Ecological Succession
This type of succession occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as on bare rock after a volcanic eruption or a retreating glacier.
What is Primary Succession?
This large, central organelle contains the cell's genetic material (DNA) and acts as the control center for all cellular activities
What is the nucleus?
Found inside the nucleus, these thread-like structures are made of DNA and carry the genetic information passed from parents to offspring.
What are Chromosomes?
These non-native organisms, such as the Zebra Mussel or the Salt Cedar tree, often outcompete local wildlife for resources and lead to a significant decrease in an ecosystem's biodiversity.
What are Invasive Species?
This is the first thing a student should do on their scratch paper to quickly record formulas and key concepts before starting the STAAR test.
What is STAAR Brain Dump?
Often the first organisms to appear in primary succession, these "pioneer species" are actually a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi that can break down rock into soil
What are Lichens?
Known as the "powerhouse" of the cell, this organelle converts nutrients from food into energy the cell can use.
What is the Mitochondria?
This term describes a heritable characteristic, such as a bird's beak shape or a polar bear's white fur, that improves an organism's ability to survive and reproduce.
What is an Adaptation?
This term refers to the variety of all the different species, the genetic differences between them, and the different ecosystems they form across the planet.
What is Biodiversity?
This is the predicted result for the population of other organisms in an ecosystem if a keystone species is removed.
What is a population decrease (or ecosystem collapse)
This type of succession happens much faster because the soil remains intact after a disturbance like a forest fire or a cleared farmer's field.
What is Secondary Succession?
This flexible outer layer is found in all cells and controls which substances can enter or leave the cell.
What is the Cell Membrane?
A bird’s hollow bones, a polar bear’s thick blubber, and a cactus’s waxy coating are all examples of this type of physical adaptation.
What is a Structural Adaptation?
In the 1990s, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. They controlled the elk population, which allowed willow trees to regrow, providing homes for birds and beavers. This chain of events caused this specific change to the park's overall biodiversity (Increase or Decrease).
What is an Increase
A local pond ecosystem sees a sudden increase in the population of Great Blue Herons (predators that eat small fish). According to the rules of interdependence, what will most likely happen to the population of the small fish in the short term?
What is a decrease in the fish population?
These terms refers to events like hurricanes, floods, or human logging that remove organisms from a community but often trigger the start of secondary succession.
What is natural disaster and human activity?
Found only in plant cells and some protists, these green organelles capture sunlight to produce food through photosynthesis.
What are Chloroplasts?
To survive harsh winters or find food, some animals perform these actions, such as birds migrating south or bears hibernating.
What is a Behavioral Adaptation?
Some species, like sea otters or wolves, have a much larger impact on their ecosystem than others; if they are removed, the entire food web can collapse.
What is a Keystone Species?
During a severe multi-year drought in a Texas grassland, the population of native grasses (producers) decreases significantly. How will this change impact the population of the primary consumers, such as grasshoppers and rabbits?
What is a decreasee?
A student is studying a volcanic island that recently formed in the ocean. Which of the following best describes the sequence of events that will lead to the establishment of a forest ecosystem on this bare rock?
A. Grasses grow -----> shrubs appear ------> lichens break down rock ---------> trees grow.
B. Lichens appear --------> rock is broken down into soil --------> grasses and shrubs grow ----> trees grow.
C. Seeds from trees drift to the island ------> trees grow --------> soil is formed from fallen leaves.
D. Soil is carried by ocean currents -------> grasses grow -------> lichens appear ------> trees grow.
What is B?
While plant cells have one large version of this for water storage, animal cells have smaller ones used for storing nutrients or waste.
What is a Vacuole?
This "hidden" type of adaptation involves internal body processes, such as a snake producing venom, a human sweating to cool down, or a desert animal producing highly concentrated urine to save water.
What is a Physiological Adaptation?
A developer clears a diverse hardwood forest and replaces it with a neighborhood containing only one type of grass and one type of ornamental tree. Because there are now fewer niches and food sources available, the area will experience this change in biodiversity (Increase or Decrease).
What is a Decrease?
If a forest fire destroys a large percentage of the shrubs and trees (producers) in an area, what will most likely happen to the population of primary consumers (like deer and squirrels)?
What is a decrease in population?