Define
Define ecology.
Study of life
Does photosynthesis contribute to ecology?
Solar radiation is made available through the process.
Compare and contrast the diets of herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores
They all rely on producers for their energy, none of them can make their own food. Carnivores eat meat, herbivores eat plants, and omnivores eat both.
Why do we study ecology?
Provides new knowledge between people and nature.
Define autotroph.
An organism that can produce its own food
What % of energy is passed up to each trophic level?
10%
How is a food web different from a food chain?
A food web shows many overlapping food chains
How are humans negatively altering the three cycles that we have learned about?
Fertilizers overload ecosystems with too much nitrogen and phosphorus. Human burning of fossil fuels has added too much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. As forests are destroyed, carbon cannot be removed from the atmosphere as quickly. This extra carbon dissolves in the oceans, causing them to be more acidic.
Define niche.
The role, or way of life of a species within its environment.
What is carrying capacity?
The greatest population an ecosystem can support based on available resources
Biosphere, biome, ecosystems, community, population, species
What are the levels of ecology?
How is the phosphorus cycle different from the nitrogen and carbon cycles?
The phosphorus cycle does not involve the atmosphere.
Define commensalism.
Only one species benefits without harming or benefitting the other.
What kinds of organisms are generally producers?
plants
What causes various weather patterns around the globe?
Uneven heating of the earth by the sun causes different climates and global winds. Rising and cooling air cause areas of high pressure (prevents rainfall) and low pressure (produces rainfall).
What is the difference between ecology and ecosystem?
Ecology is the study between living organisms and their environment, ecosystem is the place where interactions between non-living and living things occur.
Cover large areas and are characterized by their climate and the types of plants and animals that are found there
Why are fewer organisms found at higher trophic levels?
Much of the energy of organisms is lost as heat in the lower trophic levels.
Give an example of a niche. Explain
Hawk and owl. Owls hunt during the night, hawks hunt during the day. If two species occupy the same niche they would constantly be in competition.
How does the flow of energy differ from the flow of matter through an ecosystem?
Energy is a one-way flow and must be constantly added. Matter is recycled.