Vocabulary
What do we call all the organisms of the same species that live in an area at the same time? (p.96)
A population
What do you call the part of Earth that supports life? (p.94)
The Biosphere
What do we call it when two or more organisms seek the same resources at the same time? (p.98)
Competition
Where does the energy that fuels most life on Earth come from? (p.106)
The Sun.
What is the difference between the diets of a carnivore, an herbivore, and an omnivore? (p.107)
Carnivores (such as lions or wolves) eat only meat (other animals).
Herbivores (such as rabbits and cows) only eat plants.
Omnivores (such as bears and humans) eat both plants and animals.
What do we call all the populations of all species living in an ecosystem? (p.96)
A community
What are the three parts of Earth that support life? (p.94)
The top portion of Earth's crust, all the waters that cover Earth's surface, and the atmosphere that surrounds Earth.
What is population density? (p.99)
Population Density is the size of a population that occupies a specific area.
What is an organism that uses an outside energy source to make its own energy-rich molecules called? (p.106)
A producer
What is a type of symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit? (p.108)
Mutualism
What do we call anything that restricts the number of individuals in a population? (p.100)
A limiting factor
What is an ecosystem? (p.95)
All living organisms in an area and the nonliving features in the environment.
How can ecologists measure or estimate the population size of a species? (p.99 and 100)
One method is trap-mark-release.
Another method is to take a sample count.
What is an organism called that cannot make its own energy-rich molecules, so it must obtain energy by eating other organisms? (p.107)
A consumer
What do you call a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits but the other is harmed? (p.108)
Parasitism
What do we call the largest number of individuals of one species that an ecosystem can support over time? (p.101)
The carrying capacity
What do you call the place in which an organism lives? (p.97)
Its habitat
What is highest rate of reproduction under ideal conditions for a population of a species? (p.102)
Its biotic potential
What do you call an illustration of how consumers obtain energy from other organisms in an ecosystem? (p.107)
A food chain
What do you call a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is not affected? (p.108)
Commensalism
What do we call any close relationship between species? (p.108)
Symbiosis or a symbiotic relationship
What is the meaning of the word ecology? (p.95)
The study of interactions that occur among organisms and their environments.
Name a factor that can create a change in a population? (p.102-103)
Birth rates and death rates affect population size. (p.102)
Another factor is a population's movement or migration. (p.103)
What do you call an organism's role in its environment, which includes how it obtains food and shelter, finds a mate, cares for its young, and avoids danger? (p.109)
An organism's niche
What is the role of a decomposer? (p.107)
Decomposers (such as fungi, bacteria, and earthworms) help recycle once-living matter by breaking it down into simple, energy-rich substances.