-a carnivore that consumes dead animals †¢ Detritivores- an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles. We will write a custom essay sample on Apes Ch 3 Vocab or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page †¢ Decomposers- Fungi or bacteria that recycle nutrients from dead tissues and wastes back into the ecosystem. †¢ gross primary productivity (GPP)- The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time. †¢ net primary productivity (NPP)-the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minusthe energy the producers respire †¢ Biomass- The total mass of living matter in a specific area.†¢ standing crop †¢ Ecological efficiency- The proportion of consumed energy †¢ trophic pyramid †¢ Biosphere- The region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on earth. †¢ biogeochemical cycles-The movements of matter within and between ecosystems. †¢ hydrologic cycle- The movement of water through the biosphere. †¢ Transpiration-the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis †¢ evapotranspiration- The combined amount of evaporation and transp iration. Runoff-water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers †¢ Macronutrients-the six key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur †¢ limiting nutrients-nutrients required for the growth of organisms but available in lower quantities than other nutrients †¢ nitrogen fixation-a process by which some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules directly into ammonia †¢ leaching-the transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater †¢ disturbance- An event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in population size or community composition. Watershed-all land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake or wetland †¢ Resistance measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem †¢ Resiliencethe rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance †¢ restoration ecologythe study and implementation of restoring damaged ecosystems †¢ intermediate disturbance hypothesis- The hypothesis that ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels. †¢ instrumental value- Something that has worth as an instrument or a tool that can be used to accomplish a goal †¢ intrinsic value- †¢ provisions-good that humans can use directly