Ecology and Freshwater Ecosystems

Study Notes

Biome: A group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms.
Ecosystem: All the organisms living in a place, along with their non-living environment.
Community: Populations of different species interacting in the same area.
Population: Groups of individuals of the same species residing in the same area.
Species: Organisms that look alike and can breed with each other.
Biotic: Living organisms.
Abiotic: Non-living organisms.
Ecology: The study of interactions between organisms, populations, and communities, as well as those between living systems and their local and global environments.

Freshwater ecosystems: These include areas with less than 3% salinity, such as rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds.
Rivers and streams: Water flows in one direction.
Lakes and ponds: Relatively still water.

Wetlands: Areas where grasses grow in spongy soil, often drying up by late summer. Water soaks the soil or rests beneath the surface.

Estuaries: A breeding ground for fish; a place where saltwater and freshwater meet.

Aquatic ecosystems: These ecosystems are described by their salinity, depth, temperature, flow rate, and concentrations of dissolved nutrients.

Photic zones: Areas in aquatic environments where sunlight penetrates, allowing photosynthesis. Depth is less than 200 meters.
Aphotic zones: Areas of aquatic environments that do not receive sunlight, typically deeper than 200 meters.
Permafrost: Permanently frozen soil in tundra regions.
Anthromes: Biological regions shaped by human activity over long periods.
Climate: Patterns and averages of temperature and precipitation over many years.
Weather: Short-term conditions of temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric phenomena.
Greenhouse effect: The process where certain gases trap sunlight energy in Earth's atmosphere, leading to warming.
Greenhouse gases: Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Global climate system: Energy in the biosphere results in unequal distribution between equators and poles. Overall, heat is distributed and affects climate.
Ocean currents: Patterns of warming and cooling driven by winds and continents, impacting regional climates.

Cellular organization: All living things are composed of cells.
Ability to reproduce: Organisms can create offspring.
Growth and development: Living things grow and change.
Energy use: Living things need energy for life processes.
Homeostasis: Ability to maintain stable internal conditions.
Response to environment: Ability to adapt to surroundings.
Ability to adapt: Living things adapt to changing conditions.
Sunlight and greenhouse gases: The source of energy of the heat greenhouse gases absorb. Solar radiation causes unequal distributions of heat. Greenhouse gases trap heat from sunlight in Earth's atmosphere, and re-radiate it back to Earth, increasing the average temperature.

Ocean Currents are driven by temperature, warming, and cooling; winds, and locations of continents.
Variations in climate occur approximately every 100,000 years, but do not impact climate change.
30°C = 86°F

Biomes are categories that describe environments with similar biotic and abiotic factors (average monthly temperatures and precipitation).
Phytoplankton need light to survive.
Rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, and freshwater wetlands are three categories of freshwater ecosystems.