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Definition
| observes individuals and measures variables of interest, but does not attempt to influence the responses. The purpose of an observational study is to describe some group or situation |
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| deliberately imposes some treatment on individuals in order to observe their responses. The purpose of an experiment is to study whether the treatment causes a change in the response |
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| observations and measurements from which hypothesis can be tested and conclusions drawn about a population |
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| data are quantitative Ð observations that are ÔmeasurementsÕ (height, weight) |
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| theoretically, any value within an interval is possible |
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| Animals that feed exclusively on plant tissues |
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| Animals that feed exclusively on the tissues of other animals |
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| Animals that feed on both plant and animal tissues |
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| Animals that feed on dead plant and animal matter |
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| Substance an organism requires for normal growth and activity |
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| The maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment in a varying external environment |
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| only certain values are possible |
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| the scientific study of the relationship between organisms and their environment |
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| a group of individuals of the same species living in a given area at a given time |
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| a group of interacting plants and animals inhabiting a given area |
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| the biotic community and its abiotic environment, functioning as a system |
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| thin layer about earth in which all living organisms exist |
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| a way of understanding the natural world based on the accumulation of observable, testable, and repeatable evidence |
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Definition
| in theoretical and systems ecology, an abstaction or simplification of a natural phenomenon, developed to predict a new phenomenon or to provide insight into existing ones; in mimetic association, the organism mimicked by a different organism |
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Definition
| long-term average patterns of local, regional or global weather, esp. temperature and precipitation |
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| the combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloudiness, and other atmospheric conditions occurring at a specific time and place |
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| a measure of the average speed or kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a substance |
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| all the forms of water that fall to earth |
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Definition
| transfer of energy (heat through molecular motion; requires direct physical contact |
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Definition
| transfer of energy through the mass movement of a fluid, either a gas or liquid |
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Term
| * Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)- |
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Definition
| part of the light spectrum between wavelengths of 400-700 nm; used by plants for photosynthesis |
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Term
| Arctic Circle (~66 degrees N latitude) |
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Definition
| marks the southernmost latitude at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours |
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| Tropic of Cancer (~23 degress N latitude) |
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Definition
| marks the northernmost latitude at which the sun may be seen directly overhead (at the June solstice) |
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Definition
| the circle that is equidistant from both the North Pole and South Pole; it divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere |
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| * Tropic of Cancer (~23?S latitude)- |
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Definition
| marks the southernmost latitude at which the sun may be seen directly overhead (at the December solstice) |
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| * Tropical Latitudinal Zone- |
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Definition
| latitudes between the equator and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn |
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Term
| * Temperate Latitudinal Zone- |
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Definition
| latitudes between the tropics and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles |
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Term
| * Polar Latitudinal Zone- |
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Definition
| latitudes between the Arctic and Antarctic circles and the poles |
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Definition
| a decrease in air temperature when a rising parcel of warm air cools by expanding (which uses energy) rather than losing heat to the surrounding air; the rate of cooling is approximately 1 ?C/100 m for dry air and 0.6?C/100 m for moist air |
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Definition
| as a result of earthÕs shape and rotation, a moving object veers to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere relative to the EarthÕs surface |
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Definition
| circular motion of water in major ocean basins |
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Definition
| water vapor content of air at a given temperature, expressed as a percentage of the water vapor needed for saturation at that temperature |
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Definition
| dry region on the leeward side of a mountain resulting from a reduction in rainfall |
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| climate on a very local scale, which differs from the general climate of the area; influences the presence and distribution of organisms |
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Definition
| "the capture of precipitation by vegetation from which the water evaporates and does not reach the ground" |
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Definition
| "downward movement of water into the soil" |
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Definition
| "water flowing over the surface of the ground when the underlying soil is saturated" |
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Definition
| water found in pore spaces within bedrock and soil below the earth's surface that is free to move under the influence of gravity |
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Term
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Definition
| "loss of water vapor from soil or open water or another exposed surface" |
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Term
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Definition
| "loss of water vapor from internal surfaces of leaves, stems, and other living parts of a plant to the outside atmostphere" |
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Term
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Definition
| sum of the loss of moisture by evaporation from land and water surfaces and by transpiration by plants |
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Definition
| "energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance 1?C; water has the capacity to store large amounts of heat with little increase in temperature" |
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Definition
| "mutual attraction of similar molecules, overcoming the external forces that would break them apart" |
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Definition
| "the property of a liquid which resists movement through it" |
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Definition
| "the total amount of dissolved materials (salts) in water" |
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Definition
| "region of the vertical depth profile where water temperature declines most rapidly" |
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Definition
| "when winds and the coriolis effect combine, bringing cold, nutrient-rich deeper water to the surface" |
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Definition
| "greatest tidal range; happens when the earth, moon and sun are in line" |
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Term
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Definition
| "least tidal rangel happens when earth, moon, and sun form approximate right angle" |
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| "a partially enclosed embayment where freshwater and seawater meet and mix" |
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| the total leaf area of a plant exposed to incoming light energy relative to the ground surface area beneath the plant |
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Definition
| a natural product formed and synthesized by the weathering of rocks and the action of living organisms |
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Definition
| breakdown of rocks and minerals in place by disintegration processes such as freezing, thawing, and pressure that do not involve chemical reactions |
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Definition
| the action of a set of chemical properties such as oxidation, hydrolysis, and reduction operating at the atomic and molecular level that break down and reform rocks and minerals |
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Definition
| major zone or horizontal layer soil, with its own particular structure and characteristics |
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Term
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Definition
| refers to air that contains the maximum amount of water vapor it can hold at a given temperature and pressure |
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Term
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Definition
| amount of water held by soil against the force of gravity |
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Definition
| moisture content of soil at which plants wilt and fail to recover their turgidity when placed in a dark, humid atmosphere; measured by oven drying |
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Term
| Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)- |
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Definition
| ability of a soil particle to absorb positively charged ions |
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Term
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Definition
| (primary producers) organisms that produce organic material from inorganic chemicals and some source of energy |
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Term
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Definition
| (secondary producers; consumers) organisms that are unable to manufacture their own food from inorganic molecules and thus rely on other organisms, living and dead, as a source of energy and nutrients |
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Term
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Definition
| use of light by organisms to convert carbon dioxide and water into simple sugars |
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Definition
| metabolic assimilation of oxygen, accompanied by breakdown of organic compounds, release of energy, and production of carbon dioxide and water |
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Term
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Definition
| photosynthesis - respiration |
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Term
| Light Compensation Point- |
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Definition
| light level (value of PAR) at which photosynthesis and respiration balance each other |
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Term
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Definition
| light level at which maximum photosynthesis is achieved |
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Term
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Definition
| pores in the lead or stem of a plant that allow gaseous exchange between the internal tissues and the environment |
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Definition
| ratio of carbon fixed (photosynthesis) per unit of water lost (transpiration) |
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