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Essential Environment, Chapter 3
Sacramento City College BIO 350 - Carney
42
Biology
Undergraduate 1
02/17/2011

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Term
hypoxia
Definition
the condition of extremely low dissolved oxygen concentrations in a body of water.
Term
system
Definition
a network of relationships among components that interact with and influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter, or information.
Term
feedback loop
Definition
a circular process in which a system's output serves as an input to same system.
Term
negative feedback loop
Definition
process in which output that results from a system working in one direction acts as input that moves the system in another direction (body regulating body heat).
Term
positive feedback loop
Definition
drive a system further to an extreme. (erosion).
Term
lithosphere
Definition
contains rock and sediment beneath our feet.
Term
atmosphere
Definition
composed of the air surrounding our planet.
Term
hydrosphere
Definition
encompasses all water (salt, liquid, ice, vapor) in surface bodies.
Term
biosphere
Definition
consists of all the planet's living organisms and the abiotic (nonliving)portions of the environment with which they interact.
Term
eutrophication
Definition
the process of nutrient enrichment, increased production of organic matter, and subsequent ecosystem degredation in a water body.
Term
energy
Definition
an intangible phenomenon that can change the position, physical composition, or temperature of matter.
Term
potential energy
Definition
energy of position.
Term
kinetic energy
Definition
energy of motion.
Term
chemical energy
Definition
potential energy held in the bonds between atoms.
Term
first law of thermodynamics
Definition
physical law stating that energy can change from one form to another, but cannot be created or lost. The total amount of energy in the universe remains constant and is said to be conserved.
Term
second law of thermodynamics
Definition
physical law stating that the nature of energy tends to change from a more-ordered state to a less-ordered state; that is, entropy increases.
Term
autotrophs (producers)
Definition
producers (green plants, algae, and backteria called cyanobacteria).
Term
photosynthesis
Definition
process by which autotrophs turn light energy from sun into chemical energy.
Term
cellular respiration
Definition
process by which a cell uses the chemical reactivity of oxygen to split glucose into its constituent parts, water and carbon dioxide, and thereby release chemical energy that can be used to form chemical bonds or to perform other tasks within the cell.
Term
heterotrophs
Definition
consumers (organisms that gain energy by feeding on other organisms).
Term
ecosystem
Definition
consists of all the organisms and nonliving entities that occur and interact in a particular area.
Term
net primary production
Definition
the energy that remains after respiration is used to create biomass.
Term
net primary productivity
Definition
the rate at which autotrophs convert energy to biomass.
Term
nutrients
Definition
elements and compounds that organisms consume and require for survival.
Term
landscape ecology
Definition
the broad-scale study of how landscape structure affects the abundance, distribution, and interaction of organisms.
Term
conservation biologists
Definition
scientists who study the loss, protection, and restoration of biodiversity.
Term
nutrient cycles/biogeochemical cycles
Definition
the comprehensive set of cyclical pathways by which a given nutrient moves through the environment.
Term
carbon cycle
Definition
the routes that carbon atoms take through the environment.
Term
phosphorus cycle
Definition
a major nutrient cycle consisting of the routes that phosphorus atoms take through the nested networks of environmental systems (weathering).
Term
nitrogen cycle
Definition
a major nutrient cycle consisting of the routes that nitrogen atoms take through the nested networks of environmental systems (lightning, specialized bacteria, human assistance).
Term
nitrogen fixation
Definition
process by which inert nitrogen gas combines with hydrogen to form ammonium ions, which are chemically and biologically active and can be taken up by plants.
Term
nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Definition
live in mutualistic relationship with many types of plants, converting nitrogen to a useable form for the plants.
Term
nitrification
Definition
conversion of ammonium ions first into nitrite ions, then in to nitrate ions.
Term
denitrifying bacteria
Definition
convert nitrates in the soil or water into gaseous nitrogen.
Term
hydrologic cycle
Definition
cycle through which water (in liquid, gaseous, and solid forms) flows through our environment.
Term
evaporation
Definition
conversion of liquid to a gaseous form.
Term
transpiration
Definition
release of water vapor by plants through their leaves.
Term
precipitation
Definition
water vapor condenses and falls as rain or snow.
Term
runoff
Definition
water from precipitation that flows into rivers, lakes and streams.
Term
aquifiers
Definition
spongelike regions of rock and soil that hold groundwater.
Term
groundwater
Definition
water found underground beneath layers of soil.
Term
water table
Definition
the upper limit of groundwater held in an aquifier.
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