Population Ecology
The number of individuals living in a certain area.
What is population density?
The process by which organisms with favorable traits survive and reproduce. Aka "survival of the fittest"
What is natural selection?
A large region with a specific climate and typical plants and animals.
What is a biome?
Ecosystems that include oceans, lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
What are aquatic ecosystems?
The variety of life in an area.
What is biodiversity?
A population growth pattern that starts slow, increases rapidly, and then levels off. Has an "S" shaped curve on a graph.
What is logistic growth?
Different species living together in the same area.
What is a community?
This biome receives very little rainfall and has sparse vegetation.
A. Tropical rainforest
B. Desert
C. Tundra
D. Grassland
B. Desert
The largest marine ecosystem on Earth.
What is the ocean?
Species that are at risk of disappearing forever.
What are endangered species?
The maximum number of individuals an environment can support.
What is carrying capacity?
A close relationship between two species in which at least one benefits.
What is symbiosis?
This biome has permafrost and extremely cold temperatures.
A. Temperate forest
B. Savanna
C. Tundra
D. Chaparral
C. Tundra
Areas where freshwater mixes with saltwater.
What are estuaries?
Protecting land and species from human harm.
What is conservation?
Factors such as disease, competition, and predation that limit population growth.
What are limiting factors?
The role a species plays in its environment.
What is a niche?
This biome is known for having four seasons and deciduous trees.
A. Taiga
B. Temperate deciduous forest
C. Desert
D. Tundra
B. Temperate deciduous forest
This measures the amount of salts dissolved in water.
What is salinity?
The loss of habitats due to human activity such as deforestation.
What is habitat destruction?
Explain the difference between exponential growth and logistic growth.
Exponential growth increases rapidly without limits, while logistic growth slows as carrying capacity is reached.
Name one of the three types of symbiosis.
What are mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism?
This biome contains coniferous forests and long, cold winters.
A. Tropical rainforest
B. Taiga
C. Grassland
D. Desert
B. Taiga
Why are wetlands important to ecosystems? (Name one reason.)
They filter water, reduce flooding, provide habitats, or support biodiversity.
Explain one reason biodiversity is important to humans and ecosystems.
Provides food, medicine, ecosystem stability, pollination, etc.