Ecosystem Levels
The term for one single living organism
What is an individual?
Give one example of a biotic factor.
What is a plant (or any living thing)?
The maximum number of offspring a species can produce in ideal conditions
What is biotic potential?
A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce.
What is an adaptation?
Proposed the theory of natural selection
Who is Charles Darwin?
The correct order from smallest to largest: population, individual, ecosystem, community?
What is individual → population → community → ecosystem?
Give one example of an abiotic factor.
What is water, temperature, or sunlight?
The term describes the maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can support
What is carrying capacity?
Hibernation is what type of a adaptation?
What is physiological?
The formation of a new species.
What is speciation?
Different populations living in the same area.
What is a community?
Which two abiotic factors mainly affect terrestrial ecosystem diversity?
What is temperature and precipitation?
Name one factor that limits population growth.
What is food, space, water, or predators?
New variations occur through what processes
What are mutations and sexual reproduction?
The difference between Lamarck’s and Darwin’s theories
What is Lamarck: traits gained in life are passed on vs Darwin: natural selection over time.
How do ecologists study ecosystems at the community Level?
By looking at how different species interact (e.g., predator-prey, competition).
What’s the difference between biotic and abiotic components?
Biotic = living, Abiotic = non-living.
What’s the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?
Dependent: affects based on population size (e.g. disease); Independent: affects regardless of size (e.g. fire).
The 4 main parts of natural selection
What are Overproduction, competition, variation, survival of the fittest
When one species evolves into many to fit different niches.
What is adaptive radiation?
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a biome?
An ecosystem is a small-scale system of living and non-living things; a biome is a larger region with similar ecosystems and climate.
What abiotic factor explains why aquatic ecosystems become less diverse with depth?
What is light availability (vertical stratification)?
The 4 factors that make up biotic potential
What is Birth potential, survival capacity, breeding frequency, reproductive life span.
When humans choose which organisms reproduce based on desired traits.
What is artificial selection?
The difference between gradualism and punctuated equilibrium
What is Gradualism = slow change vs Punctuated = long stability with fast change.