Unit 5 Vocabulary

Immobilization

• The process of converting inorganic compounds to organic compounds by microorganisms or plants, making them unavailable to plants.

• The process of breaking down organic compounds into inorganic compounds by microorganisms.

• The process of absorbing nutrients from the soil by plant roots.

• The process of converting organic compounds into energy through respiration.

Eutrophication

• The process by which a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

• A method of water purification that removes all minerals and nutrients.

• The natural process of water evaporation and condensation.

• A technique used to increase the salinity of water bodies.

Energy Cycle

• The process of photosynthesis in plants.

• The flow and transformation of energy through an ecosystem.

• The movement of water in the water cycle.

• The transfer of nutrients in soil.

Denitrification

• The process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia.

• The microbial process of reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen, such as N2 or N2O.

• The conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water.

• The process of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants.

Producer

• An organism that can make its own food from inorganic substances, typically through photosynthesis.

• An organism that consumes other organisms for energy.

• An organism that decomposes organic material.

• An organism that relies on external sources for food.

Nitrogen Fixation

• The process of converting nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonia by bacteria and cyanobacteria.

• The process of converting ammonia into nitrogen gas by plants.

• The process of absorbing nitrogen from the soil by roots.

• The process of synthesizing proteins from nitrogen compounds.

Mineralization

• The process by which organic matter is decomposed to release inorganic nutrients.

• The process of converting inorganic substances into organic matter.

• The process of nutrient absorption by plants from the soil.

• The process of water evaporation from soil and plants.

Nitrogen Assimilation

• The process by which plants and microorganisms incorporate ammonia and nitrate into organic molecules.

• The process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia by bacteria.

• The method by which plants absorb water from the soil.

• The technique used by animals to excrete excess nitrogen.

Biosphere

• The global sum of all ecosystems, including all life forms and their relationships.

• The layer of gases surrounding the planet.

• The part of Earth where life exists, including land, water, and air.

• The process by which plants convert sunlight into energy.

Abiotic

• Living organisms in the environment.

• Non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment.

• Biological interactions between species.

• The study of ecosystems and their components.