Misc
What is ecology?
It is a relationship between living organs including humans and there physical envoirment.
what is abiotic and biotic?
Biotic factors are living things or once-living within an ecosystem; such as plants, animals, and bacteria,
abiotic are non-living components; such as water, soil and atmosphere.
how is a food chain different from a food web?
Chain is linear
Web is complex and shows multiple food relationships
What is symbiosis?
close, long term relationship between two species.
What is an invasive species?
A non-native organism that is introduced to an ecosystem that has harmful effects on the native species there
What is carrying capacity?
maximum population an ecosystem can sustain
what is an autotroph?
Autotrophs make their own food/ photosynthesize
What's the difference between omnivores, herbivores and carnivores?
O- meat and plants
H- just plants
C- just meat/animal products
What is commensalism?
One organism benefits, the other is neutral.
What happened to deer when wolves were introduced on the island?
the deer population went down
List 3 limiting factors
food, sun, water, space, oxygen, predators, disease, fire, mates, etc.
What is a synonym for a consumer?
heterotroph
What is niche?
the job or role an organism has in it's ecosystem
what is parasitism?
one organism benefits, the other is harmed
What is an example of parasitism?
dog on tick, tape worms in humans, mosquitoes on humans, mistletoe on trees
Why is biodiversity important?
keeps populations in check
allows ecosystem to withstand change
provides resources to humans and other organisms
what is a specific predator / prey relationship in the hudson?
answers vary
Limiting factors that are impacted heavily by the number of organisms in a space
density dependent
What is an example of mutualism?
pollinators and flowers
clownfish (protection) and anemones (nutrients, cleaning)
oxpeckers (food) and rhinos (fewer parasites and ticks)
humans (digestion) and bacteria in our gut (protection and food)
How did wolves change the rivers of yellowstone?
Wolves controlled the elk population which allowed more trees/plants to grow which reshaped rivers
Why are invasive species threatening?
they take over an ecosystem and use up at least one type of resource (space, food, light etc)
what is one biotic factor impacted by zebra mussels?
what is one abiotic factor impacted by zebra mussels?
how for both?
answers vary
(plankton decreases)
(oxygen in H2O decreases)
what are density independent limiting factors?
things in an ecosystem that limit population size regardless of size of the population (ex: fires, drought, climate change, pesticides)
what is an example of commensalism?
barnacles on whales
suction cup remora fish on sharks
hermit crabs and snail shells
moss/orchids/lichen on trees
Why is DDT a problem? be specific