Ecology- Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, or surroundings Biosphere- contains

the combined portions of the planet in which all of life exits, including land, water and air or atmosphere. Species- is a group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring. Population- groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. Communities- assemblages of different populations that live together in a defined area Ecosystem- a collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving, or physical, environment Biome- is a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities. Autotrophs- only plants, some algae, and certain bacteria can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use that energy to produce food. Producers- organism that can capture energy from sunlight or chemical and use it to produce food from inorganic compounds; also called an autotrophs. Photosynthesis- autotrophs use light energy to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-rich carbohydrates such as sugar and starches Chemosynthesis- when organisms use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates, Heterotrophs- Organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply. Consumers- also called heterotrophs. Food chain- the energy stored by producers can be passed through an ecosystem. Food web- links all the food chains in an ecosystem together. Trophic level- each step in a food chain or food web Ecological pyramid- is a diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web. Biomass- the total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level Biogeochemical cycles- process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of biosphere to another Evaporation- the process by which water changes from liquid form to an atmospheric gas. Transpiration- water can also enter the atmosphere by evaporating from the leaves of plants Nutrients- chemical reactants require an organism to live Nitrogen fixation- process of converting nitrogen gas intro ammonia Denitrification- conversion of nitrates intro nitrogen gas Primary productivity- the rate at which organic matter is created by producers Limiting nutrient- when as ecosystem is limited by a single nutrient that is scarce or cycles very slowly. Algal bloom- an immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from a large input of a limiting nutrient Climate- average, year-after-year conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular region Weather- the day-to-day conditions of earths atmosphere at a particular time and place Greenhouse effect- natural situation in which heat is retained in earths atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor and other gases Polar zone- cold climate zone where the suns rays strike the earth at a very low angle Temperate zones- moderate climate zone between the polar and tropic zones Tropical zones- warm a climate zone that receives direct nearly direct sunlight year round. Biotic factors-biological influence in organisms within an ecosystem Abiotic factor- physical, or nonliving, factors that shapes an ecosystem Niche- full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism live and the way in which the organism uses those conditions Resource-any necessity of live, such as water, nutrients, light, food or space. Competitive exclusion principle- ecological rule that states that no species can occupy the same exact niche in the same habitat at the same time Symbiosis- relationship in which two species live closely together Mutualism- symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship Commensalism- symbiotic relationship in which one member of the association benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed Parasitism- symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives in or on another organism ( the host) and consequently harms it Ecological succession- gradual changes in living communities that follows a disturbance Primary succession- succession that occurs on surface where no soil exists Pioneer species- first species ti populate an area during primary succession Secondary succession- succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil Tolerance- organisms capacity to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environment factor Microclimate- the climate in a small area that differs from the climate around it Plankton- tine, free floating organisms that occur in aquatic environment Phytoplankton- population of algae and other small, photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean and forming part of plankton Zooplankton- tine animals that form of the plankton Estuaries-wetlands formed where rivers meet the ocean stomach Detritus- particles of organic material that provide food for organisms at the base of an estuarys food web

Salt marches- temperate-zone estuary dominated by salt tolerant grasses above the low-tide line and by sea grasses under water Mangrove swamps- coastal wetland dominated by mangroves, salt-tolerant woody plants Photic zone- well-lit upper layer of the ocean Aphotic Zone- permanently dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone Zonation- prominent horizontal banding of organisms that live in a particular habitat Kelp forest- coastal ocean community named for its dominant organism-kelp, a giant brown algae Coral reefs- diverse and productive environment named for the coral animals that make up its primary structure. Benthos- organisms that live attached to or near the ocean floor Population density- number of individual for unit of area Immigration- movement of individuals into an area occupied by an existing population Emigration- movement of individuals out of an area Exponential growth- growths patter in which the individuals in a population reproduces at a constant rate Logistic growth- growth pattern in which a populations growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth Carrying capacity- largest number of individuals of population that a given environment can support.