Abitotic vs. Bitotic
What is a nonliving factor in an ecosystem called?
Abiotic Factor
What is the least complex level of organization?
Cell
Approximately what percentage of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next?
10%
What organisms make their own food?
Producers
What process do plants use to make glucose using light energy?
Photosynthesis
Is water an abiotic or biotic factor?
Abiotic
What level comes after a cell?
Tissue
Where does the energy in most ecosystems ultimately come from?
The Sun
In this food chain, Seaweed → Small Fish → Large Fish → Shark, which organism is the producer?
Seaweed
What gas do plants take in during photosynthesis?
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
A pond experiences a major decrease in sunlight. Algae populations begin to decrease, followed by a decrease in fish populations. Which factor caused the initial change, and why?
Sunlight is an abiotic factor. It affects algae because algae depend on light to make food through photosynthesis.
Put these in order from least to most complex: organism, population, community, ecosystem.
Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem
If producers have 10,000 kCal, approximately how much energy is available to the next trophic level?
1,000 kCal
A mouse eats seeds and insects. Based on its diet, what type of consumer is the mouse? Explain your reasoning.
Omnivore
What molecule is broken down during cellular respiration to help produce ATP?
Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆)
A scientist removes all the plants from an ecosystem but leaves the temperature, water, rocks, and sunlight unchanged. Which type of factor has been directly removed, and how could this affect the ecosystem?
A biotic factor was removed. Removing plants can reduce the food and energy available to consumers.
A scientist studies the frogs, fish, algae, water, sunlight, temperature, and soil within a pond. What level of organization is being studied, and what makes it different from a community?
Ecosystem. An ecosystem includes both biotic and abiotic factors, while a community includes only interacting populations of living organisms.
Using the same food chain:
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk
If the grass contains 100,000 kJ, approximately how much energy would be available to the frog?
1,000 kJ
A population of producers suddenly disappears from an ecosystem. Predict what would happen to consumers and explain why.
Consumer populations would likely decrease because producers provide the initial source of food/energy entering the food chain.
A plant is given plenty of water and carbon dioxide, but receives very little light. Predict what will happen to its rate of photosynthesis and explain why.
The rate of photosynthesis will decrease because light is required for photosynthesis.
A student claims, "Temperature is a biotic factor because it affects living organisms." Is the student correct? Explain your reasoning.
No. Temperature is an abiotic factor because it is nonliving, even though it can affect living organisms.
A single fish is studied first. Scientists then study the group of fish of the same species, all organisms living in the area, and finally the living and nonliving components of the area.
Identify the four levels in order.
Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem
A food web contains grass, grasshoppers, mice, frogs, snakes, owls, and hawks. The grasshopper population suddenly decreases dramatically.
Predict two possible effects this could have on the food web and explain why.
Consider this food chain:
Seaweed → Small Fish → Large Fish → Shark
Identify the:
Process A is represented by:
6O₂ + ______ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Energy (ATP)
A student puts sunlight in the blank. Explain why that answer is incorrect and identify the correct substance.
Sunlight is an energy source for photosynthesis, not the reactant shown in this cellular-respiration equation. The correct answer is C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose).