Energy Flow
What type of organism makes its own food using sunlight?
A producer
What type of relationship occurs when both organisms benefit?
Mutualism
What is a group of the same species living in one area called?
Population
Which biome receives very little rainfall and has hot daytime temperatures?
Desert
Which process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
What happens to available energy as you move up a food chain?
Decreases
What type of relationship occurs when one organism hunts and eats another organism?
Predation
What level of organization includes living organisms and nonliving factors interacting together?
An ecosystem
What is Mrs. Shepherd's favorite coffee shop?
Tundra
What process returns water vapor to the atmosphere from plants?
Transpiration
Name the trophic level that contains the most energy.
Producers
What is Mrs. Shepherd's husband's first name?
Tyler
What term describes the variety of life in an ecosystem?
Biodiversity
Why do many desert plants have thick stems?
To store water
What is the role of decomposers in nutrient cycles?
They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients
Why are there usually fewer predators than herbivores in an ecosystem?
Less energy is available at higher trophic levels
A tick feeding on a dog is an example of what relationship?
Parasitism
Why is biodiversity important to ecosystems?
It helps ecosystems remain stable and healthy
What adaptation helps polar bears survive in cold climates?
Thick fur and body fat/blubber
What did Mrs. Shepherd study in college?
Geology
In the food chain grass → mouse → snake → hawk, what would most likely happen to the snake population if the mouse population decreased greatly?
The snake population would likely decrease because less food is available
Wolves and foxes both hunt rabbits in the same forest. What ecological interaction is occurring and why?
Competition because they are using the same food resource
If a forest loses many species due to pollution, what is most likely happening to biodiversity?
Biodiversity is decreasing
Explain why a cactus would struggle to survive in a rainforest biome.
Its adaptations are designed for dry conditions, not constant rainfall and competition for sunlight
A town removes many trees to build houses. Give one environmental problem this could cause.
Increased flooding, habitat loss, or reduced biodiversity