General Trivia
What do we call "the struggle between organisms for the same resources"?
competition
What does "producer" mean?
What is a food chain?
A simple model that shows energy flow from one species to another.
What do we call the different "feeding steps" of energy in a food chain?
Hint: _____ level
Tropic level
An ecosystem is a collection of _____ and _____ interacting with each other.
living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things
What is an invasive species?
A species that is introduced to a new ecosystem and then causes harm.
No natural predators means their populations grow quickly. Increased population increases competition and can kill native species.
What does "omni-" mean, and what do "omnivores" consume?
Bonus: give an example of an omnivore.
all; both plants and animals.
Bears, chickens, rodents, etc.
A top consumer with no natural predators within the ecosystem is called a(n) ____.
Which level of the energy pyramid contains the MOST energy?
Level 1 - producers
Name three types of biotic factors found in ecosystems.
Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi.
Why does competition exist?
Resources are limited, so different organisms need to compete to satiate their needs.
What does "tertiary" mean?
third
Give an example of a food chain starting with the sun and ending with a tertiary consumer.
answers may vary
An energy pyramid is another way to model _____.
a food chain
Name three types of abiotic factors that exist in an ecosystem.
dirt, rocks, water, sunlight, temperature, water
In the Yellowstone National Park ecosystem, the coyote preys on the elk.
Explain the impact on the elk population numbers if the coyote numbers are reduced.
If coyote numbers are reduced, there will be fewer coyotes able to prey on the elk. This will increase the number of elk as more elk will be alive and able to reproduce.
Define "species" and give 3 examples of species that may live in a tropical rainforest ecosystem.
A group of similar living things that can breed with each other.
What do we call an organism that only eat plants, and to what level of consumerism do they belong?
Herbivores; primary consumers.
How much of the energy from the level below is transferred when something is eaten?
10%
Consider a tree and the organisms that live in and around it.
Identify and explain two resources that the same and different species may be in competition for.
Answers will vary. Some examples are:
Food – food may be a limited resource both within and between species
Habitat – organisms of different or same species may compete for the best habitat that provides secure protection
Mating partner – members of the same species may compete for the perceived best mating partner during reproductive times
What would happen if decomposers and detritivores were removed from an ecosystem?
If detritivores and decomposers were removed from an ecosystem, energy and nutrients higher up the food chain would be wasted. They would not be recycled back into the food chain. This would mean there'd be less energy and nutrients in the ecosystem to support life and fewer organisms would be able to survive.
What is the difference between a "decomposer" and a "detritivore"?
A decomposer releases chemicals to break down organic material; a detritivore eats dead matter to break it down.
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
A food chain shows one animal per tropic level; food webs are all of the food chains in an ecosystem put together.
If there is 10,000 kilocalories within the producers of an ecosystem, how many kilocalories would be consumed by the SECONDARY consumer?
100 kC
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a food web?
An ecosystem is the interaction of both the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components within an area. A food web shows the transfer of energy between living things and which organisms depend on each other for food.