Vocab
Types of Interactions
Food Chains/Food Webs
Intro to Ecology
Interaction Scenarios
100
What is a decomposer?
An organism that eats dead things
100
Describe competition. Include + / - / 0
Species compete for the same limited resources
-/-
100
What is the difference between a food chain and food web
Food chain = who eats whom
Food web = all the food chains in an ecosystem
100
Name 2 Abiotic Factors
Water
Light
Temperature
100
Shrimp and Sea Anemone: The shrimp is immune to the stinging tentacles of the sea anemone. By hiding in the sea anemone, the shrimp is protected from predators.
What type of interaction is this?
Mutualism
200
What is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs?
Autotrophs make their own food
Heterotrophs eat other organisms
200
Describe Predation and Herbivory. Include + / - / 0
Predation = animals eating animals
Herbivory = animals eating plants
+/-
200
In the above food chain, which one would be the herbivore?
The insect
200
Name 2 biotic factors
Frogs
Dogs
Tree
Plants
200
Cattle Egrets and Livestock: As they graze, cattle stir up insects, which are eaten by the cattle egrets.
What type of interaction is this?
Commensalism
300
Name 1 density-independent factor?
Extreme Weather
Natural Disaster or
Human activity
300
Describe Parasitism. Include + / - / 0
One species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host)
+/-
300
Answers vary
300
What are 2 factors that increase a population size?
Births
Immigration
300
Tapeworm and Dog: The tapeworm attaches to the intestinal wall of the dog and takes nutrients consumed by the dog.
What type of interaction is this?
Parasitism
400
Name 1 density-dependent factor?
Competition
Predation
Disease or
Parasitism
400
Describe Commensalism. Include + / - / 0
One species benefits, the other is not affected.
+/0
400
What are 2 things that would happen if a disease entered this food chain and took out the mice from the population.
1. Owl population would decrease due to lack of food
2. Grasshopper population would increase due to less predators
400
What are 2 factors that decrease a population size?
Deaths
Emigration
400
Ant and Acacia Tree: The ant burrows into a thorn of the acacia tree to live and eat sugar secreted by the tree. The ants benefit the tree by attacking predators.
What type of interaction is this?
Mutualism
500
What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?
Habitat: Where an organism lives
Niche: What an organism does in its habitat
500
Describe mutualism. Include + / - / 0
Both species benefit from the interaction
+/+
500
What would happen if crocodiles enter this food chain and eat the snakes?
The frogs would increase
500
What are the ecological levels of organization in order from smallest to largest?
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
500
Tigers and Golden Jackals: Lone golden jackals often follow tigers to feed on the tiger’s kills once the tiger has finished eating.
What type of interaction is this?
Predation