1、Bioaccumulation “the gradual build-up of synthetic and organic chemicals in living organisms“ Biodegredation “the breaking down of dead organic matter by living organisms such as bacteria“ Biomagnification “the process in which chemicals not only accumulate but become more concentrated at each troph
2、ic level in a food pyramid“biomass “the total mass of living matter in a given unit area“bioremediationthe act of treating waste or pollutants by the use of microorganisms (as bacteria) or plants that can break down the undesirable substances such as chemical pollutants to reverse or lessen environm
3、ental damageCarbonate a combination of carbon and oxygen that is dissolved in ocean waterCarnivores secondary consumers that eat primary consumers and often other secondary consumers. They are often at the tertiary level of a food chain; also known as top carnivores (e.g. Cougar, Polar Bear)cellular
4、 respirationthe process in which both plants and animals release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere by converting carbohydrates and oxygen into carbon dioxide and waterconsumeran organism that eats other organismscontaminationthe introduction of chemicals, toxins, wastes, or micro-organisms int
5、o the environment in concentrations that are harmful to living thingsDDTan insecticide and well-known persistent organic pollutant, now banned in many countries (used to kill weeds but causes cancer)decomposersorganisms that break down wastes and dead organisms and change them into usable nutrients
6、available to other organismsdecompositionin biology, the breaking down of organic wastes and dead organismsdenitrificationthe process in which nitrogen is returned to the atmospheredenitrifying bacteriabacteria that convert nitrate back into nitrogen gasdetrivoresconsumers that feed at every trophic
7、 level, obtaining their energy and nutrients by eating dead organic matterecological pyramida food pyramid. There are three types of ecological pyramids: pyramid of biomass, pyramid of numbers, and pyramid of energyenergy flowthe flow of energy from an ecosystem to an organism and from one organism
8、to anothereutrophicationprocess by which a body of water becomes too rich in dissolved nutrients, leading to plant growth that depletes oxygenfood chaina model that shows the flow of energy from plant to animal and from animal to animalfood pyramida model that shows the loss of energy from one troph
9、ic level to another; often called an ecological pyramidfood weba model of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem; formed from interconnected food chainsgeologic upliftthe process of mountain building in which Earths crust folds and deeply buried rock layers rise and are exposedheavy metalsmet
10、allic elements with a high density that are toxic to organisms at low concentrationsherbivoresprimary consumers that eat plantskeystone speciesspecies that can greatly affect population numbers and the health of an ecosystemleachingremoval by water of substances that have dissolved in moist soilnitr
11、ificationammonium is converted into nitratenitrifying bacteriaBacteria that change dissolved ammonia into nitrite compounds or nitrites into nitrate compounds.nitrogen cyclethe nutrient cycle in which nitrogen is moved through the biospherenitrogen fixationnitrogen gas is converted into compounds th
12、at contain nitrate or ammoniumnitrogen-fixing bacteriabacteria that convert nitrogen gas into ammonium during decomposition, playing a significant role in nitrogen fixationnutrient cyclesInclude the Carbon cycle, the Nitrogen cycle, and the Phosphorus cycle : required by plants and animals for energ
13、y, growth, development, repaire or maintenancenutrientssubstances such as the chemicals nitrogen and phosphorus that are required by plants and animals for energy, growth, development, repair, or maintenanceomnivoresconsumers that eats both plants and animalsparts per milliona measurement of chemica
14、l accumulation; 1 ppm means one particle mixed with 999 999 other particlesPCBssynthetic chemicals containing chlorine that are used in the manufacture of plastics and other industrial products, become stored in the tissue of animals, and also persist in the environmentPOPscarbon-containing compound
15、s that remain in water and soil for many yearspesticidesany one of various substances used to kill harmful insects (insecticide), fungi (fungicide), vermin, or other living organisms that destroy or inhibit plant growth, carry disease, or are otherwise harmful.phosphorus cyclethe nutrient cycle in w
16、hich phosphorus is moved through the biospherephotosynthesisprocess by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as sugars and starchesprimary consumersorganisms in the second trophic level which obtain t
17、heir energy by eating primary producersprimary producersorganisms in the first trophic level, such as plants and algaeprimary successionthe development of new life in areas where no organisms or soil previously existed, such as on bare rock; the first organisms may be lichen spores carried by windsp
18、roducersorganisms that produce food in the form of carbohydrates during photosynthesispyramid of biomassShows the total amount of living material available at each trophic level multiplied by their masspyramid of energyeach step represents a transfer of energy (only 10% of energy is transferred from
19、 level to level)pyramid of numbersrepresentation of the number of individual organisms in each trophic level of an ecosystemsecondary consumersorganisms in the third trophic level, which obtain their energy by eating primary consumerssedimentationthe process in which soil particles and decaying orga
20、nic matter accumulate in layers on the ground or at the bottom of large bodies of water, contributing to the formation of sedimentary rockstoresnutrients that are accumulated for short or long periods of time in Earths atmosphere, oceans, and land massestertiary consumersorganisms in the fourth trop
21、hic level, which obtain their energy by eating secondary consumerstrophic levelssteps in a good chain that show the feeding and niche relationships among organismsWeatheringThe Process of breaking down rock into smaller fragments. Chemical weathering and Physical W are two types of weathering involved in the phosphorus cycleCarbon Cyclethe nutrient cycle in which carbon is moved through the biosphere; maintains the balance of CO2 in the atmosphereHalf - lifethe time it take for a living tissue, organ, organism or ecosystem to eliminate one half of a substance that has been introduced into it.
