Earth week 2

uptake of contaminants through food chain

uptake through water and surroundings

output that results from a system moving in one direction acts as inputs that moves the system in the other direction

instead of stabilizing it drives it further toward one extreme or another

system processes move in opposing directions at equivalent rates balancing their effects

refers to the strength of the systems tendency to remain constant

is a measure of how readily the system will return to its original state once it has been disturbed

system characteristics not evident in the components alone

conversion of solar energy to the energy of chemical bonds in sugars by autotrophs

energy remaining after respiration, and is used to generate biomass, organic material of which living organisms are formed

transitional zones between two ecosystems in which elements of different ecosystems mix

movement of nutrients among pools, which change over time and are influenced by human activity

sinks accept more nutrients than they release. source release more than they accept

underground reservoirs of rock and soil that hold groundwater

2.8%. 0.62%

78%

nitrogen fixing bacteria fix nitrogen into ammonia

other types of specialized bacteria that convert ammonium ions first into nitrite ions (NO2) then into nitrate ions(NO3)

very productive, blooms of algae

genetic change in populations of organisms across generations

a trait that promotes reproductive success

trait that reduces success

closely related species that live in different environments and thus experience different selective pressures tent to diverge in their traits

unrelated species may have similar traits as a result of adapting to selective pressures from similar environments

their diversity of species

their genes

their populations

their habitats

their communities

species formation due to physical separation of populations

species form from populations that become reproductively isolated within the same area

a species only exists in a certain, specialized area (small population) (susceptible to extinction)

narrow niches good at what they do susceptible to change

broad niches that can use a wide array of habitats and resources

water

space

food

predators

disease

the ability of an organism to produce offspring