Symbiosis
What is mutualism in symbiotic relationships?
When two species interact and both receive a benefit from the interaction.
Example: Bees and flowers (bees get food, flowers get pollinated).
Define an invasive species
An invasive species is an introduced (non-native) species to an environment that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment
What is a habitat?
A habitat refers to the biotic and abiotic factors that are present in an area where a species lives.
Are rocks considered abiotic or biotic factors in an ecosystem?
Abiotic
What is the term for an organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis?
Producer
Provide an example of commensalism in nature.
Commensalism in one type of interaction between species. One organism benefits and the other is neither harmed or receives benefits.
Example: Egrets (gets food stirred up by buffalo) and buffalo (neutral)
Provide an example of an invasive species and explain its impact on the ecosystem.
MANY answers, almost all are correct
Name three different types of habitats found on Earth.
-Desert
-Forrest
-Oceans
-Jungle
-Many more
What category do animals fall into, abiotic or biotic?
Biotic
Explain the role of a producer in a food web.
Producers are organisms that can produce their own food. They usually include green plants. They trap the energy from the sun and use it to make food by the process of photosynthesis. All the other organisms depend on producers for food, since they are not capable of making food for themselves.
Describe parasitism and give an example of a parasitic relationship.
An interaction between organisms where one creature benefits and the other is harmed.
Example: Mosquito and humans
Is there ever a situation where invasive species can be helpful to the environment? Explain
Yes! The round goby, though invasive, has become a great food source for game fish in the Great Lakes ecosystem.
What is one way animals adapt to their specific habitats?
Camouflage, change their behaviors, change their diets, etc.
Give an example of 3 abiotic component in a forest ecosystem.
Give three examples of a consumer in a food web.
ANYTHING that eats another organism
A dog goes walking in a field of grass. It picks up some ticks along the way. The ticks enjoy a tasty meal by feasting on the dog. Which kind of symbiotic relationship is this?
Parasitism
What is one thing that can be done to prevent the spread of invasive species?
kill them directly through trapping or hunting, targeted poisons, controlled burns, chemicals, biological controls, introducing new predators, etc.
What are two ways that humans destroy habitats?
agriculture, urbanization, deforestation, resource extraction, pollution, etc.
What is Ms. Cuny's favorite ice cream flavor?
Cookies and cream
Describe what would happen to the food web if a primary consumer were to disappear.
Without the primary consumers, there would be no source of energy for carnivores or secondary consumers so no secondary consumers will exist in that ecosystem.
A lion spends its day searching for a gazelle. It finally gets one to eat! Which relationship does this represent?
Predator and prey
How do invasive species outcompete native species in an ecosystem?
Invasives may negatively affect native species due to direct interactions like predation and competition. For example, invasive species may not have natural predators in their new environment, and/or can outcompete native species for resources such as food, light, prey, and habitat.
What happens when a habitat is destroyed?
Species may go extinct, animals may have to adapt or move spaces, competition increases, etc.
How do biotic and abiotic factors interact in an ecosystem?
Biotic and abiotic factors interact with each other in an ecosystem to create a balance. Biotic factors, which are the living organisms like plants, animals, and bacteria, depend on abiotic factors, which are non-living things like temperature, sunlight, soil, and water, for survival.
Why are decomposers important to a food web?
Decomposers play a critical role in the flow of energy through an ecosystem. They break apart dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.