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Geography - Part 2

Terms

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Shannon - Weiner Index of Diversity
the formula by which species diversity is calculated
Direct Disturbance
killing disturbance, increases space and resources for survival
Niche
A characteristic of a species that is defined by considering the species' combined tolerance ranges for all the environmental factors that influence it
Heterotrophs
depend on others to produce chemical energy
Soil Solution
Soil water and soil constituents (ions)
Soil Porosity
Controls the movement of soil solutions
Translocation
movement between soil horizons
Allopatric Speciation
Evolution of new species by geographic isolation
Net Photosynthesis
gross photosynthesis - respiration
Adaptive Radiation
new environment(s) provide opportunity for the formation of new species adjusted to different habitat(s)
Protocooperation
both benefit, but not essential to survival
Phreatophytes
Plants in dry climates - deep roots to reach groundwater
Salinization
evaporation of surface water draws salts up, deposit on surfaces
Disjunction
closely related species found in widely separated regions
Community
groups of interacting populations of different species in the same place at the same time
Soil Consistence
the consistency of a soil or cohesion of its particles
theory
a body of knowledge that is unlikely to be disproved but is likely to be improved
Succession
refers to changes in species composition as older communities die and are replaced by newer communities
Primary succession
succession on site that has no biological legacy
Endotherms
"warm-blooded" animals create heat by their metabolism (eg. mammals)
Eluviation
downward transport of fine particles leaving sand and silt (Ae)
Disturbance
a discrete event changing structure and resource availability or environment
Pedon
the basic sampling unit used in soil surveys, from the surface to the bedrock
Climate
Soil Formation Factors - moisture, evaporation, temperature: controls physical and chemical weathering
Sympatric Speciation
formation of a new species within the same geographic area
Ecology
the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment, and among the various ecosystems in the biosphere
Photoperiods
light availablity that trigger (and coordinate) biological activities
Autotrophs
Create their own source of chemical energy
Organisms
Soil Formation Factors - organic matter, biotic influences
Ecosystem
a self sustaining association of living plants and animals and their non-living physical environment
Predation
Predator species feeds on prey
Ectotherms
"cold-blooded" animals that lack the ability to internally control temperature (eg. reptiles)
Biomes
a large stable terrestial ecosystem characterized by specific plant and animal communities.
Respiration
an opposite process to photosynthesis in which carbohydrate is broken down to release chemical energy
Conifers
Plants in dry climates - reduced leaf area, needle - like leaves
Species Richness
the number of species per unit area
Compensation Point
the break even point between the production and consumption of organic material
Geographic isolation
faciliates speciation by isolating populations and preventing gene flow
Speciation
set of processes by which species are differentiated and maintained
Food Web
describes how energy flows through an ecosystem
Laterization
leaching process active in humid and warm climates
B (horizon)
Horizons - enriched in organic matter, oxides or clay developed soil structure, colour denotes hydrolysis, reduction or oxidation
Biological Amplification
the increasing concentration of long-lived, stable chemicals at each successive trophic level
Toposequence
Spatial changes, usually dependent on topography and soil
Relief
Soil Formation Factors - topography, aspect, elevation
Habitat
the actual place where the organism lives
A (horizon)
Horizons - at or near the surface in the zone where leaching and eluvation of materials or accumulation of organic matter occurs
Commensalism
one species benefits, other has no effect
Allelopathy
plants emit chemical toxins to limit growth of other plants
Carbon Fixation
The conversion of carbon from gaseous forms to a solid form (carbohydrates)
Biomass
accumulated net production by photosynthesis
Colloids
Soil particles less than .00001mm
Calcification
CaCO3 dissolves at surface and precipitation in B horizon
Ions
Soil minerals that physically and chemically weather (break down) to their component molecules
Wilting Point
critical water storage level determining water avaliability to plants
Soil Structure
describes the arrangement of soil particles
Soil Texture
Particle size distribution
parasitism
parasite gains nutrition from the host
resources
all things consumed by an organism
herbivory
grazing of plants by animals (including insects)
Dynamic ecology
dynamic set of interactions with sometimes unpredictable outcomes steered by sometimes random, unpredictable events that trigger a threshold leap to a new set of relations
Gene Flow
constant mixing of genes to dilute mutations
Gleysation
accumulation of humus and a thick, water - saturated grey layer of clay
O (horizon)
Horizons - developed mainly from plant and animal litter transformed into humus
Species
individuals capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring
Active Layer
surface layer that thaws in summer
Life form
physical struture, size and shape
Time
Soil Formation Factors - change dynamic
Field Capacity
amount of capillary water (amount of water left in the soil after it has drained
C (horizon)
Comparatively unaffected by the pedogenic processes; gleying and accumulation of calcium, magnesium and soluble salts can occur
Soil Horizons
distinctive horizontal layes that differ in physical composition, chemical composition or organic content or structure
Denitrification
process by which certain bacteria convert nitrogen from useable forms back to N2 thus completing the nitrogen cycle
Survival of the Fittest
the number of descendants that an individual leaves depends largely on interactions of the individual (and its characteristics) with the environment
Bioclimatic Frontiers
climate factors interact to determine the distributional limit of a species
Species eveness
distribution of individuals among species
Podzolization
soil acidification associated with forest soils in cool climates
Succulents
Plants in dry climates - water filled stems
Mutualism
both species benefit, often obligatory
Edaphic Factors
factors related to soil properties
Competition
two species require a common, limited resource
Pedology
soil science, study of the origin, classification, distribution and description of soil
Chronosequence
temporal changes, described by "succession"
Biogeography
the study of the distribution of plants and animals, the diverse spatial patterns they create, and the physical and biological processes, past and present, that produce Earth's species richness
Ecological Biogeography
the relationship between organisms and environment that determine when and where organisms are found
Photosynthesis
a process by which plants convert solar energy to chemical energy
Environmental Factors
abiotic factors which influence an organism's distribution patterns
Competitive Exclusion Principle
states that no two species can occupy the same niche successfully in a stable community
Parent Materials
Soil Formation Factors - composition, texture, chemical nature
Secondary Succession
Succession on previously vegetated site
Bases
Cations, Ions with positive charges, required plant nutrients
Symbiosis
Species interacting in a positive manner
Sclerophylls
Plants in dry climates - thick, waxy coating on leaves
Species Composition
list of all species that exist at a location
phenotype
variation between individuals due to genetics and environment
Illuviation
accumulation of clay, humus and aluminum and iron oxides (B)
Xerophytes
General term for plants adapted to dry climates
Metabolism
the way in which a community uses energy and produces food for continued operation
genotype
gene set or genome of an individual species
Soil
uppermost layer of the earth's crust or lithosphere
Perma Frost
groud that is permanently frozen
Species Diversity
a combination of species richness and species eveness
Indirect Disturbance
Individuals not killed, changes resource availability to individuals
genetic drift
cumulative effect of neutral, chance mutations that change the genetic composition of a breeding population until it diverges from the other populations in the species
The Struggle for Existence
all populations have the biological potential to populate the entire earth, but they so not as resources are limited and other environmental conditions affect populations
Macronutrients
are required in substantial quantities for organic life to survive
Natural Selection
individuals possessing genetically based traits that enhance their survival and reproduction in a particular environment will leave more offsprings
Acids
Also positively charged by not plant nutrients

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