IBESS Exam Review

predator is an organism that eats another one (prey)

close and long term interaction between two species in an ecosystem

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

occurs within or between species in an ecosystem where there are limited resources

using the resources in different ways, places, or at different times

• reduces negative impact of competition on survival

model that depicts the flow of energy/nutrients in multiple food chains

• affected by positive and negative feedback loops (when one species is removed, it could be rly bad)

structure for transferring matter between environement and organisms

• terrestrial ecosystems: energy = sun → producers → higher levels

rate at which solar energy is converted into orfanic compounds via photosynthesis (over a unit of time)

total rate of photosynthesis in a given area

rate of energy storage by photosynthesizers in an area after subtracting respiration loss

measured in units of energy per unit time

In transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is passed on

explain that total energy stays the same, but some usable energy is converted into heat

1: not created or destroyed

2: entropy

movement of carbon between sources and sinks

places where carbon gets stored, mainly the atmosphere, living things, the ocean, sediment, and fossil fuels.

when carbon is held for a long time

where carbon is held for a short period

• carbon cycles between photosynthesis and cellular respiration in living things

• fossil fuel combustion transfers stored carbon into atmospheric carbon (CO2)

• hold this element for short periods of time

  • atmosphere is the main one

process in which atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted by bacteria into usable nitrogen by plants (NH3 - Ammonia)

plants use nitrogen to build up their tissues

movement of molecules containing this phosphorous between sources and sinks

rock and sediment tat contain minerals with the element

natural inorganic compounds with a crystal structure

• mostly present in rocks

• no atmospheric form of it

  → it is a limiting growth factor in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

• powered by the sun

• movement of water in solid, liquid, and gaseous forms between sources and sinks

primarily oceans, but also ice caps and ground water (much smaller ones)

contains characteristic communities of plants and animals that result from and are adapted to its climate

taiga, temperate rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, tropical rainforests, shrubland, temperate grassland, savanna, desert, and tundra

• water and trees for lumber

• global distribution varies due to climate, geography, latitude and altitude, nutrient availability, and soil

• streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes

• vital resource for drinking water

• oceans, coral reefs, marshland, and estuaries

• present in marine biomes

• supply a large portion of Earth’s Oxygen

• take in CO2 from the atmosphere

vary because of salinity, depth, turbidity (murkiness), nutrient availability, and temperature

ex: different types of fish

includes genetic, species, and habitat

• better response to environmental stressors

• > likliehood to recover from disruptions

lost due to losses of habitat

number of different species found in an ecosystem

• organisms change according to their environment over time

• can be brought about by environmental changes

advantaged in habitats that remain constant, narrow niche, risk of extinction, easily affected by change

advantaged in habitats that are changing, broad niche, low risk of extinction, adaptive to change

• large

• few offspring per reproduction event, > energy for each

• live in stable environments

• mature after extended youth and parental care, > lifespan

• high competition for resources

• affected by invasive species

• small, have many offspring

• mature early

• low competition for resources

• minimally affected by invasive species

maximum reproductive rate of a population in ideal condition

• mostly r-selected species

• mostly affect k-selected populations

• rarely affect r-selected populations

range of conditions such as temperature, salinity, flow rate, and sunlight that an organism can endure before injury or death

• can apply to individuals and species

have environmental consequences that may be as great or greater than human disruptions

repeats on predictable time scales (ice age)

infrequent and unexpected changes (warming and seismic activity)

have no pattern, usually does not occur

has changed for many reasons: changes in CO2, sun’s strength, earth’s orbit, volcanic activity, ocean currents, vegetation coverage, axis, etc

has varied as a result of changes in the amount of glacial ice on earth over time

for wildlife; can be short or long term; can be due to natural disruptions

gradual change of species diversity, usually after a disturbance

ave a lower total biomass, species richness, and net productivity over time

soil is madde by mosses/lichens eroding rock

soil already exists and the climax community (a rich forest) is reached sooner

species whose activities have a significant role in determining community structure and resillience

plant or animal that, by presence, abundance, or scarcity, indicates a certain characteristic or qualities in an ecosystem

• first species to move into an unoccupied habitat during succession

• mosses, lichens, bacteria, fungi, weeds

• adapt to particular conditions over time, resulting in new species

compare resource demands and waster production required for an individual or a society

humans living on earth and their use of resources without depletion of the resources for future generations

can guide humans to sustainability

• biological diversity, food production, average global surface temperatures, CO2 concentrations, human population, resource depletion

amount of a renewable resource that can be taken without reducing available supply

when it is exceeded, overshoot occurs

can cause resource depletion

limited by environmental factors (available resources and space)

limited and finite over scales of time

abundant: population growth accelerates

potential for unequal distribution of resources increases → increased mortality, decreased reproduction → decline in population

line that displays the survival rates of a cohort group of individuals of the same age in a population, from birth to max age reached by a member

type I, II, (k selected) & type III (r selected)

• can be determined from age structure diagrams (population pyramid)

• a rapidly growing population will have more young people

affected by the age at whic females have their first child, education opportunities for females, access to family planning, an govt policies

if fertility rate is here, a population is considered stable

whether mothers have access to good healthcare and nutrition

birth rates, infant mortality rates, death rates, family planning access, nutrition, education, postponement of marriage, etc

• not related to population size

• major storms, heat waves, droughts

• affects population growth

• related to population size

• access to clean water/air, food availability, disease transmission, territory size

• doesn’t population growth

by dividing the number 70 by the percentage population growth rate approximates the population’s doubling time

refers to the transition from high to lower birth and death rates in a region as development occurs from preindustrial to industrial stages

high infant mortality rates and more children in the workforce

scientific theory describing the large scale motion of seven large plates and larger number of smaller plates of the earth’s lithosphere

solid layer of the earth that includes the outer crust and soil portion of the mantle

when two plates collide; can result in the creation of mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, and volcanoes

2 continental land plates collide

occur when plates collide, pressure builds up and energy is released

occur when plates collide and one plate melts as it subducts (goes under) the other plate

• it is what forms the ring of fire in the pacific ocean (bunch of volcanoes)

result in seafloor spreading, rift valleys, volcanoes, and earthquakes

as oceanic plates move away from one another, magma emerges and new crust is formed

un underwater rift valley forms

at divergent plate boundaries occur as new crust is created and other crust is pushed apart and cracked

can form along plate boundary as plates separate

formed when 2 plates are sliding past one another

• earthquake occurs when stress overcomes a locked up fault (boundary), releasing stored energy

can determine the location of volcanoes, earthquakes, hotspots (magma close to surface), and faults (plate boundaries)

when parent material is weathered and eroded (moved)

• organic material and decomposers add nutrients

layers based on soil composition and organic material

can happen by winds or water; protecting soils can protect water quality since soil can filter water that moves through

the total amount of water soil can hold - varies with soil type

contributes to land productivity and fertility of soil

differs with soil horizon and can affect porosity, permeability, and fertility of the soil