Vocabulary
What is a producer?
Organism that makes its own food.
What percentage of energy moves to the next trophic level?
~10%
Which cycle involves photosynthesis and respiration?
Carbon cycle
What is primary succession?
Succession starting with bare rock (little to no soil)
Formula for per capita growth rate.
r = b - d (birth rate - death rate)
What is biomass?
The total mass of living organisms in an area.
Which organisms are at the base of an energy pyramid?
Producers
What role do decomposers play in nutrient cycles?
They recycle matter into the soil, air, or water.
What is Secondary succession?
Succession starting with soil already present.
What does an exponential growth curve look like?
J-shaped
Define carrying capacity.
The maximum population size an environment can support.
Give one example of a primary consumer.
Herbivore such as a rabbit, cow, grasshopper, etc.
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
Chain = single energy pathway; Web = multiple energy pathways
Give one example of a pioneer species.
Lichens, mosses, or grasses
What does a logistic growth curve look like?
S-shaped
What is a survivorship curve?
A graph showing survival rates of a species over time.
Why are there fewer top predators than producers?
Less energy is available at higher trophic levels.
In which cycle are bacteria critical?
Nitrogen cycle
What is ecosystem resilience?
The ability of an ecosystem to recover after a disturbance.
Name one density-dependent factor and one density-independent factor.
Dependent = competition, predation, disease, parasitism. Independent = natural disaster, drought, temperature.
Define biodiversity. Why is it important?
Variety of species in an ecosystem; increases resilience and stability.
Which pyramid shows the amount of energy available at each level?
Energy pyramid
What happens if producers die off in a food web?
Consumers at all levels are affected; collapse possible.
What is the final stable stage of succession called?
Climax community.
Which survivorship type best describes humans? Which describes oysters?
Humans = Type I; Oysters = Type III