Space, Catastrophic Events, Weathering, Erosion and Succession Test Review

Biotic -describes a living or once living component of a community; for example organisms, such as plants and animals.

Abiotic All non-living components of an ecosystem is called abiotic components for example water, light, temperature, and soil.

Microhabitat the smallest part of the environment that supports live, such as a fallen log in a forest. A complete habitat just on a small scale.

Root Pry physical weathering in which the growth of roots crack and displace rocks for example a tree growing in a rock.

Oxidation The type of chemical weathering in which oxygen combines with an elements in a rock to change it into a new substance for example rust.

Pioneer Species The first living things to start growing in an area where nothing is growing for example in Primary Succession it would be lichen and mosses, in secondary succession it would be weeds and grasses.

Weathering The process of breaking down rock through physical or chemical agents.

Erosion The process of moving rocks by wind, water, gravity or ice.

4 Things a planet must have to support life Oxygen - what we breath Perfect distance from the sun. Not extreme temperatures or pressure Water, essential for life Atmosphere to protect from radiation

5 Agents of Mechanical/Physical Weathering Abrasion - rubbing or scrapping Freezing and Thawing of water in cracks of rocks Root Pry busting the rocks apart as plants grow Animal Action burrowing or walking on the rocks Release of pressure causing flaking of rocks

Drought Little to no rain vegetation (plants) die wind can remove dry topsoil

Hurricane Saltwater comes inland killing plants flooding and storm surge can cause erosion of beaches high winds can knock over trees

Flood Excessive rain can cause mudslides/landslides in hilly areas Sudden downpours wash away topsoil and animal habitats

Tornado Extremely high winds cause erosion of soil can remove trees, plants and soil can carry (move) species to new locations

Wildfire Often caused by lightening or people during periods of dry weather Kills plants and loss of habitats to animals Leads to secondary succession afterwards

Mechanical/physical Chemical

shrubs and seedlings Climax Community Pioneer species like lichen and mosses Bare Rock Weeds This is an example of Primary Succession because it starts with bare rock.

Water seeps into cracks in the rocks Water freezes and expands cracking the rock further Freezing and thawing happens over and over breaking the rocks into little pieces.

The tree begins as a little seed that starts to grow in a small crack of the rock. As the tree grows the roots grow bigger and expand the cracks more and more as the tree grows. Eventually the tree is so big that the rock splits apart.