Science Definitions

Madeline Hardy

Biosphere- is the thin layer of air, land, and water on or near earths surface where living things exist. Biome: The largest division of the Biosphere Abiotic Related to non-living parts of an environment such as sunlight, moisture, and temperature. Biotic Related to the living organisms, such as plants animals, bacteria, and fungi. Adaptations characteristics that enable organisms to better survive and reproduce. o Structural: physical part or feature. o Physiological: chemical or physical event that takes place in the body or an organism. o Behavioral: things that an organism does. Climate the average conditions of the atmosphere in a region over 30 years. o Climatograph is a graph of climate data for a specific region, gives the average temperature and average total precipitation. Latitude the distance measured in degrees north or south of the equator. Earth has 8 terrestrial (land based) biomes o Tundra northern hemisphere, very cold, due to permanently frozen soil, plants are short and there are few trees. o Boreal Forest far north, below freezing half the year, mainly coniferous (cone bearing) trees. o Temperate Deciduous Forest temperate regions, eastern North America, eastern Asia, and Western Europe, trees lose their leaves in winter. Large seasonal changes with four distinct seasons.

o Temperate Rainforest Along the coast lines where ocean winds drop large amounts of moisture, cold and very wet, allowing trees (mainly evergreens) to grow very tall. o Grasslands occurs in the temperate and tropical regions, covered with grasses that have deep roots, which are well adapted for drought. o Tropical Rainforest found in a wide band around the equator, wet and warm year-round, allowing for the growth of a dense canopy. o Desert temperate and tropical regions, days are hot and nights are cold. Rainfall is minimal and plants and animals are adapted to reduce water loss. o Permanent Ice- includes the polar land masses and large ice caps, and few animals that live here are well insulated against the extreme cold. Ecosystems a part of a biome in which abiotic components interact with biotic components Order from highest to lowest goes: Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Habitat- is the place an organism lives. Species a group of closely related organisms that can reproduce with one another. Population members of a species within an ecosystem. Community population of different species that interact in a specific ecosystem. Niche - a special role and organism has in its ecosystems. Symbiosis refers to the interaction of two different organisms that live in close association. o Commensalism: one organism benefits one is neither helped nor harmed. o Mutualism: both organisms benefit and sometime neither can survive without one another.

o Parasitism: One species benefits, the other is harmed

Other Biotic interactions include: o Competition: Organisms require the same resources in the same location at the same time. o Predation: one organism eats all or part of another organism (Predator and prey) o Mimicry: Prey animal mimics another species that is dangerous or tastes bas to avoid being eaten. Energy Flow is the transfer of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem. Food Chains show the flow of energy from plant to animal and from animal to animal. o Primary producer: obtain energy from the sun o Primary consumer: obtain energy from primary producers o Secondary Consumers: obtain energy from primary consumers o Tertiary consumers: obtain energy from secondary consumers Food Web model of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem; formed from interconnected food chains Food Pyramid models that show that flow of energy from one trophic level to another; often called a ecological pyramid; between 80% - 90% of it is used for chemical reactions and is lost an heat. o Trophic level: a step in a food chain that shows feeding and niche relationships among organisms Decomposition describes the break down of organic wastes and dead organisms Biodegradation when living animals carry out decomposition o Detrivores (small insects, earthworms, bacteria, fungi) obtain energy and nutrients by eating dead plants and animals, as well as animal waste.

o Decomposers (bacteria, fungi) change waste and dead organisms into nutrients that can once again be used by plants and animals o *Detrivores and Decomposers feed at every trophic level* Biomass refers to the total mass of living plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria in a given area Energy flow the flow of energy from an ecosystem to an organism and from one organism to another Consumer eat plants and other organisms Producers - plants are called producers because they produce food in the form of carbohydrates

Nutrient cycles describe the flow of nutrients in and out of store as a result of biotic and abiotic processes Nutrients are chemicals required for plants and animal growth and other life processes Stores nutrients spend different amount of time in stores within the atmosphere, oceans, and land Carbon cycle o It is cycled through living and decaying organisms, the atmosphere, bodies of water, and soil and rock o Six main processes Photosynthesis: is a chemical reaction that converts solar energy and atmospheric carbon dioxed gas into chemical energy Cellular Respiration: plants and animals obtain energy by converting carbohydrates and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water Decomposition: decomposers release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the decomposition of carbon-rich organic matter in soil

 Ocean Processes: Dissolved carbon dioxide is stored in oceans. Marine organisms store carbon-rich carbonate in their shells, which eventually form sedimentary rock Volcanic eruptions Forest Fires

Nitrogen Cycle o Important components of DNA and proteins are stored in the atmosphere, and also in bodies of water, living organisms, and decaying organisms Nitrogen Fixation: nitrogen gas is converted into nitrate and aluminum compounds that are usable by plants; happened from nitrogen fixing bacteria, and lightening strikes Nitrification: Ammonium is converted into nitrate and nitrite through nitrifying bacteria Uptake: usable forms of nitrogen are taken up by plant roots and incorporated into plant proteins . When herbivores and omnivores eat plants they incorporate nitrogen into their own tissues. Dentrification: Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate back into atmospheric nitrogen Eutrophication: to many chemicals Weathering (chemical, physical) the process in which rocks break down into smaller fragments Bioaccumulation refers to the gradual build-up of pollutants in living organisms Biomagnifications refers to the process in which pollutants not only accumulate but also become more concentrated at each trophic level

 POPs Persistent organic pollutants o PCPs Polychlorinated Biphenyls o DDT Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) Bioremediation a process where micro-organisms or plants can help clean them. Keystone species species that can greatly affect population numbers and the health of an ecosystem

Natural selection the best-adapted members of a species survive to reproduce Adaptive radiation describes the change from a common ancestor into a number of different species that radiate out to inhabit different niches Primary succession occurs in areas where no soil exists o Pioneer species: the first organisms to survive and reproduce in an area o Climax communities: eventually primary succession leads to the development to mature climax communities. Secondary Succession succession that occurs as a result of a disturbance to an area that already has soil and was once the home of living organisms (occurs as a result) Natural events that affect ecosystems: o Flooding o Drought o Insect Infestation o Tsunamis Sustainability refers to the ability of an ecosystem to sustain ecological processes Land use refers to the ways we use land around us Resource use refers to the ways we obtain and use resources (also referred to are resource exploitation)

 Traditional Ecological Knowledge is the understanding of the plants, animals, and natural occurrences in their environment; gained over centenaries. Deforestation the clearing or logging of forests without replanting Extinction the dying out of a species Habitat loss the destruction of habitats that usually result from human activities Soil Compaction the squeezing together of soil particles so that the air space between them are reduced. Soil Degradation damage to the soil Introduced species Native species are plants and animals that naturally inhabit an area. Introduces/ foreign species are species that have been introduced into an ecosystem by humans intentionally or accidently. Invasive species species that greatly affect population numbers and the health of an ecosystem.(can dramatically change or destroy an environment) 4 types o Competition preditor prey interaction in which one organism eats all or part of another organism o Predation a harmful interaction between two or more organisms that can occur when organisms compete for the same resource o Disease and parasitism o Habitat alteration Biodiversity the variety of all living species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms on Earth