Biodiversity
This is a measurement of how many species live in an area
What is species richness?
This element is essential to the formation of cell membranes. It must be eroded from rocks to find its way into the biosphere
What is phosphorus?
Invasive species tend to thrive because they lack these.
What are predators?
Ecosystem disruptions alter the ________ composition of the ecosystem
Species
This biome is dry, usually hot, and unproductive
What is a desert?
Life on Earth likely originated near these
What are underwater volcanic vents?
This is the largest reservoir of nitrogen on Earth
What is the atmosphere?
This species is venomous and has devastated the Atlantic Ocean. It is believed to have escaped from an aquarium tank during a hurricane
What are lionfish?
If this level of a food web is wiped out, all of the trophic levels above it will collapse
What are producers/autotrophs?
This biome is warm, wet, and highly productive. However, its soils are low quality.
What are rainforests?
This is the most species-rich group of animals
What are insects?
What is carbon?
This animal is invasive in Florida and drove several mammalian species to near extinction
What are Burmese pythons?
This occur when toxins build up inside organisms as you move higher up the food web
What is biomagnification?
This is the largest biome with the greatest amount of biomass. However, it is relatively unproductive relative to its size
What are oceans?
This is what it's called when one species rapidly diversifies into several species
What is an adaptive radiation?
This is the process by which nitrogen is converted into a more useful form by living things
What is nitrogen fixation?
This species of snail was intentionally introduced to Hawaii to fight invasive species. However, it itself became invasive and drove many native snail species to extinction.
What is the cannibal snail?
This type of species can utilize a wide range of resources, and thrives during periods of ecological disruption
What is a generalist species?
This biome has hot summers, cold winters, and moderate annual precipitation. The soils of this biome tend to be very fertile
What are grasslands?
This type of species can only utilize very specific resources, and thrives during periods when Earth is stable
What is a specialist species?
This ratio of elements is useful in assessing the quality of soils
What is the N:P:K ratio?
For this question, name any two common methods by which invasive species are introduced
What is ballast water?
What is the illegal pet trade?
What is intentional introduction?
What is transportation in cargo?
This is the process by which carbon dioxide is absorbed into the ocean
What is ocean acidification?
These two variables are the main determining factors of an area's biome
What are latitude and average precipitation?