1. Ecosystems

2. Climate
In an atmosphere, temperature, precipitation, and other environmental factors combine to produce weather and climate
Weather = day to day conditions of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place
Climate = average conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular region
Factors of climate include trapped heat, latitude, winds, currents, elevation, and precipitation

3. Greenhouse Effect
Temperature on Earth remains within a livable range because the biosphere has an insulating atmosphere
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and some other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range
Greenhouse effect = natural situation where a layer of greenhouse gases retain heat energy from sunlight inside the Earth’s atmosphere

4. What shapes an ecosystem?
Biological influences on organisms within an ecosystem = biotic factors (living)
Physical, or nonliving, factors that shape ecosystems = abiotic factors
pH, mineral levels and humus are all parts of soil
Together, biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and growth of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in which the organism lives

5. The area where an organism lives including biotic and abiotic factors = habitat (“address”)
The combination of biotic and abiotic factors determines the number of different niches
No two species can share the same niche in the same habitat, however, different species can occupy niches that are very similar, but are still different niches

6. Competition
Competition occurs when organisms of the same or different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time
Resource = any necessity of life (water, nutrients, light, food, or space)
Direct competition usually results in a winner and a loser (the loser fails to survive)
The competitive exclusion principle = no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time

7. Predation
An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism
Predator = organism that does the killing and eating
Prey = organism that is the food

8. Symbiosis Any relationship in which two species live closely together
Symbiosis = “living together”
The types of symbiosis include:
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism

9. Mutualism
In this relationship both organisms benefit from the association. (+,+)

10. Commensalism
In this relationship one organism is benefited and the other is neither helper nor harmed. (+, 0)

11. Parasitism
In this relationship, the parasite benefits at the expense of the host. (+, -)

12. Ecological Succession
As an ecosystem changes, older inhabitants gradually die out and new organisms move in, causing further changes in the community = ecological succession
Primary succession = occurs on bare rock
Pioneer species = first species to populate an area (lichens)
Secondary succession = a disturbance changes an existing community
Climax community = mature, stable community after specific, predictable stages of succession

13. BIOME
OUR PLANET HAS AMAZING DIVERSITY OF ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN MANY DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS
THE VARIETY OF ECOSYSTEMS ARE CLASSIFIED INTO CATEGORIES CALLED BIOMES
BIOMES = PARTICULAR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT CONTAINS CHARACTERISTIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS
CLIMATE DIAGRAM = GRAPH SUMMARIZING TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION IN SPECIFIC BIOMES

14. TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES ARE THOSE BIOMES THAT FORM ON LAND.
THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WATER IS A MAJOR LIMITING FACTOR FOR TERRESTRIAL BIOMES.

15. Aquatic Ecosystems Habitats in water environments Freshwater
Flowing-water = rivers, streams, creeks, etc
Standing-water = lakes and ponds with water circulating within them
Estuaries- (lagoon) partly enclosed body of water with rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea.
Marine water