All Flashcards
What is a biome?
Large-scale ecosystem characterized by climate and organisms.
What is biomass?
The total mass of living organisms in a given area.
What is a closed system?
A system where matter is recycled, not lost.
Define mutualism.
An interaction where both species benefit.
Define commensalism.
An interaction where one species benefits, the other is unaffected.
Define parasitism.
An interaction where one species benefits, the other is harmed.
Define predator-prey relationship.
One species hunts and kills another.
What are trophic levels?
Levels in an ecosystem showing how energy moves through it.
What is adaptation?
Traits that help organisms survive and reproduce.
What is evolution?
Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time.
What are the key processes in the carbon cycle?
Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion.
What are the key processes in the nitrogen cycle?
Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, denitrification.
What are the key processes in the phosphorus cycle?
Weathering, absorption by plants, consumption by animals, decomposition.
What are the key processes in the hydrologic cycle?
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration.
What are the steps of the carbon cycle?
Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion, ocean exchange.
What are the steps of the nitrogen cycle?
Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, denitrification.
What are the steps of the phosphorus cycle?
Weathering, absorption by plants, consumption by animals, decomposition, sedimentation.
What are the steps of the hydrologic cycle?
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, transpiration.