Succession
What type of succession begins on bare rock with no soil present?
Primary succession
What process do producers use to make their own food?
Photosynthesis (or chemosynthesis)
What is a simple linear sequence of energy flow called?
Food chain
What is a species’ role in an ecosystem called?
Niche
What type of symbiosis benefits both species?
Mutualism
What is the fastest land animal?
Cheetah (60-70mph)
Which species first colonize bare rock and help create soil?
Pioneer species (lichens and mosses)
What rule states that only about 10% of energy passes to the next trophic level?
The 10% Rule
What diagram shows all possible feeding connections in a community?
Food web
What principle states that no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time?
Competitive exclusion principle
What type of symbiosis benefits one species and does not affect the other?
Commensalism
Which bird has the largest wingspan of any living species?
Wandering albatross
What is the final stage of succession called, where biodiversity and stability are highest?
Climax community
Which trophic level gets the most energy in a food chain?
Producers
What species has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem?
Keystone species
Give one example of a defense prey use against predators.
Camouflage, mimicry, toxins, speed, etc.
What type of symbiosis benefits one species at the expense of the other?
Parasitism
What is the fastest marine animal?
Black Marlin (82 mph)
Which type of succession occurs after a forest fire when soil remains?
Secondary succession
What happens to most energy as it moves through trophic levels?
It is lost as heat, movement, or waste
What happens if a top predator disappears from a food web?
A trophic cascade
What is it called when species divide resources to reduce competition?
Niche partitioning
Give an example of mutualism.
Bees pollinating flowers; cleaner fish removing parasites
What marine animal has blue blood because it uses copper instead of iron to transport oxygen?
Horseshoe crab
Why does primary succession take longer than secondary succession?
Because soil must form from bare rock first
If grass has 20,000 kcal, how much energy reaches a hawk at the top of a 4-level chain?
About 20 kcal
Why can a pyramid of numbers or biomass sometimes appear inverted in aquatic ecosystems?
Producers like phytoplankton reproduce quickly but have low standing biomass compared to consumers.
What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific competition?
Intraspecific = same species; interspecific = different species
How does parasitism differ from predation?
Parasitism usually does not kill the host immediately
What animal has pink sweat that acts as sunscreen and antibacterial protection?
Hippopotamus