SNC1D Chapter 1

All the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment.

An ecosystem that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms.

The living parts of an ecosystem.

The non-living parts of an ecosystem.

The hard part of Earth's surface.

All the water found on Earth, including lakes, oceans and ground water.

The layer of gases above Earth's surface.

The regions of Earth where living organisms exist.

A chemical essential to living things and is cycled through ecosystems.

A process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase, leading to an increase in the populations of primary producers.

A process that changes solar energy to chemical energy.

• A category of organisms that is defined by how the organisms gain their energy.
• Primary producers > Primary consumers> Secondary consumers> Terirary consumers

The total mass of living organisms in a defined group or area.

• A measure of the amount of energy or biomass transferred from one trophic level to the next higher trophic level.
• Some energy may be lost because not all the food is eaten, not all the food is digested and heat.

A process in which an organism ingests materials, especially toxins, faster than it is eliminated.

A process in which the concentration of ingested toxins increases as it moves from one trophic level to the next.

A process that releases energy from organic molecules, especially carbohydrates, in the presence of oxygen.

A process that releases energy from organic molecules, especailly carboydrates, in the abscense of oxygen

An atmospheric gas that prevents heat from leaving the atmosphere thus increasing the temperature of the atmosphere.

The warming of Earth as a result of greenhouse gases, which trap some of the energy that would otherwise leave Earth.

Rain, snow, or fog that is unnaturally acidic (pH less than 5.6) due to gases in the atmosphere that react with water to form acids.