Interactions
What are biotic factors?
Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
What can happen to an ecosystem if a major predator is removed?
It can lead to overpopulation of prey species and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.
What is a food chain?
A sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.
What does it mean for organisms to compete?
They struggle to obtain the same resources, like food and shelter.
Name one way humans can help ecosystems.
Planting trees, creating wildlife reserves, or reducing pollution.
Name one abiotic factor that affects an ecosystem.
Examples include sunlight, water, soil, air, or temperature.
How does pollution affect ecosystems?
Pollution can harm organisms, disrupt food chains, and degrade the quality of air, water, and soil.
Name the first level of a food chain, and explain why are they important?
Producers, like plants, make their own food through photosynthesis and are the base of the food chain.
Give an example of two animals competing for the same resource.
Two organisms that eat the same thing.
What is an example of invasive species and its impact?
The zebra mussel is an invasive species that can outcompete native species and disrupt local ecosystems.
How do plants interact with animals in their ecosystem?
Plants provide food and habitat for animals; animals help with pollination and seed dispersion.
Predict what might happen if a drought occurs in an ecosystem.
Plants may die, food sources for animals will decrease, and animal populations may decline.
Explain the difference between herbivores and carnivores.
Herbivores eat plants, while carnivores eat other animals.
How can competition affect population size?
It can limit the growth of populations if resources are scarce.
How can human activities lead to the extinction of a species?
Overhunting, habitat destruction, and pollution can decrease population sizes to critical levels.
Describe one way an animal might adapt to its environment to survive.
Animals may develop camouflage to avoid predators or learn to find food more efficiently.
How can climate change affect energy flow in an ecosystem?
Climate change can alter habitats, shift species distributions, and disrupt food webs.
How does energy flow through a food chain?
Energy is transferred from producers to consumers and then to predators.
How can organisms adapt to reduce competition?
They can change their diet, habitat, or behavior.
Why is it important to keep ecosystems healthy?
Healthy ecosystems provide essential services like clean air and water, food production, and climate regulation.
What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
Decomposers break down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil and supporting plant growth.
Predict what might happen if a key species in a food web goes extinct.
The food web could collapse, affecting many other organisms.
Describe what happens to matter in an ecosystem when an organism dies.
Decomposers break down the dead organism, recycling nutrients back into the soil.
How can overpopulation negatively impact an ecosystem?
It can lead to depletion of resources and habitat destruction.
What effect would building a mall have on the animals living in the area?
The size of the the animals' habitat would decrease.