Carrying Capacity
What does carrying capacity refer to in an ecosystem?
The maximum population size of a species that an environment can support over a long period of time.
What organisms are found on the bottom level of an energy pyramid?
Producers or autotrophs
Provide an example of a human activity that can negatively impact an ecosystem.
burning fossil fuels, over harvesting, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, climate change, pollution, deforestation, etc.
What is the importance of the carbon cycle in maintaining balance in the environment?
The carbon cycle ensures that the levels of carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere remain balanced.
Name two factors that can disrupt the stability of an ecosystem?
disease, lack of biodiversity, deforestation, habitat fragmentation, over harvesting, pollution, invasive species, climate change, natural disasters, etc.
How can a decrease in resources impact the carrying capacity of a population?
The carrying capacity will also decrease.
What is the relationship between producers and consumers in terms of energy transfer?
The energy flows from producers to consumers.
What human threat to ecosystems involves higher yearly temperatures due to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
Climate change
How do plants play a critical role in the carbon cycle?
Plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and create oxygen.
How can a diverse plant community enhance ecosystem stability?
More biodiversity = more stability
What factor can increase the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
A) Decrease in resources
B) Increase in competition
C) Migration of new species
D) Disease outbreak
C) Migration of new species
Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
Energy flows from producers to consumers, with less energy being transferred each time.
What is an example of a direct human impact on biodiversity?
A) Deforestation
B) Carrying capacity
C) Natural disasters
D) Evolutionary changes
A) Deforestation
What process releases oxygen into the atmosphere?
A) Photosynthesis
B) Respiration
C) Decomposition
D) Combustion
A) Photosynthesis
How might an invasive species affect the stability of an ecosystem?
Because invasive species don't have natural predators, the population will grow and increase competition for resources (space, food, water, etc) in the area .
Explain how competition among species can affect the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
An increase in competition will lower the carrying capacity of the competing species.
Which organisms play a crucial role in transferring energy from the sun to other organisms in an ecosystem?
Producers or autotrophs
How can habitat destruction by human activities lead to a loss of biodiversity in an ecosystem?
A) By promoting species adaptation
B) By increasing genetic diversity
C) By reducing available resources
D) By enhancing ecosystem stability
C) By reducing available resources
Explain how deforestation can affect the carbon cycle.
Cutting down trees means that there are less plants using carbon dioxide and creating oxygen.
How does increasing biodiversity affect the stability of an ecosystem?
increased biodiversity = increased stablity
What is the primary factor that determines the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
A) Temperature fluctuations
B) Availability of water
C) Resource availability
D) Predator-prey relationships
C) Resource availability
Another word for consumer.
Heterotroph
An organism brought to an area where it has no natural predators.
Invasive species
How do nutrients cycle between living organisms and the environment in an ecosystem?
A) Through photosynthesis only
B) Through cellular respiration only
C) Through decomposition and consumption
D) Through physical weathering processes
C) Through decomposition and consumption
If an entire species of wolves native to an area were hunted to extinction, how would this affect the stability of the ecosystem?
less wolves = less biodiversity = less stability