What’s in an Ecosystem?
What is an ecosystem?
All the living and nonliving things in a particular area.
If foxes are removed from the ecosystem in the reading, which population would most likely increase first?
The mouse population.
What is ecological succession?
The process of change in an ecosystem over time.
What are some examples of events that can disrupt an ecosystem?
Forest fires, floods, tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions.
how many pounds can a full-grown blue whale weigh?
up to about 400,000 pounds
What are the two types of parts that make up an ecosystem?
Biotic and abiotic factors.
In the same example form the reading, which population would begin to decline without foxes to prey on mice?
The bald eagle population.
If a city park is left unattended, what would most likely happen first?
Weeds would grow and replace cultivated plants.
What is secondary succession?
The series of changes an ecosystem goes through after it has been disturbed or damaged.
How many hearts does an octopus have?
Three hearts.
In a pond ecosystem with frogs, algae, water, rocks, and sunlight, which parts are abiotic factors?
Water, rocks, and sunlight.
In a grassland ecosystem, rabbits suddenly decrease. How would this most likely affect foxes in the short term?
Foxes would have less food and may decrease.
What kind of succession begins after a volcanic eruption leaves an area covered in bare rock with no soil?
Primary succession.
If a drought lowers the water level in a lake, what kind of factor has changed?
An abiotic factor.
Which planet is the hottest in our solar system?
Venus
Why is it incorrect to say that soil and sunlight do not matter in an ecosystem just because they are not alive?
Abiotic factors matter because they affect which living things can survive, grow, and reproduce.
If foxes disappear and mice increase, how could this affect the seeds and plants the mice eat?
The plant or seed population could decrease because more mice would be eating them.
Why are lichens and mosses called pioneer species?
They are the first organisms able to grow in barren places and help begin soil formation.
If plants begin growing back over time after a tornado damages a forest, what ecosystem trait is being shown?
Resilience.
How many bones does a great white shark have?
Zero. Sharks do not have bones; their skeletons are made of cartilage.