Ecology
Energy Flow
Cycles of Matter
Potpourri
100
The branch of biology dealing with interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment is called __________
What is Ecology
100
__________ is the main energy source for life on Earth
What is sunlight
100
Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems through ______________
What is Biogeochemical cycles
100
The chemical substances that an organism requires to live are called __________.
What is nutrients
200
The lowest level of environmental complexity that includes living and nonliving factors is the_____________
What is Ecosystem
200
An organism that uses energy from the environment to fuel the assembly of simple inorganic compounds into complex organic compound is called _____________
What is an autotroph or a producer
200
When referring to the water cycle_____________ occurs when water is evaporated from the leaves of plants
What is Transpiration
200
Phosphorus is a key ingredient of __________ because farmers know that it forms part of the energy-producing molecules that plants require in order to grow.
What is fertilizer
300
Which ecological inquiry method is an ecologist using when he or she enters an area periodically to count the population numbers of a certain species?
What is observing
300
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from the _______ to ________ and then to various _________
What is Sun, autotrophs, hetertrophs
300
What is the difference between nitrogen fixation and denitrification?
What is Nitrogen fixation – converts Nitrogen gas into ammonia Denitrification – converts nitrates into Nitrogen gas
300
Describe the flow of energy among the following members of an ecosystem: decomposers, autotrophs, heterotrophs, and the sun.
What is Energy flows from the sun to the autotrophs, and from the autotrophs to the heterotrophs. Energy also flows from the autotrophs and the heterotrophs to the decomposers.
400
What are the three tools that ecologists use to study the living world?
What is Modeling, Observing, Experimenting
400
Explain the difference between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
What is Photosynthesis – use light energy to make their own food, Chemosynthesis - use chemical energy to make their own food
400
What are three types of processes that move carbon through its cycle?
What is Biological Processes Geochemical Processes Biogeochemical Processes Human Activities
400
What are the five groups of consumers and what does each consume?
What is Herbivores – Plants only Carnivores – Animals only Omnivores – Plants and Animals Detritivores – dead or decaying matter Decomposes – break down organic matter
500
What are the six levels of organization from smallest to largest?
What is Species  Populations  Communities  Ecosystem Biome  Biosphere
500
What are the three ecological pyramids? What does each one represent?
What is Energy Pyramid – how much energy is available Biomass Pyramid – how much biomass is present Pyramid of Numbers – shows relative # of organisms
500
What events typically contribute to an algal bloom in a lake or ocean?
What is A large input of a limiting nutrient, such as nitrogen or phosphorus, can cause the algae to grow and reproduce more quickly. If there are not enough consumers to eat the excess algae, the algae will grow to cover the surface of the water.
500
How does a food web differ from a food chain?
What is A food chain is a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten. A food web links all the food chains in an ecosystem together.
M
e
n
u