scientific method
what are the steps of the scientific method?
1. making observations, 2. asking questions, 3. research based off questions, 4. form hypothesis, 5. test the hypothesis with an experiment, 6. analyze data, 7. draw a conclusion, 8. communicate results
what is a variable? what are the variable types, and what do they mean?
anything that changes the outcome of an experiment.
independant - value that is changed
dependant - value that changes depending on, result
constant - control group/stays the same
what is a niche?
the role something plays in its environment
how much energy is lost when energy moves through trophic levels? why is this?
90% is lost as heat, 10% transferred through tropic levels. this is because animals don't have the mechanisms to combat this
what do secondary consumers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
secondary consumers also eat things to gain energy but eat the primary consumers, that ate the producers, and they are on the 4th to last tier, right above primary consumers
what is a hypothesis?
a prediction in the form of an assumed statement
what is symbiosis, predation, multualism, commenalism, and paratisim?
symbiosis - interactions between 2 or more organisms in close proximity
predation - pred and prey interactions
multualism - relationships where both organisms benefit
commenalism - a relationship where one benefits and one is unharmed
paratisim - where one organism is harmed and one benefits
what is ecology?
the study of how things in an ecosystem interact with their environment
what are the trophic levels (in order)?
1. decomposers
2. primary producers
3. primary consumers
4. secondary consumers
5. tertiary consumers
6. quinary consumers
what do tertiary consumers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
they eat things to gain energy too, but eat the secondary consumer, that ate the primary consumer, that ate the producer, and they are on the 5th to last tier, right above secondary consumers
whats an ecosystem?
where everything works together
what is a species?
all different types of the same animal
what do decomposers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
decomposers break down dead things and eat them, and are on the very bottom of the pyramid
what do quinary consumers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
quinary consumers eat to get energy too, they eat the tertiary consumer that ate the secondary consumer that ate the primary consumer that ate the producer. very top
what are resources?
energy and materials needed for survival
what are biotic and abiotic factors?
biotic factors - living things (animals, plants)
abiotic factors - never living (weather, soil)
what do primary producers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
producers produce their own food, like a plant, through photosynthesis, and they are on the 2nd to last tier of the pyramid
what are the 3 roles in an ecosystem, and what do they mean?
producers - creates own food (also known as autotroph)
consumers - eats other organisms for energy (heterotroph)
decomposers - break down organic matter (saprotrophs)
how does energy move through an ecosystem?
it flows in one direction
what do primary consumers do, what do they eat, and what trophic level are they on?
they eat things to get energy, eat the producers, and are on the 3rd to last level, right above producers