all the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment
Sustainable Ecosystem
ecosystem that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms
Biotic
The living parts of an ecosystem
Abiotic
The nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Lithosphere
The hard part of the earths surface
Hydrosphere
all the water found on earth, including lakes, oceans, and groundwater
Atmosphere
The layer of gases above earths surface
Biosphere
The regions of earth were living organisms exist
Nutrients
A chemical that is essential to living things and is cycled through ecosystems
Aquatic Ecosystem
an ecosystem that is land-based
Terrestrial Ecosystem
an ecosystem that is water based, either freshwater or saltwater
Eutrophication
A process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase leading to an increase in the populations of primary producers
Photosynthesis
A process that changes solar energy into chemical energy
Trophic Level
A category of organisms that is defined by how the organisms gain their energy
Biomass
The total mass of living organisms in a defined group or area
Trophic Efficiency
A measure of the amount of energy or biomass transferred from one trophic level to the next higher trophic level
Bioaccumulation
A process in which materials, especially toxins, are ingested by an organism at a rate greater than they are eliminated
Cellular Respiration
A process that releases energy from organic molecules especially carbohydrates in the presence of oxygen
Fermentation
A process that releases energy from organic molecules especially carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen
Greenhouse Gases
atmospheric gases that prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere thus increasing the temperature of the atmosphere
Greenhouse Effect
The warming of earth as a result of greenhouse gases which trap some of the energy that would otherwise leave earth
Acid Precipitation
rain snow or fog that is unnaturally acidic due to gases in the atmosphere that react with water to form acid
Population
all the individuals of a species that occupy a particular geographic area at a certain time
Exponential Growth
Accelerating growth that produces a J shaped curve when the population is graphed against time
Limiting Factors
A factor that limits the growth distribution or amount of a population in an ecosystem
Carrying Capacity
The size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the available resources and services of an ecosystem
Equilibrium
The balance between opposing forces
Urban Sprawl
The growth of relatively low density development on the edges of urban areas
Ecological Niche
The way that an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem including all the necessary biotic and abiotic factors
Bog
A type of wetland in which the water is acidic and low in nutrients
Predator
an organism that kills and consumes other organisms
Prey
an organism that is eaten as food by a predator
Mutualism
a symbiotic relationship between two species in which both species benefit from the relationship
Parasite
an organism whose niche is dependent on a close association with a larger host organism
Sustainable use
use that does not lead to long-term depletion of a resource or affect the diversity of ecosystem from which the resource is obtained
Doubling Time
The period of time that is required for a population to double in size
Ecological Footprint
A measure of the impact of an individual or a population on the environment in terms of energy consumption land use and waste production
Unsustainable
A pattern of activity that leads to a decline in the function of an ecosystem
Sustainability
use of earths resources including land and water at levels that can continue forever
Ecosystem Services
The benefits experienced by organisms including humans that are provided by sustainable ecosystems
Destertification
The change of non-desert land into a desert; desertification may result from climate change and unsustainable farming or water use
Watershed
an area of land over which the run off drains into a body of water
Connectivity
The collection of links and relationships between ecosystems that are separated geographically
Ecotourism
A form of tourism that is sensitive to the health of an ecosystem and involves recreational activities provided by sustainable ecosystems
Biodiveristy
The number and variety of life forms including species found within a specific region as well as all the number the number and variety of ecosystems within and beyond that region
Protect
to guard legally from harm a species that is listed as endangered threatened or of special concern
Biodiversity Hotspot
A place where there is an exceptionally large number of species in a relatively small area
Community
all the populations of the different species that interact in a specific area or ecosystem
Dominant Species
species that are so abundant that they have the biggest biomass of any community member
Keystone Species
a species that can greatly affect population numbers and the health of an ecosystem
Captive Breeding
The breeding of rare or endangered wildlife in controlled settings to increase the population size
Ecosystem Engineer
a species that causes such dramatic changes to landscapes that it creates a new ecosystem
Succession
The series of changes in an ecosystem that occurs over time following a disturbance
Habitat Loss
The destruction of habitats which usually results from human activities
Deforestation
The practice of clearing forests for logging or other human uses and never replanting them
Alien Species
a species that is accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new location
Invasive Species
A species that can take over the habitat of native species
Overexploitation
The use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted
Extinction
The death of all the individuals of a species
Biodiversity Crisis
The current accelerated rate of extinctions
Stewardship
The active assumption responsibility for the welfare of the environment
Restoration Ecology
The renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention
Reforestation
The regrowth of a forest either through natural processes or through the planting of seeds or trees in an area where forest was cut down
Biocontrol
The use of a species to control the population growth or spread of an undesirable species
Bioremediation
The use of living organisms to clean up contaminated areas naturally
Bioaugmentation
The use of organisms to add essential nutrients to depleted soils