Ecology and Environment Cheat Sheet

Key Definitions

• Ecology: Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

• Ecosystem: Community of living organisms and their physical environment.

• Biodiversity: Variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

• Biomagnification: Increase in concentration of toxins in organisms at higher trophic levels.

Important Concepts

Ecosystem Components

• Abiotic Factors: Non-living elements (e.g., sunlight, water, soil).

• Biotic Factors: Living elements (e.g., plants, animals, microorganisms).

Energy Flow

• Food Chain: Linear sequence of energy transfer.

• Food Web: Complex network of interconnected food chains.

Biogeochemical Cycles

• Water Cycle: Movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation.

• Carbon Cycle: Exchange of carbon among atmosphere, soil, plants, and animals.

Key Formulas

• NPP: Net Primary Productivity

• GPP: Gross Primary Productivity

• R: Respiration

B = N + I - E - O

• B: Population size

• N: Natural increase

• I: Immigration

• E: Emigration

• O: Organism deaths

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Common Mistake: Confusing biomass with productivity; biomass is the total mass while productivity is the rate of generation.

Memory Tricks

Tip: "P.E.T.S." for Ecosystem Components

• P: Producers

• E: Ecosystem

• T: Trophic levels

• S: Sunlight

Key Diagrams

Food Chain:
Sunlight -> Grass -> Grasshopper -> Frog -> Snake -> Hawk
Water Cycle:
Evaporation -> Condensation -> Precipitation -> Collection