Vocabulary
What is an ecosystem?
Living and non-living things interacting in one place.
What is the main source of energy in most ecosystems?
The Sun.
This trait helps an animal blend in with its environment.
Camouflage.
Which ecosystem interaction is characterized by one organism hunting and eating another organism?
Predation.
Name one type of ecosystem change.
Natural disaster / invasive species / human impact
What is a producer?
An organism that makes its own food using energy from the sun.
What do the arrows in a food chain or food web represent?
The direction of energy flow.
What is something that bright colors or feathers on an organism can help them do?
Attract a mate.
Which ecosystem interaction is characterized by two organisms fighting over the same food source?
Competition.
What type of ecosystem change includes floods, droughts, and wildfires?
Natural disaster.
What is symbiosis?
A close relationship between two different species living together.
A deer eats grass. Then a wolf eats the deer. Which organism is the PRODUCER in this food chain?
The grass.
Give one trait that can help an organism avoid predators.
Examples: Camouflage, speed, venom/poison, spikes, etc.
Which ecosystem interaction is characterized by both organisms benefitting from the relationship?
Mutualism.
What type of species is non-native and causes harm to an ecosystem, the economy, and other organisms?
Invasive species.
What is parasitism?
A relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
What happens to energy as it moves up an energy pyramid?
Energy decreases.
Why is reproductive success important?
It allows species and populations to continue by producing offspring that survive. (If they continue to produce offspring that do not survive, this will eventually lead to extinction of that species).
Which ecosystem interaction is characterized by one organism benefitting from the relationship while the other is unaffected?
What is the term to describe a change at one level of a food web causing a chain reaction that affects many other parts of the ecosystem?
Trophic Cascade.
What is competition?
When organisms compete or try to use the same limited resource. (This could be food or space/territory).
If all producers disappeared, what would happen to the rest of the food chain? (Be ready to explain the reasoning behind your answer).
All organisms would eventually die because energy stops entering the system.
If an animal loses a key survival trait, what will likely happen over time?
The population may decrease because it cannot survive or reproduce as well.
A tick feeding on a deer is an example of which type symbiotic relationship? (Be ready to explain WHY).
Parasitism because one benefits and the other is harmed.
In Yellowstone National Park in the early 1900s, wolves were intentionally removed from the ecosystem. Besides the Elk population increasing, what was another direct affect of the wolves being removed? (Be prepared to explain why).
Plant life decreasing - Lots of Elk eating plant life before it had the chance to mature.
Beaver population decreasing - Lack of trees to build a habitat lead to habitat loss.
Bird population decreasing - Lack of shrubs and trees to build their nest in, leading to habitat loss.