Intro to Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the ___________________ of organisms and their ___________________.
interactions
environment
Owls have adaptations such as enlarged eyes, silent wings, and sharp talons to catch mice. This is an example of which type of relationship?
Predator-Prey
Plants, flowers, algae, anything that is photosynthetic.
What type of graph creats a J-shaped curve?
Exponential
This type of species moves into another ecosystem (often by human activity), takes up resources, and is often successful because it has no natural predators. The stink bug is an example.
Invasive Species
This term is used to describe non-living factors in an ecosystem such as temperature, oxygen level, sunlight, and air pressure.
Abiotic
Bees pollinate flowers and get nectar in return. This represents what type of relationship?
Mutualism
How much energy is transferred from one trophic level to another in a food chain?
10%
What type of limiting factor is an occurrence like a natural disaster?
Density Independent
What type of species has a wide variety of food sources and can live in different types of habitats?
Generalist Species
This level of environmental organization includes all life from the depths of the ocean to the highest levels of the atmosphere.
Biosphere
Lions and hyenas fighting over an antelope carcass represent this type of relationship.
Interspecific competition
This is what happens when toxins build up to higher concentrations as you move up the food chain.
Biomagnification
This is the number of individuals an ecosystem can support.
Carrying Capacity
In one sentence, explain why biodiversity is important.
Biodiversity in an ecosystem makes it more resilient to environmental changes should they occur.
This level of environmental organization includes fish, frogs, lily pads, rocks, water and sunlight.
Ecosystem
An organism's function and role in it's environment (what it eats, what eats it, where it lives, what it does) is known as it's...
Niche
Which trophic level of a food chain would have the fewest individuals?
Tertiary (or Quaternary) Consumers
Name the 3 things that can affect an ecosystems population.
Geographic distribution, Population density, growth rate
Keystone species are often, but not always ___________________.
Predators
This level of environmental organization includes all living, biotic factors in an area.
Community
Some organisms break down dead organisms chemically. This type of organism, however, ingests dead material and digests it.
Detritivore
If primary producers in an ecosystem produce 85,000 kcals of energy, how much will be left for the quaternary consumers?
8.5 kcals
What do we call a changing but stable balance between species in an ecosystem?
Dynamic Equilibrium
Scientists studying a flood plain identify 40 individuals belonging to 30 different species. What is the Biodiversity index? Is this considered a healthy community?
.75
Not healthy