Food Webs/ Food Chains
Explain carrying capacity and what it might look like on a graph.
Carrying capacity is the maximum population an environment can support long-term. On a graph, it appears as a horizontal line where population growth levels off, forming an S-shaped curve or a sharp drop off.
What is a pioneer species and give some examples.
The first organisms to appear after a disturbance or the formation of new land. (Lichens and mosses)
A remora fish has an adhesive disk or sucker on its head, which it uses to attach itself to larger fishes, such as sharks. This attachment causes the shark no harm. The remora fish eat scraps of food that the sharks drop as they feed. This is an example of
commensalism
What is Ecology?
Ecology is the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment, including both the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components
Less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be expected to....
Reduce the rate of global warming
What type of organisms are represented at the base of an energy pyramid, and why are they crucial for the ecosystem?
Producers are represented at the base of the energy pyramid. They are the foundation for the ecosystem.
What are the two types of ecological succession?
Primary and Secondary
A tick feeds on a dog’s blood is an example of
parasitism
Whats the difference between a population and a community?
Population is a single species, can make fertile offspring together (ex: population of humans)
Community: all of the living organisms in an area (ex: deer, raccoons, insects, rabbits all in a forest)
Green iguanas were introduced to Florida through the pet trade and accidental escapes. The state's warm climate allowed them to thrive and spread rapidly. They outcompete native species by consuming vegetation and disrupting local ecosystems. This would be an example of
an invasive species
How do changes in one species, such as a decline in mice, affect the populations of other species like hawks within an ecosystem?
A decline in mice would cause a decline in the hawk population since there is less food.
What is a climax community and what type of plants may you see?
The final, stable stage of ecological succession. Climax communities contain mature trees.
Bees collect nectar from flowers and pollinate them in the process. What would this be an example of?
Mutualism
What is the difference between abiotic and biotic factors?
Biotic= Living
Abiotic= Nonliving
What are some causes of the increased burning of fossil fuels
industrialization and cars
What happens to energy as it moves through a food chain, and which organism gets the least energy?
The energy gets lost as heat through respiration.
What is the difference between primary succession and secondary succession?
Primary- there is no life present, (Bare rock) usually occurs after a volcanic eruption
Secondary- A disturbance occurs where there is still some life present (soil is present) usually occurs after a forest fire, earthquake, landslide.)
What is the relationship between a lion and a zebra?
Predator/prey
Define Niche
The organisms role in the ecosystem or environment. (Where it lives, what it eats, what eats it.)
How does deforestation decrease biodiversity?
Less trees means less habitat and food for native animals. Without a habitat and food, some animals may not survive leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
What is the role of decomposers in a food web?
Decomposers break down dead organisms and return their nutrients back to the environment
Would an ecosystem eventually return to its natural environment after a disturbance like a wildfire?
Yes, over time ecological succession will take place and the environment will return to its climax community
What type of symbiotic relationship would be a fungus (athletes foot) growing on a humans foot
Parasitism
Competition or compete for resources
What are some ways to reduce the effects of climate change/ global warming
Recycle, drive and fly less (reduce burning fossil fuels)