Biodiversity
This term describes the variety of living organisms in an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
What is biodiversity?
This process happens when decomposers break down dead organisms and release ammonia into the soil.
What is ammonification?
This term describes the largest number of individuals an environment can support over time.
What is carrying capacity?
This term describes the release of harmful substances into the air, water, or soil.
What is pollution?
Predation, disease, and competition are examples of these factors that affect populations more as they grow larger.
What are density‑dependent factors?
This type of biodiversity refers to differences in DNA within a species, helping populations adapt to change.
What is genetic diversity?
This step of the nitrogen cycle returns nitrogen gas back into the atmosphere.
What is denitrification?
When a population grows beyond the carrying capacity, this situation occurs, often leading to resource shortages.
What is overpopulation?
Species that are brought into new environments and spread quickly, harming native species, are called this.
What are invasive species?
This term describes the number of individuals living in a given area.
What is population density?
This level of biodiversity focuses on the variety of habitats, such as forests, deserts, and wetlands.
What is ecosystem diversity?
This process occurs when plants take in nitrates from the soil to build proteins.
What is assimilation?
Food, water, and space are examples of these factors that limit how large a population can grow.
What are limiting factors?
This process, caused by excess fertilizer runoff, leads to algae blooms that reduce oxygen in water.
What is eutrophication?
These factors—such as food, water, and space—limit how large a population can grow.
What are limiting factors?
This human activity—such as cutting down forests—reduces biodiversity by destroying habitats.
What is deforestation?
These bacteria convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into forms plants can use.
What is nitrogen‑fixing bacteria?
This type of growth happens when a population increases rapidly before leveling off at the carrying capacity.
What is logistic growth?
Burning fossil fuels increases this greenhouse gas, which contributes to global climate change.
What is carbon dioxide?
This growth pattern levels off when a population reaches the carrying capacity, forming an S‑shaped curve.
What is logistic growth?
This term describes a species that is at risk of disappearing forever.
What is an endangered species?
This natural cycle moves nitrogen through the air, soil, and living things.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
Predators, disease, and competition are examples of these factors that depend on population size.
What are density‑dependent factors?
Cutting down large areas of forests for farming or building reduces habitats and biodiversity.
What is deforestation?
This type of growth happens when a population increases rapidly with no limits, forming a J‑shaped curve.
What is exponential growth?