Biodiversity & Ecosystem Stability
What is biodiversity?
The variety of different species living in an ecosystem.
What type of symbiosis benefits both species?
Mutualism.
What is a predator? What is prey?
Predator hunts and eats another animal (prey).
What process do plants use to make their own food?
Photosynthesis
What is one way an invasive species can harm an ecosystem?
Competes with native species and disrupts food webs.
Why does high biodiversity help an ecosystem survive a natural disaster?
High biodiversity means more species are available to survive and fill roles if one species is lost.
Give an example of parasitism.
A flea on a dog feeds on its blood and harms the dog.
How does predator-prey balance help an ecosystem?
It controls populations and keeps balance.
Where does energy in a food chain start?
The sun
What are abiotic factors? Give two examples.
Non-living parts of the environment; examples: water, sunlight, temperature.
What happens to an ecosystem with low biodiversity when a species is removed?
The ecosystem becomes more unstable and may collapse.
What’s the difference between commensalism and mutualism?
In mutualism, both benefit. In commensalism, one benefits and the other is unaffected.
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum number of organisms an environment can support.
Why do food webs show energy flow better than food chains?
Food webs show many connections between organisms instead of just one path.
What does dynamic equilibrium mean in an ecosystem?
A balanced state where populations and conditions remain stable over time.
Describe one way biodiversity supports ecosystem resilience.
It increases the chances that some organisms will survive disruptions.
Identify the type of symbiosis: Barnacles ride on whales, but don’t affect them.
Commensalism.
Name two things that can decrease carrying capacity.
Limited food, water, shelter, or increased disease.
Explain what happens to energy as it moves from producers to consumers.
Some energy is lost as heat; less energy is available at each level.
How do drought and pollution affect ecosystems?
They reduce available resources, harm living things, and can destroy habitats.
Compare the ability of a rainforest and a desert to recover from a storm. Explain why one is more resilient.
The rainforest recovers faster because it has higher biodiversity and more resources; the desert has fewer species and resources.
Match each real-world example to the correct type of symbiosis: bee/flower, flea/dog, barnacle/whale.
Bee/flower – Mutualism
Flea/dog – Parasitism
Barnacle/whale – Commensalism
Predict what might happen if a predator population declines sharply.
Prey may increase too much, causing food shortages and imbalance.
Describe how energy flows and matter cycles in ecosystems.
Energy flows from the sun to producers to consumers; matter (like water, carbon) cycles through biotic and abiotic parts.
How can human activity disrupt balance in an ecosystem?
Through deforestation, pollution, overhunting, and introducing invasive species.