Topic 1: Interactions within an Ecosystem
Living things have basic needs. Throughout the first topic in this unit the needs of living things were examined in depth. The four basic needs of living things are:
Air, Food, Water and Habitat
'Wants' are things that make our life more enjoyable. The distinction between a 'need' and a 'want' has become blurred. Satisfying our needs and wants usually uses natural resources. Which of the following is an example of a luxury?
a)water from a well
b)potatoes from a garden
c) greenhouse tomatoes
d) crabapples from your tree
c) Greenhouse tomatoes
Living beyond our means can have a devastating effect on our environment. So how much of an impact we make determines our ...
Ecological footprint
Which of the following is an abiotic part of an ecosystem is
- micro-bacteria
- fungus
- Minerals
-decaying paints
Minerals
The method of removing carbon form the atmosphere is known as ...
Photosynthesis
Tapeworms live inside organisms and feed on the nutrients of the food they eat. A tape worm is an example of which type of relationship?
Parasitism
Predators such as wolves and coyotes - and even bears - are moving closer and closer to highly populated areas. This is posing an increased danger to people, so predator populations are being culled (reduced in number). This can have a devastating effect on the ecosystem because without this natural control ...
Prey will become overpopulated
One way of changing our impact on the environment we live in is to ...
a)using a car instead of a bus to get to work
b)pack our garbage in smaller bags
c)take a bath every day instead of showering
d)become aware of all the resources you use
d) Become aware of all the resources you use
What are the two requirements to determine an organisms niche?
What it eats and what relationships it has with other organisms
The carbon cycle begins with carbon in the form of ...
Plankton
What is an adaption?
An inherited characteristic that helps an organism survive to reproduce
People use this to meet their basic needs
Natural Resources
There are many waste-reducing practices, which are being suggested to lower the impact we are making in our environment. The most effective practice is ...
Reducing
Organisms in an eco system can be classified as producers or consumers. The producers provide food for the consumers. An organism that consumes both producers and other consumers is called a ...
Omnivore
A forest fire is an example of ...
carbon being released into the atmosphere
We can classify the relationship between a clownfish and a Sea Anemone as ...
Mutualism
Raising 10 cows to sell when your family only needed 2 to survive is an example of ...
A want (to make money)
When used materials are turned into new materials like kitchen scraps placed in a compost bin the practice being used is ...
Recycling
Food chains and food webs are models in science which visually show us the different relationships within an ecosystem. The primary difference between the food chain and the food web is ...
A food web is a complex system of food chains
How do pollutants move from level to level in a food web?
Bioaccumulation
A salamander hides under the bark, fungi grows on the rotting log and other forest dwelling organisms use the hollow core as a home. This rotting decaying log is an ...
What is one way that our relationship with nature has changed over time?
Taking more resources then needed to survive
To determine your ecological footprint, all of the following calculations are necessary, EXCEPT for ...
a) area of the house you need
b) amount of water you use
c) energy supply needed
d)amount of waste you produce
c) energy supply needed
The clean-up crew are the decomposers and scavengers. Decomposers and scavengers get rid of the garbage and waste in an ecosystem. Scavengers differ from decomposers because they ...
eat the dead and decaying organisms
The order of the water cycle starting with evaporation is ...
1. Condensation
2. Precipitation
3. Transpiration