APES Unit 1

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Littoral zone

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The nearshore area of a body of water where sunlight penetrates to the bottom, allowing aquatic plants to grow.

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Nitrification

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The biological process by which ammonia is converted into nitrites and then into nitrates, which are usable by plants.

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Tragedy of the Commons

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A situation in which individuals use shared resources in their own self-interest, leading to resource depletion.

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Independent Variable

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The variable that is changed or controlled in an experiment to test its effects on the dependent variable.

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Parasitism

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A type of symbiosis where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

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Eutrophication

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The process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen.

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Carrying Capacity

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The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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Biodiversity

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The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of species and genetic diversity.

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Ecological Succession

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The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

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Biomagnification

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The increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms at each successive level of the food chain.