Ocean Ecosystems Vocab

Abiotic

• nonliving element in an ecosystem

• living elements in an ecosystem

• dead animals and plants

• earthworms, fungi, bacteria

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Atmosphere

• blanket of air that covers the Earth

• only the dissolved gases in the oceans

• stratosphere and troposphere

• dissolved gases in the ground

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Autotroph

• producer

• makes own food

• consumer

• must obtain energy from eating other organisms

Biosphere

• all living things (including organic matter not yet decomposed)

• nonliving things

• rocks and sand

• air and water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Biotic

• living elements in an ecosystem

• nonliving elements in an ecosystem

• includes rocks and soil

• rain, snow, sleet, hail, as well as glaciers and ground water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Brackish

• ground water

• fresh water

• salt water

• mix of salt and fresh water

Energy Flow

• arrows in a food web show who gets eaten by whom

• lava cools to form chimneys in the deep ocean

• shows movement of energy from one trophic level to another

• dough + sauce + toppings --> pizza --> happiness

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Ecosystem

• habitats and sunlight

• community of interacting organisms and their environment

• another name for foodweb

• advanced system of thought in which all elements achieve enlightenment through dynamic studies of environmental phenomena

Estuary

• where the river meets the sea

• usually has brackish waters

• known for their great variety of life

• may include mangroves

• all of these are true of estuaries

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Geosphere

• solid earth, includes continental and oceanic crusts

• mantle, core, and magma

• trees, rivers, mountains, glaciers

• animals and fish

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3