Unit 1 Vocabulary

living

nonliving

living on earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources

the diversity of life forms in an environment

derived from human activities

a geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land

the upper layer of ocean water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis

the deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis

a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes

a zone of open water in lakes and ponds

the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean

the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow

a particular location on earth with interacting biotic and abiotic components

the process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues

the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis

the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrogen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium

the conversion of nitrate in a series of steps into the gases nitrous oxide and, eventually, nitrogen gas, which is emitted in the atmosphere

the conversion of ammonia into nitrate (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO3-)

a phenomenon in which a body of water becomes rich in nutrients

the total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products into smaller particles

individuals incapable of photosynthesis; must obtain energy by consuming other organisms

fungi or bacteria that convert organic material into small elements and molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem