Spheres of the Earth
What are the 4 spheres?
Hydro, bio, atmo, geo/litho
What is ecology?
The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments
What is the smallest unit in the ecological order
Individual
What is a food chain?
A way to show feeding relationship
Define habitat
Where an organism lives
Name an example of the hydrosphere
Ocean, river, etc
Name one other type of science involved in ecology
Biology, chemistry, physics, genetics
What is tolerance?
the ability of an organism to survive in changing conditions
What do the arrows show in a food chain/web?
The transfer of energy
Define organism
any living thing
Name an example of the geo/lithosphere
Earth's interior, rocks, etc
Name an example of an abiotic factor
wind, river, etc
The group of organisms of one species that can be found in one area at a given time is a
Population
What is a food web?
Shows overlapping food chains, is more realistic.
Define crysophere
The frozen part of the hydrosphere
Name an example of the atmosphere
Air, oxygen, nitrogen
What kind of science is ecology?
multidisciplinary science
What is the biosphere?
The portion of the earth where life is found (from bottom of the ocean to high in the atmosphere)
Decomposers are
organisms that break down dead and decaying material.
Define niche
A unique role
Name an example of the biosphere
Animals, humans, etc
Describe the difference between abiotic and biotic factors
Abiotic= nonliving
Biotic= living
What is a fundamental niche?
the role an organism can occupy without competition
Organisms that produce their own food are
Autotrophs/producers
Define generalist
An organism with a high range of tolerance
Name what each of the 4 spheres represent
Bio: life
Hydro: all water including frozen
Geo/litho: earth itself
Atmo: all the gasses
Give an example of what an ecologist might study
Answers will vary.
Organism's fundamental niche is not always realistic. With competition the ____ niche is more important
realized
________ & _________ are found at every point in the food web if an organism dies
Scavengers and decomposers
Define specialist
an organism with low range of tolerance