Terms
The science that studies the interactions between organisms and their environment.
What is Ecology?
What is mutualism?
A relationship where both species benefit
Define an abiotic factor.
A non-living factor affecting species abundance and dispersal (Temperature, Sunlight, Wind, Soil Type, etc)
What is a producer in a food chain?
What biome is known for its high rainfall and biodiversity?
Tropical Rainforest
This consists of all the organisms in a particular region, along with nonliving components.
What is an ecosystem?
What is parasitism?
One organism benefits, the other is harmed
How do animals depend on abiotic factors?
They need water to drink, air to breathe, and shelter (temperature, sunlight, etc.)
What does an energy pyramid show?
The flow of energy through trophic levels in an ecosystem.
The process of making new products from materials that were used in another product.
What is recycling
a major area that consists of all the animal and plant life in the area as well as the weather/climate, and abiotic factors.
Biome
How does a biome differ from an ecosystem?
A biome covers large geographic areas and includes many ecosystems
Unlike temperature or pH, these environmental components include organisms such as predators, parasites, and competitors that influence the survival and reproduction of other species.
What are biotic factors?
What is a keystone species and why is it important?
A keystone species has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem. Without it the ecosystem will fail.
The loss of living space due to human activity or catastrophic events.
What is habitat loss
Describe the difference between realized and fundamental niche.
Fundamental Niche: the theoretical environment, biotic and abiotic factors an organism can utilize.
Realized Niche: the actual environment, biotic and abiotic factors an organism utilizes.
Give an example of all three types of symbiosis.
Mutualism: bees & flowers, Commensalism: barnacles on whales, Parasitism: flea on a cat
Explain how invasive species alter both biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
Invasive species compete with natives, alter nutrient cycles, or change fire frequency (abiotic).
An ox-bird eats the parasites of the skin of a cow. What relationship is this?
Biotic (Mutualism)
Release of harmful materials into the environment.
What is pollution
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Climate: The prevailing long-term weather conditions found in an area.
Weather: Specific short-term atmospheric conditions of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and wind.
This ecological interaction occurs when organisms vie for the same limited resource, such as food or territory, and can be either interspecific or intraspecific in nature.
Competition
Give five examples of an abiotic factor.
1) Soil Type
2) Temperature
3) Climate
4)Water
5)Wind
Why is only 10% of energy transferred between trophic levels?
Most energy is lost as heat or used for life processes. Only ~10% is stored for the next level.
Plants and animals that have migrated to places where they are not native.
What is an invasive species