Nutrition and Energy
Where does all energy on Earth START from?
The Sun/Sunlight
What are Biogeochemical Cycles?
Cycles of nature that allow resources on Earth to be replenished.
What are biotic and abiotic factors?
Living or non-living things that impact an environment.
What might cause an environment to be ready for primary succession?
Meteor, massive earthquake, volcano, alien desolation.
How are fresh water and marine biomes different?
Salt!
An organism that makes its own food is a(n)...
Autotroph
What are the four main cycles that we study?
Water, Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorous.
What is a Niche? How many organisms can occupy a Niche?
A specific set of behaviors and foods that a
What are limiting factors?
Which is more severely impacted by climate change: freshwater or marine biomes?
Freshwater
Describe the benefits and drawbacks of Food Chains and Food Webs
Food Webs: Detailed, more accurate, much more complex
What are two processes that release Carbon, and two that sequester it?
Fires, fossil fuels
Trees and Algae photosynthesizing.
define mutualism, and give an example of a mutualistic relationship
two organisms that both benefit from their relationship. Plants and bacteria.
How would changing limiting factors change a habitat?
These could increase or decrease the number of a specific organism in an environment, which upsets the balance.
What causes the differences in various biomes on Earth?
Geographic location, distance from the equator, climate.
What are the three types of biological pyramids? What does each measure?
Energy Pyramid: Caloric value
Pyramid of Numbers: Actual Number of organisms
Biomass Pyramid: Physical mass of organisms at each level.
Which organisms work together in the Nitrogen Cycle?Why is this relationship necessary for each?
Bacteria decompose matter into Nitrogen that plants can actually absorb. Without this relationship, plants wouldn't be able to eat!
What is the difference between commensalism and parasitism? Give an example of each.
How does primary succession pave the way for secondary succession?
These plants and animals exist and die over time. This fuels the habitat with organic matter.
What biomes do we have present near us?
Desert, savannah, temperate forest
Name the four types of heterotrophs, and give an example of each.
Herbivore: Cow
Carnivore: Wolf
Omnivore: Humans
Detritivore: Vulture
Name each step of the water cycle, and describe how a drought might occur.
Water storage, precipitation, water flow toward ocean, water storage in ocean, evaporation.
Which are more important, prey or predators?
Ecologically speaking, predators. Prey are plentiful and varied. If any one were to disappear, the environment would be fine.
How does secondary succession result in a climax community?
Populations of organisms move in, compete, live, and die over time until the communities balance.
The human destruction of _______ biomes are a leading factor in climate change.
Tropical rainforest